As the Long Lots Elementary School project moves forward, a group of residents want their voices heard by the Representative Town Meeting.
That will happen, moderator Jeff Wieser says.
But not by petition.
On Tuesday, Lou Weinberg — chair of the Westport Community Gardens, which may be forced to move if a new baseball diamond is built on its current location — submitted a petition signed by 37 electors to the Town Clerk.
It requested a chance to present to the RTM “the history and current status of the Westport Community Gardens and Town Preserve.”
Citing “the largest capital expenditure in Westport’s history,” the petitioners said: “We believe it is incumbent upon the RTM members to have a full understanding of the consequences of a project of this magnitude.”
Wieser — who as moderator decides the monthly agenda — said in an email to the 36 RTM members yesterday:
You will see that this petition is asking for time at an upcoming RTM meeting to present an update on the history and current status of the Westport Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve. This request is very similar to the one delivered this summer by the citizens concerned with the path of the Parker Harding discussions.
As I did in deciding that the presentation previously requested was not an issue within the RTM’s purview, I have decided not to bring this new petition to the RTM. Since that earlier stance, which was supported by the Town Attorney, we have had long and public conversations about how to review such requests by electors. In a subsequent petition meant to clarify how that should occur, 82% of the RTM has voted that discretion in this regard is appropriate.
I am alerting you to this decision so that you are aware and, if you object, to remind the RTM that the body has a clear – and welcomed – opportunity to overrule my decision within the confines of the next meeting.
I also point out that we will most probably be considering $1,000,000+ funding at November’s meeting for the design of the new school. There will be ample opportunity at that meeting and at many, many more public meetings for proponents of the gardens to comment on the situation.
I think all are aware that as a gardener at my beloved plot #146, I am not indifferent to the outcome of this debate. But as moderator I will continue to be moderate; to stay away from the fray and let the town’s process, which is a very good process, run its course.
I don’t wish to start a debate. If you have comments or objections, please communicate individually with me or others.
One of the hidden treasures of a visit to Dr. Nikki Gorman’s Village Pediatrics is the Storywalk, behind her Riverside Avenue office.
There, by the Saugatuck River, a rotating series of books entertains youngsters.
Dr. Nikki is also Girl Scout leader. Now, one of her troop members is curating a series of 3 books. Changing seasonally, all raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues, in a fun setting.
The Storywalk, behind Village Pediatrics.
Sophia Lomnitz was spurred to action by the recent wave of book bans across the nation. Her first effort is “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” by Sarah S. Brannen.
It’s about a young girl who worries that when her favorite uncle is marrying his boyfriend, he won’t have time to play with her anymore. She realizes though that she’s not losing one uncle — she’s gaining another one.
Sophia is president of Staples High School’s Psychology Club, and a member of both the senior class committee and swim team.
Sophia Lomnitz
“I’m super proud of her,” Dr. Nikki says. “She’s been my Girl Scout for over 11 years, and is a true gem. She has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen, and she is super funny and smart. She does it all with a smile.
“I love having a Storywalk behind us, with exposure for the younger set to different ideas of families, relationships, etc. Normalization and representation are so important.
“I am so proud of Sophia for this project. It really highlights what a kind and sensitive soul she is.”
When she leaves for college next year, Sophia will hand the Storywalk project to another Girl Scout.
Congratulations, Sophia. Quietly but impactfully, you are our Unsung Hero of the Week!
Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com.
(“Unsung Hero” is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. Please support our work, with a contribution. Click here — and thank you!)
The Long Lots Elementary School project took one small step forward last night.
The Board of Finance discussed the project, in the first of 3 expected meetings.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker laid out the rest of the timetable, at Town Hall.
The Parks & Recreation Commission meets Monday (October 30, 7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium; click here for livestream), and will follow up with at least one more meeting.
The Planning & Zoning Commission will then hear an 8-24 (land use) application — most likely, not before December.
Then, a request for design specs will go to the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting, beginning with relevant committees.
Despite being behind schedule, Tooker still aims for for construction to begin a year from now, in the fall of 2024.
The current plan for a new building at Long Lots Elementary School must be heard — and approved — by several town bodies.
This Saturday (October 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aspetuck Health District, 180 Bayberry Lane), the Westport Police Department partners with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, for the 25th annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Residents are asked to look in medicine cabinets and drawers for medications that are no longer needed, or out of date. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
Take Back Day has removed more than 8,300 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.
Collection sites cannot accept illicit drugs, needles or sharps; only pills or patches.
Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container, with caps tightly sealed.
