Erik Barbieri is nearing the end of his first year as director of our Parks & Recreation Department.
It’s a key job — and he’s earned plenty of praise for his leadership. He’s visible. He’s proactive.
And he seems to be enjoying himself, and the town.
The other day, Erik joined me at the Westport Library. We chatted about what got him to Westport; what he expected; what he found; where the department is going — and much more.
Click here or below, for a very informative look at our town’s recreational scene. And the man who runs it.
A reminder: The upcoming Martin Luther King holiday includes 2 important local events.
The speaker for the 20th annual celebration is Jelani Cobb. The renowned journalist, scholar, and dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism will be in conversation this on Saturday (January 17, 1 p.m., Westport Library) with novelist, playwright, filmmaker — and Westport resident — Trey Ellis.
Cobb is a Peabody Award winner, Pulitzer Prize finalist, MSNow political analyst, and New Yorker staff writer. He has written books on Barack Obama and the hip hop aesthetic, in addition to editing other volumes and producing numerous documentaries.
The annual MLK celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association. The event is free; click here to register.
Jelani Cobb
On Monday (January 19), the Westport Country Playhouse hosts a free screening of the Emmy-winning 2019 documentary “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality.”
The film focuses on Stevenson’s life and career — particularly his indictment of the US criminal justice system for its role in codifying modern systemic racism — and tracks the intertwined histories of slavery, lynching, segregation and mass incarceration.
The film also documents the monumental opening of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, dedicated to the more than 4,400 lynching victims.
The screening is followed by a discussion with Ellis — one of the film’s executive producers — and TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey Jr., along with questions from the audience. Click here for more information.
The New York Times ran a photo of Lyman, Ukraine yesterday.
There were 2 connections to Westport — and an ominous caption.
The image — illustrating a story about Russian President Putin’s silence in the wake of President Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro — showed a Ukrainian artillery brigade near Lyman. The town, in the Donetsk region has been a sister city of Westport since shortly after the Russian invasion.
The caption in the online version said simply, “A Ukrainian soldier from the 63rd Mechanized Brigade firing toward a Russian target in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday.”
The print version was much more ominous. It added: “Capturing Lyman is currently a top Russian priority.”
The other connection: The shot was taken by Tyler Hicks. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times photographer is a 1988 Staples High School graduate.
(Photo/Tyler Hicks for the New York Times)
Hicks had another Ukraine photo yesterday too — on page 1.
There is actually a third Westport connection. Ukraine Aid International — the boots-on-the-ground non-profit, founded by Westporters Marshall and Brian Mayer — continues to collect funds for our sister city.
To donate monthly or one time, just click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.) (Hat tip: Bob Mitchell)
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Christmas — even all 12 days of it — are in the rearview mirror.
Also in the rearview mirror (if you’re parking a certain way at the Imperial Avenue lot): dozens of Christmas trees.
Hundreds are stacked neatly in the back.
Toni Simonetti — who sends this photo, with Max waiting patiently in front — wonders if this is where they’re stored, after being picked up by local Scouts.
However they got there, she says: “They smell glorious!”
Looking for an advanced astro-photography workflow tutorial?
The Westport Astronomical Society’s free lecture series has exactly that.
On February 10 (7 p.m.), veteran WAS astro-photographer Michael Southam offers tips on taking images from the planning stage, through data acquisition, subframe selection, stacking and processing. Attendees should bring a laptop. Click here to register.Click here to become a WAS member.
BONUS FEATURE: Back in the day, in his Westport studio, filmmaker/animator Jeff Scher made this video for the “Ace of Cups.” The all-female 1960s San Francisco band got reunited after 50 years. Bob Weir was one of several musicians who joined in.
The video is mostly abstract, but includes a portrait of Weir near the beginning.
(Another week, another Monday with a Roundup that roams from our sister city to outer space. And another reminder: “06880” relies on support from readers like you. Please click here to help. Thanks!)
Among Westport’s many charms, historic homes are high on the list.
But — like the venerable trees that surround many — they’re disappearing at a rapid rate.
Residents express frustration with developers who demolish old houses, and at the Historic District Commission that cannot save them.
Part of the issue though, is regulatory. Town rules sometimes disincentivize developers from saving older structures.
This historic Frazier Peters home on Charcoal Hill Road was demolished 10 years ago. (Photo by Bob Weingarten)
Tonight (Monday, January 12, 6 p.m., Zoom), the Planning & Zoning Commission discusses a text amendment that could help keep those homes from the wrecking ball.
