Traffic. The environment. Parks & Recreation. Enforcement of regulations.
Those were some of the topics that came up frequently yesterday, at the Select Board’s first “community conversation.”
But the idea voiced most frequently was a simple “thank you” to 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, for convening the meeting in the first place.
He and fellow selectpersons Amy Wistreich and Don O’Day listened patiently, as a dozen attendees listed items of concern.
1st Selectman Kevin Christie, with 2nd selectwoman Amy Wistreich and 3rd selectman Don O’Day, at yesterday’s community conversation. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Transparency was raised often. There was applause when Christie said that all town meetings will be recorded and put on the town website.
Valerie Seiling Jacobs and Wendy Batteau spoke about sustainability. Issues included the Parks & Rec Department’s use of pesticides and battery-powered leaf blowers, and the ongoing discussion about synthetic turf athletic fields.
The Parks & Rec Commission was criticized for canceling recent meetings, and not taking sea level rise at Compo Beach more seriously.
Christie — who said his administration is in the early phases of looking at the makeup of, and “refreshing,” all appointed boards and commissions — called Parks & Rec “a top priority.”
In response to Sal Liccione’s concerns about downtown, Christie pledged “holistic thinking. We’ll move away from the chessboard idea of finding 40 spots. There will be a more creative solution.”
Westport has studied downtown extensively. 1st Selectman Kevin Christie hopes to move forward “holistically.”
A business owner urged Christie to “reject partisanship and cronyism,” in favor of a meeting with all stakeholders to determine the future of downtown parking.
Jennifer Johnson reiterated the ongoing topic of traffic. She asked Christie to consider “a more holistic and systematic approach.”
Looking ahead to tonight’s Connecticut Department of Transportation meeting about the Cribari Bridge, Christie said he is in preliminary discussions with state officials. “We don’t want 18-wheelers, and we don’t want the bridge to fail,” he added.
Other issues included the upcoming loss of police officers and firefighters, due in part to the lack of a pension; the need for enforcement of teen drinking parties, and the possibility of cameras to catch motor vehicle violations.
Christie promised more community conversations in the future.
And, he said, they will be at many different times of day, so all Westporters will have a chance to attend.
Holistic Brilliant
The Community Conversation marks an auspicious start to a hopefully new era of openness. There remains a need to find ways to include folks who are working whether it’s on the job or caring for kids at 3 in the afternoon.
A bit more on tonight’s CTDOT meeting… CTDOT officials, in my opinion, need to explain why they have failed to conduct the Public Information Meetings required by their own policy and by Section (106) of the National Highway Administration’s National Historic Place regulations.
What has been happening in the Cribari Bridge project seems eerily similar to the CTDOT garage construction surprise desecration on Hillendale and West Parish.
Agree, it’s odd that the property owners within the Bridge Street National Register District were not notified by the Feds that the defining element of their historic district (the Cribari Bridge) has been targeted for destruction and will be the subject of a public discussion tonight.
Update: This morning, DOT was politely asked to reschedule this meeting so that it could be properly noticed. As of this moment, it’s sticking with its “we don’t need to tell anyone who didn’t ask to be told” narrative.
our country could use a new era of openness.
Please make sure any community discussion is well publicized.
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day. Thank you First Selectman Christie, et al.
Thanks, Dan. Just to clarify, I am certainly concerned about the regular use of pesticides on Longshore (as I expressed at the recent RTM meeting where we learned that Parks and Rec is planning to renew a maintenance contract with a company that makes much use of chemicals – some classified as toxic, with at least one subject to an imminent state ban – in the face of so much information about their health consequences). But I don’t know about their canceled meetings or actual plans for accommodating rising local waters (others at the meeting raised those issues). I was glad to know, though, that our Selects were well aware and on the case. It was great to see them listening carefully and responding to every person at the meeting. It was also great to hear their appreciation of all our wonderful town staff.