Vape pens with removable batteries can be disposed of at the take-back site. Vape pens without removable batteries are not accepted.
A year-round collection bin is available in the lobby of Westport police headquarters. Prescription drugs can be disposed of any time there. Click here for more information.
As tensions mount internationally, domestically and locally, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation hopes residents can come together.
“All of us are spiritual people, no matter our personal faith traditions or religious affiliations,” the UU says. “We can find solace in community … in peace, in meditation, and in reflection.”
This Saturday (October 28, 4 to 5 p.m., the sanctuary, 10 Lyons Plains Road), Rev. Alan Tayler and others will lead attendees through a meditative experience.
“It will be a time to just be, in quiet, with one another, with a very few readings and with cellist Gunnar Sahlin offering some lovely cello pieces,” the UU adds.
For over 100 years, the 1917 home at 44 Compo Mill Cove — one of the most distinctive, and most photographed homes i Westport — has weathered hurricanes and nor’easters.
It’s seen the Old Mill neighborhood change from summer shacks to multi-million-dollar properties.
Several experts thought it was too fragile to work with. But new owners Lance and Anne Lonergan wanted to preserve it.
With the help of Michael Greenberg & Associates, and a firm in Pennsylvania, they’re lifting it, renovating it, and adding on some modern features — while retaining its bones and beauty.
Here’s to another century, as the “Queen of Compo Cove.”
The effort — involving the state Department of Transportation, property owner, restaurant owner, Earthplace and Eversource.
Town officials, including Representative Town Meeting members, were key parts of the negotiations.
Representative Town Meeting members in front of the Sakura trees (from left): Don O’Day, Claudia Shaum, Andrew Colabella, Matthew Mandell, Chris Tait, Jay Keenan, Seth Braunstein.
“While walking on Burying Hill beach twice last weekend, I saw huge numbers of golf balls in the water. They come from golfers practicing their chipping, into the Sound.
“From an environmental point of view, I imagine these break down eventually and pose any number of hazards. In the meantime, it is unsightly litter.
“I took over 100 golf balls out of the water. The current pulls them out and around Frost Point back towards Burying Hill Beach. The density is always thickest toward Southport.
“I know there are many many greater issues in our town, country and world, but this seems like an easy one to fix. Perhaps the person watching the sunset and ceaselessly chipping balls from their yard into the water is unaware of potential issues with the practice, or perhaps they just don’t care.
This sign — spotted on Post Road West, near what may be the worst 4-way intersection in town — sums up many residents’ feelings about the ongoing I-95 Saugatuck Avenue bridge rehabilitation project:
Speaking of the VFW: If you bought tickets to Jon Gailmor’s “First Folk Sunday” appearance November 5 at the VFW, you’re in luck. As noted last weekend on “06880,” the 1966 Staples High School graduate is a special performer.
If you did not get tickets, you’re out of luck: The show is sold out.
Keep reading our Roundup, though, for future shows in this very cool monthly series.
Jon Gailmor
=================================================
So — still looking for something to do November 5?
The Westport School of Music offers “An Afternoon of Hot Jazz & Cool Classics” (4 p.m., MoCA Westport).
The law firm of Nguyen Lefft sponsors this chamber music concert. They’ll honor all Westport non-profit and public school music educators, and have invited them to attend.
Eleven musicians will present jazz favorites, light French classics, 2 Strauss songs, and piano 4-hands works.
Afterwards, audience members can greet the artists, and enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, pizza and juice.
Speaking of MoCA: 2 important events have been added to their calendar.
On November 18 (7 p.m.), 2022 Heida Hermanns Competition laureate Artem Kuznetsov returns, after performing around the world.
November 21 (7 p.m.) brings the Django Festival Allstars. They’ve played top festivals and concert halls across the US, including Newport Jazz, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and 24 years at Birdland in New York.
Longtime Westporter Russell Sherman discussed his varied and interesting career yesterday, at the Westport Rotary Club’s weekly meeting.
The Staples High School graduate started out in television sports broadcasting, then was head of corporate public relations at Bear Stearns when it collapsed in 2008.
He launched his own consulting firm, which was acquired by Prosek Partners.
Sherman also hosts a podcast, “Press Profiles,” where he interviews leading business reporters, anchors and editors.
Russell Sherman (Photo/Ellin Curley)
==============================================
Claudia Sherwood Servidio captured today’s gorgeous “Westport … Naturally” image, o a recent late afternoon off Cross Highway.
(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)
=================================================
And finally … following up on the Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s “come together” invitation for this Saturday (story above):
(Another day, another jam-packed “06880” Roundup. If you enjoy, learn from or otherwise appreciate this daily feature, please support our work. Click here — and thank you!)