The language of Amendment #859 — submitted by Wendy Van Wie, on behalf of the Historic District Commission — is dry:
to delete the existing regulations and add a new … Historic Residential Structure (HRS), which clarifies and strengthens the intent to preserve and ensure continued use of Historic Structures explicitly tying incentives to Page 2 of 3 preservation outcomes; requires formal designation by the HDC before HRS application with criteria to be used by HDC; limits structures to pre-1940, with flexibility for later structures of exceptional integrity or significance; adds explicit definition of alteration for purposes of the section, as any exterior change, including enclosed historic feature; requires all exterior alterations reviewed, regardless of visibility; requires mandatory HDC review for changes impacting significant features or additions; clarifies process for ongoing review by HDC Administrator and Planning & Zoning for all future exterior changes; retains incentives but more explicitly ties them to demonstrated preservation necessity and scale compatibility; clarifies subdivision incentive, generally limited to pre1800 structures, with limited extensions for exceptional cases and prohibited in Local Historic Districts or after demolition; adds clear timelines (generally 18 months from notification) for required maintenance and repair; clarifies procedures, including 72-hour notice, repair plans, and restoration deadlines, adds explicit enforcement authority, including nullification of approvals for unauthorized alterations and permits greater flexibility in incentives provides by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Yet, Van Wie says, there is a long and interesting history to the historical homes story.
In the early 2000s — during the hot housing market that preceded the 2008 financial crisis — there were many teardowns. The land beneath some older homes became more valuable empty, than with the house still on it.
An 1803 farmhouse, in fine condition, sat across Cross Highway from Van Wie’s house (which predated the farmhouse by another 80 years).
The farmhouse sat close to the road, on 2 acres. But in a AAA zone, which permits only 1 single family house on the lot, the farmhouse had to be demolished before a new large house could be built.
Van Wie wondered why the lot could not be split in 2 — preserving the farmhouse in front, and allowing the new home to built in back.
Demolition notices are a common sight in Westport.
In 2007, the Planning & Zoning Commission adopted a special permit regulation. Recognizing that zoning can sometimes be an obstacle to historic preservation, it allowed relief from some requirements like setbacks and coverage.
In exchange, the owner grants the town a preservation easement, to perpetually protect the historic structure.
Over time, a few situations arose where the only practical way to save the historic house was by carving out a piece of land with a subdivision that would not ordinarily be permitted. The regulation was amended to allow such Historic Preservation Subdivisions.
But they applied to very few instances.
The 1803 Cross Highway farmhouse — now long gone — would not have been saved. But the Coleytown Mill house was.
The original mill house …
It is scrunched between Coleytown Road — with almost not setback — and the Aspetuck River. No one would buy the property until it was subdivided. Then a new, large house was constructed in the field on the other side of the river. (Click here to read that 2015 “06880” story.)
… and the rear of the house, at 277 North Avenue. The original lines of the 1740s saltbox remain.
But — frustrated by still not having enough tools to save historic houses when they came before the HDC for demolition — a few years ago the commission wrote the regulation that finally, tonight, comes before the P&Z.
The proposal has more rigorous historic preservation standards than the original regulation. But it potentially allows for more subdivisions, for the purpose of saving important historic structures.
Several preconditions must be met before a house is even considered for a historic preservation subdivision. It must have been built:
Before 1800
Between 1800 and 1940, but be of exceptional integrity and importance
Between 1800 and 1940, but among the last examples of its architectural style in its neighborhood.
If the HDC concludes that — under the above criteria — a house is historic, the P&Z must agree.
If the regulation is adopted, one beneficiary may be 125 Riverside Avenue.
That’s the 1756 home near the foot of Burr Road now owned by an LLC. Lucien Vita — principal architect of Vita Design Group, whose office and own home are in historic buildings, and who is working on the Riverside project — calls the new regulation “well considered, and a big improvement. We’re very supportive of the way it could preserve historic structures.”
(“06880” regularly covers local politics, real estate, town history — and their intersection. If you appreciate stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Tom Prince has lived in Westport since 1993. He is a former editor forNew York magazine, Condé Nast, Martha Stewart and Meredith. He has written for for New York, The Wall Street Journal and GQ,
Tom says, “I am NOT a member of the Democratic Town Committee.” But — in advance of Tuesday’s DTC biennial caucus (January 13, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) — he writes:
In the voting booth, you may wonder how the names on the ballot ended up next to those ovals. Who picked these people? How did this happen? And if I’m unhappy with the choices, how can I change them?