The other day, Cecily Anderson saw a social media post asking for illustrations of “Westport things.”
Inspired, she quickly came up with a list of possible subjects.
Then she went to work.
“I didn’t try to exclude anything or anyone,” Cecily says. “This was just stream of consciousness.”
Cecily is an artist-educator. She’s worked at Bedford Middle School since 2002. In 2013, she was named Westport’s Teacher of the Year. She moved to Westport in 2018.
Cecily is multi-talented. She sings soprano with the Fairfield County Chorale, and leads her daughter’s Webelo troop.
Four photos from her series “Domesticated” are currently yfeatured at Silvermine Art Gallery. Yesterday, she presented an artist talk there.
This morning, enjoy Cecily’s great, diverse bunch of Westport places and “things.”
But if you were going to create your own — assuming you have Cecily’s talent and eye — what else would you include? Click “Comments” below.
(“06880” is your source for all “things” Westport. But we rely on reader support to do it all. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Westport Police offer this update on the vessel that sank near Cockenoe Island on Sunday:
Just before noon yesterday, they located the boat near buoy #2. The search for 2 missing boaters continued all day — even as the WPD was dealing with a major incident involving 2 stolen vehicles, and the arrests of 9 suspects.
At 4:30 p.m., the Westport Police Marine Division was notified of a body in the water approximately 3 miles northeast of the sunken boat. A Bridgeport Fire boat was first on scene, and recovered the body from the Sound.
At Bridgeport Harbor they were met by Westport Police, Connecticut Medical Examiner’s Office, and the family of the victim. He is 38-year-old Juan Gabriel Valle Pineda of Spring Valley, New York.
His body was taken to the office of the chief medical examiner for an autopsy. Westport Police extend their sympathies to this family, and hope to recover the second missing person. That search was suspended last night, at 9 p.m.
It’s been a while since the weeping cherry blossom trees in front of Sakura were in the news.
No news is good news.
After being slated for destruction during the Post Road renovation project, it appears they’ve been saved.
Sakura blossoms (Photo/Bob Mitchell)
Andrew Colabella — the Representative Town Meeting member whose initial involvement helped draw attention to the plight of the beloved cherry blossoms — passes along word from Joseph Sorcinelli, construction project engineer for the state Department of Transportation.
The trees may still be pruned, for utility clearance. There is also a concern involving the planned sidewalk elevation, and the pine tree on the property just west of the Sakura driveway.
But it does appear that — as noted during discussions in March, with town officials, the property owner and restaurant owner, Earthplace, Connecticut DOT and Eversource — the icons will remain.
That’s good news indeed.
And next spring, the only weeping will be the trees’.
The long-anticipated traffic-opalypse — resulting from the “bridge slide” replacement on I-95 over Saugatuck Avenue — did not take place until Sunday afternoon.
Here’s what it looked like at dusk:
(Photo/Ward French)
The new span sat lonely and still unopened. Meanwhile, southbound drivers sat.
Meanwhile, kudos to all who made the “slide” happen.
AI Engineers (who probably named their firm long before ChatGPT was a thing) posted this on LinkedIn:
“Major milestone on I-95 [sic] in Norwalk, CT! This past weekend, our talented team oversaw the first successful Accelerated Bridge Slide for the project. As the prime consultant, AI Engineers is not only committed to the safety and efficiency of the construction, but we’re also keen on sharing our knowledge. Our engineers have crafted an animation to demonstrate this innovative slide in action.
“Balancing the bustling traffic of I-95 in Norwalk, minimizing the impact to neighboring communities in Norwalk and Westport, and adhering to precise schedules – notably the season-specific bridge slide – demands careful planning and flexibility.
“Proud to be at the forefront of innovation, ensuring better and safer roads for everyone!
Stew Leonard’s 32nd annual Hanukkah menorah lighting celebration is set for Thursday, December 7 (5 p.m.).
Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht of Beth Israel Chabad will light an 18-foot menorah. Everyone is invited to enjoy live music, holiday songs and pre-packaged kosher refreshments. Hot potato latkes, dreidels and chocolate gelt will be distributed to all.
The 2021 menorah lighting at Stew Leonard’s
=================================================
David Berkman sold out his first “Jazz at the Post” shows.
This Thursday (October 26, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $15 cover charge), he’s back for more.
He’s joined by Dayna Stephens, an exciting saxophonist and one of Greg Wall’s favorites. (“The Jazz Rabbi” — who will play too — is no slouch on sax himself.)