In many ways, the most important election is not in November. It’s this Tuesday in Town Hall at 7:30 p.m., when the Westport Democratic Town Committee picks 50 to 70 voting members. They in turn endorse the candidates who run for office, and run our town.
It may seem like just another back room, inside baseball, cigar-chomping nerd-fest. But it’s a crucial decision.
And it’s easy for any registered Democrat to participate. (Any voter who changed registration from another party must have done so at least 90 days prior to January 13. Unaffiliated voters can register as Democrats as late as the day of the caucus.)
In a town where 40 percent of registered voters are Democrats, and where Democrats often win elections, the DTC is pre-selecting the people who will win races. That’s indisputable. Only 17.5 percent of Westport voters are Republicans.
The DTC has a special nominating committee to choose and endorse future candidates. It consists of 5 to 9 DTC members making recommendations to all 50 to 70 DTC members. Each recommendation requires only a majority of that committee (3 to 5 people).
Then it takes only 36 DTC members to endorse a candidate or slate, and get those names on the ballot. That’s some concentrated decision-making: Very few people are making very important choices.
In return, the officially endorsed candidates win a lottery of sorts: special tracking software, loyal volunteers, experienced door-knockers, savvy phone bankers, resolute poll standers, SWAT teams of Facebookers and videographers and Instagrammers, targeted texting campaigns, merciless robocalls, t-shirts, hats, stickers, yard signs, branded Halloween candy, and — in their dedicated Saugatuck headquarters — beer, wine and pizza.
Officially endorsed candidates have easy access to yard signs.
In simple terms, 3 to 5 members of the DTC control the money and the power (and the resources), and decide who gets the money and the power (and the resources).
These endorsers have an outsize effect on every election. Their votes say more than anyone else’s, and they say it early in the process. Sure, the process could unfold differently — it could be more democratic (ironically), involve more people, or support equally qualified candidates.
If you attend DTC meetings (they’re open to the public), members often complain about how hermetically sealed the nominating committee is. (At the December DTC meeting, one member asked about her perpetual exile to the sportswear committee; her plea was ignored.)
Instead of rotating members or recommending more than one candidate for an office, the leadership trudges along the same well-trod paths, year in and year out.
How can you help change things, if you’re dissatisfied with one or more of the choices you’re presented with each year?
Show up and vote. Any Democrat can show up to vote on the slate of people running to be elected to the DTC in their Representative Town Meeting (RTM) district. Elect people who align with your values.
Run, and bring your family and friends to vote for you.The steps to win are pretty straightforward. Are you a registered member of the party (90 days before the caucus, if changing from another party)? Do you have family, friends or neighbors who are registered Democrats, and have 1 or 2 hours to show up on Tuesday night to vote for you (and others if they support their candidacies)?
The Democratic Town Committee biennial caucus is Tuesday night, at Town Hall. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
If you want to participate, bring about change, have a better process, or choose more like-minded candidates, this is how to make it happen.
It’s time to stop looking the other way, and start questioning how things are always done. It’s a rare chance for the young, the unrepresented, and the unheard to become voices in an important choir.
What would happen if democracy were open to all Democrats, not just a chosen few? What if ideas could once again prevail over ideology, and people could take precedence over power? Tuesday is a good time to find out.
(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all readers. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com.)
Our first Photo Challenge of the new year showed a tray of delicious chocolate frosted, powdered and plain donuts, on a counter.
It could only be Coffee An’.
The Westport institution is beloved by many.
A record 48 readers knew exactly where to find Marina Drasnin’s photo. (Click here to see.)
And — like visitors to the Main Street store — the correct responses came from a mix of regulars and newcomers.
Congratulations to Sandra Howard, Pat Saviano, Seth Braunstein, Todd Ehrlich, Dave Eason, Matt Murray, Barbara Mathias, Lynn Wilson, Sal Liccione, Joan Lipson, Dan Vener, Ed Simek, Matt McGrath, Mike Hibbard, Mickey Herbst, Chris Swan, Rob Hauck, Dan Ashley, Bryan Schwartz, Rachel Sara Halperin, Pete Powell, Seth Schachter, Steve Stein, Andrew Colabella, Suzanne Atkins, Linda Vita Velez, Fred Levin, Rick Benson, Sharon Yules, Jack Krayson, Janine Scotti, Patty Lynch, Evin Dubrow, Jalna Jaeger, Richard Hyman, Katie Phillis, Jonathan McClure, Ann Franzen, Robert Mitchell, Regi Kendig, Christy Charise, Alex Knopp, Ryan Heemeyer, Deb Alderson, Linda Pomerantz Novis, Cat Malkin, Bobbi Essagof and Barbara Wong.