Rounding out the quintet are bassist Marty Kenney and drummer Curtis Nowosad.
Reservations are strongly encouraged: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Lynn Flint’s special 1-day estate show, to benefit Bridgeport artists in need of help with rent, food, fuel and materials, is this Thursday (October 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1 Belaire Drive on Saugatuck Avenue near the Norwalk border).
A few of the many items available at the estate sale to benefit Bridgeport artists.
And finally … in honor of the good news from Sakura (story above):
(Let “06880” be the first to wish you a Happy Hanukkah! And let us remind you for the umpteenth time: Westport’s hyper-local blog relies on reader support. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
Like drivers throughout town, the Parker Harding project is still waiting for a green light.
Meeting virtually last night, the Planning & Zoning Commission deferred a decision on the first phase of a long-debated plan for the area between the backs of Main Street stores, and the Saugatuck River.
Public Works director Pete Ratkiewich and Downtown Plan Implementation Committee chair Randy Herbertson presented the newest iteration of the first phase of the plan. Officially, this was an “8-24” review at the request of 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
After much public feedback, it reinstates the cut-through road from Main Street to the Post Road.
It also calls for 2-way traffic closest to the backs of Main Street stores; the addition of green space near the riverl the relocation of the dumpsters away from their current central location, and — most controversially — a reduction of 45 parking spaces.
The Parker Harding plan. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
Ratkiewich explained that the decision on parking spots resulted from a combination of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, new standards for parking spots (the current ones are too tight), and the maneuverability of fire equipment.
Commissioners and members of the public offered many comments and questions. While praising parts of the plan, they found the elimination of nearly 4 dozen parking spots problematic.
They asked about traffic patterns, perpendicular rather than angled parking, sustainability and flooding.
Parker Harding Plaza flooded on October 27, 2018. There was no rain — just an unexpected high tide. (Photo/Eliza Barr for Inklings)
They also wondered about the sequence of steps. The DPIC has reimagined all of downtown, including the Taylor (“lower library”) lot by Jesup Green, and the lot on Imperial Avenue now used by the Westport Farmers’ Market.
Since the Taylor/Jesup Green plan adds parking (and a playground) downtown, they asked, why not do that work prior to Parker Harding?
If town officials do not want to add parking there before eliminating it behind Main Street, they suggested the plan be reconsidered to improve fire safety, add the 4 ADA-compliant handicap spaces the lot currently lacks, spruce up landscaping and the current boardwalk — but also retain more parking.
The DPIC is still waiting for a green light. At Ratkiewich’s request — and after 3 hours of talk — the P&Z agreed to continue its discussion on November 6.
A screenshot from the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee shows the current Parker Harding lot. The cut-through lane closest to the river would be moved further east, adding green space. The middle cut-through would be eliminated. Parking spaces would be widened, to meet current regulations.
(Every day, “06880” covers important issues like this. If you support local journalism, please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Click here — and thank you!)
Aye Aye Thant was a longtime Westporter, and the daughter of U Thant — the 3rd secretary-general of the United Nations (1961-71).
In 2011 Aye Aye Thant spoke at Westport’s UN Day ceremony.
Today is UN Day. In honor of the organization’s founding 78 years ago, she writes:
On October 24, as we celebrate the birth of the UN “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” I reflect on my father’s ideals and his belief in the role of the UN as a means towards lasting peace.
He stated:
“The principle of non-violence is also a basic concept of the UN Charter. One of the most fundamental principles to which member states have committed themselves is to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force.
“History teaches us that no durable solution can be found for any human problem except by persuasion and by common consent. The use of violence is double-edged, as violence is bound by the doctrine of reciprocal action, to provoke violence in turn. Before long, we find that the rule of law has given place to the rule of the jungle.
We have therefore to go back to first principles and to observe the Charter commitment regarding the non-use of violence or the threat of violence in international relations. In modern war there is no such thing as victor and vanquished. There is only a loser, and the loser is mankind.”
It has been a source of great hope to witness convoys of trucks carrying the UN flag bringing in urgently needed food, water, and medicine to those in a desperate situation in Gaza.
This mobilization — which engages the entire UN system for a humanitarian effort — embodies human solidarity which, my father said, reflects the fundamental moral values of the United Nations.
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
It requested a chance to present to the RTM “the history and current status of the Westport Community Gardens and Town Preserve.”
“History teaches us that no durable solution can be found for any human problem except by persuasion and by common consent. The use of violence is double-edged, as violence is bound by the doctrine of reciprocal action, to provoke violence in turn. Before long, we find that the rule of law has given place to the rule of the jungle.