You all earned yourselves an extra treat today.
In fact, the only disagreement was on the punctuation of the donut shop.
Readers called it Coffee ‘An, Coffee An and Coffee And.
For the record, it’s Coffee An’.
An’ it’s delicious.
Our second Photo Challenge of the Year is (moderately) harder. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Susan Garment)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Years ago, the Staples High School fieldhouse and adjacent gymnasium were named in honor of Lou Nistico.
Part of the noted Saugatuck family that founded and operated the legendary Arrow restaurant (now both Riko’s Pizza and Lomito’s, at 2 different sites), Lou was an ardent supporter of his alma mater.
He provided financial help — very quietly — to the athletic program, and any student who needed it. He gave many teenagers their first job. He was a big man, with an even bigger heart.
But from the day his name went up above the entrance, no one ever called it “The Nistico Fieldhouse.”
Unfortunately too, the sign bearing his name was in disrepair for at least a couple of decades. Letter were missing. It was embarrassing.
Over the holidays, at least that part of Lou Nistico’s legacy was addressed.
The new sign looks handsome and classy:
(Photo/Dan Woog)
Now, if we could only start calling it by its name …
The reflection of lights, and an exercise machine placed in front, don’t detract from this portrait of Lou Nistico near the fieldhouse.
Last week’s post about another rise in car thefts — and the Police Department’s advice to residents to increase their “situational awareness” — drew dozens of comments.
They ranged from the consequences of police pursuit (or lack of it), to the wisdom of arming oneself, to the relative crime rates of Westport and Idaho.
One late comment struck a very personal note. Many readers may not have seen it (and many others never read the Comments section).
But it’s worth repeating. Sara Holt — a Westporter since 2015 — wrote:
Yesterday at 3:30 p.m. I pulled into my garage after shopping at Trader Joes and Organic Market.
I got out of my car, and propped my house door open to make carrying groceries inside easier.
As I turned back to my car barely seconds later, I encountered a masked person, in a black hoodie and black jeans, entering my garage.
I am fortunate he did not want a confrontation, and instead turned and ran away.
Sara Holt’s experience was similar to a 2023 incident, in which masked men followed the driver of an Aston Martin into his Bayberry Lane garage. They stole the vehicle, but were apprehended later.
I did not reach for a weapon. (I do not own a firearm, but I have a mean judo kick).
I reached for my phone, and called the police. They came quickly.
They said that often car thieves will follow cars from grocery lots, knowing owners will leave the car (and garage) open to unload.
It’s an opportune time, as often the key fob is still in or near the car (in a purse on the front seat, or in the console). They can steal a car quickly, without confrontation.
So in this instance I am not someone who, as one commenter suggested, can’t reliably lock my car doors.
But I am also not, as a commenter from Florida suggested, a person who believes a concealed weapon would be the solution in this type of situation.
Not the answer, Sara Holt says.
I have also not obsessively locked my car in my garage, while bringing bags of groceries in and out, but perhaps I will now,
No, I won’t! That would be ultimate madness. It’s stressful enough living here with these crazy Westport drivers. I digress…
Be ultra-aware of your surroundings during these times. I am grateful for the Westport Police for having incredible intel on the perps within minutes, and for this encounter to have resolved as it did.
I urge people to understand the dire circumstances that cause young adults to hustle like this to make ends meet. They are often forced into these crimes as they haven’t had access to opportunities, or positive mentors, caregivers or models to show them there is another way to thrive.
Shepherds Mentors in Bridgeport is an incredible organization offering mentorships to disconnected young adults who are motivated to succeed.
I worked for Year Up for 20 years (now Year Up United), helping disconnected urban young adults go from poverty to professional careers — from hustling to tax-paying in a year-lonf program.
Reach out and be part of that solution. Don’t perpetuate a bigger problem by aiming assumptions or weapons at our country’s most vulnerable young adults.
Yes, I want to feel safe here in Westport. But I also realize that in these times, things are really really rough out there — outside of our bubble (and also within).
As for Idaho and Texas: I live on a dark street, with lots of dogs who bark around the clock. We have a security alarm tag on our mailbox at the end of our driveway. And cameras on all sides of the house. And a Ring camera.
And yet I also live 1 hour from New York City, next to 2 highways. So with or without arms, we are prime targets.
I envy your remote locals (and if only I could have grown up in 1970s Westport — epic. It’s jammed now!)
I’d rather lose a car than lose my humanity, by inanely taking the life of another human. Perspective is everything — and we’ve seem to have lost it.
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