First Selectman Jim Marpe Endorses Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore for Upcoming Board of Selectmen Race
Press Release, Tooker Moore for SelectmanWestport First Selectman Jim Marpe announced today his endorsement of current Second Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker as the town’s next First Selectman, and current Vice-Chair of the Board of Finance Andrea Moore as Second Selectman. Mr. Marpe has served as First Selectman since his election to the Town’s highest office in 2013. In 2017 he won reelection with Jennifer Tooker as his running mate. Mr. Marpe announced in April that he would not be seeking a third term.
“I am proud to announce my unwavering support for Jennifer Tooker and Andrea Moore for Westport Board of Selectmen,” stated Mr. Marpe. “The primary job of the First Selectman is the day-to-day management and oversight of 15 Town departments and nearly 300 employees. It is truly a combination of being both a CEO and a COO, as well as the “public face” of Westport. Jen and Andrea are the only candidates whose professional backgrounds include significant management and leadership experience. Jen’s additional experience on the Westport Board of Education, Board of Finance and the Conservation Commission make her uniquely qualified to take the helm of Westport leadership,” Marpe continued.
“Jen Tooker has been an invaluable partner in my administration over the past three and a half years,” Marpe remarked. “Her incredible ability to solve complex problems and bring people together is the reason Jen has been tasked with managing some of the most important initiatives of our administration, including chairing the ReOpen Westport Advisory Team. Under Jen's leadership, this team has done remarkable work helping local businesses safely open and operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. This role was a natural extension of the work she has done with the local business community during her entire term as Second Selectwoman,” he added. “Jen also launched another key program of our administration, Westport Together, which promotes the positive development of our children with a focus on the social and emotional health and well being of the community. It is this combination of effective governance and caring and compassion for our residents that makes Jen such a vital asset to Westport. And, because of the key roles in which she has served, Jen has a unique perspective on how to lead Westport into the future and a clear vision of what our community can be.”
“I have also worked closely with Andrea Moore in her roles on the Westport Board of Finance and the RTM over the past several years,” added Mr. Marpe. “I have been continually impressed with
Andrea’s deep commitment to community, her dedication to serving constituents with integrity and transparency, and her common sense, bi-partisan approach to addressing issues facing the Town. I am proud of the work we have achieved together over the past several years on behalf
Westport, and I am confident that Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore are best positioned to continue the Town’s positive direction and meet new challenges and opportunities with success.”
"It has been a privilege, every day of these last three and a half years, to serve this town with Jim Marpe,” remarked Jen Tooker. “Jim leads by example. His love of this community and his tireless commitment to Westport has made us one of the most desirable towns in Connecticut. I am honored to receive Jim's endorsement and to know he has confidence that Andrea and I understand the work of the office and that we will continue the legacy of making Westport the best place to live and work."
“Jim Marpe has been a remarkable leader for Westport,” added Andrea Moore. “He has shown what it means to be a true public servant, and our community has benefited greatly from his responsible, bi-partisan approach to governing. Along with Jen Tooker, I am truly honored to have his endorsement as a candidate for Westport Board of Selectmen, and I am committed to continuing this inclusive, effective and forward-looking management of the town we all love.”
For more information, visit www.TookerMooreforSelectmen.com.
Jonathan Steinberg, State Representative, Joins the First Selectman’s Race this Morning with Running Mate Candi Savin, BOE Chair
According to Westport Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton, Jonathan Steinberg has entered the race for Westport First Selectman, running with current Board of Education Chair Candice as Second Selectwoman, according to their social media. Steinberg is now running against Jennifer Tooker (R) and T.J. Elgin (I/L) after current First Selectman Jim Marpe announced that he would be retiring from the position.
Steinberg, formerly a business executive, has served the Connecticut House of Representatives since 2010, representing the 136th District. He was also a member of the RTM from 2003 until 2010.
Savin, an attorney, has served the Westport Board of Education since 2016, becoming Chair of the Board after a November 2019 election.
Official press release from the candidates has not been released yet.
First Selectman Jim Marpe Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election: “every organization benefits from regular changes in senior leadership”
Press ReleaseFirst Selectman Jim Marpe announced today that he will not pursue re-election for a third term in the upcoming November municipal general election.
Mr. Marpe said, “It has been an honor to serve my community as its Chief Elected Official for the past seven years, and I deeply appreciate the bi-partisan support and encouragement I have received throughout that time. While the Westport Town Charter does not place term limits on our elected officials, my experience in the private sector taught me that every organization benefits from regular changes in senior leadership. I am proud of what my administration has accomplished or set in motion, including our responses to COVID-19, fiscal responsibility, physical improvements, and addressing social justice concerns. We have prioritized the delivery of superior services at a predictable cost to the taxpayer. As such, I am very proud that we kept the mill rate stable throughout my entire term in office.
I also know that the real key to our success as a community is the professionalism and commitment to serving our residents that is exhibited every day by the women and men who are employed by the Town and the Westport Public Schools. It is also the result of the remarkable dedication and creativity of our dozens of citizen volunteers and elected officials. I am so fortunate to have led a team of employees and residents that is the envy of my counterparts in other communities.
During the remaining seven months of my term, I will continue to focus on leading Westport safely out of the pandemic tunnel we have been in for the past year, as well as achieving or launching the initiatives that I have described in various budget and State of the Town presentations. When I first ran for election to the Selectman’s Office, I committed to bringing a citizen-centric, professional management style to my responsibilities, and I assure you that will continue into November.
I want to thank the voters of Westport for allowing me the opportunity to have the special privilege of serving them in the First Selectman’s Office. I remain humbled by, and grateful for, the responsibility you have granted me.”
Board of Education Votes to Keep Shipman & Goodwin as Legal Counsel Despite 2019 Claim of Conflict
The Westport Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to keep the legal counsel of Shipman & Goodwin for Westport Public Schools.
In 2019, claims of a conflict of interest were brought up during a Board of Finance meeting. The claim stemmed from a Shipman & Goodwin attorney fighting the Town of Westport, while the Town paid the Stamford-based law firm for their services.
Timothy Hollister, a Shipman & Goodwin attorney, claimed that the town was preventing affordable housing after blocking a new housing development project in Saugatuck - leading to issues of diversity.
Hollister described to the Connecticut Mirror “Does anybody say we need to keep blacks and Hispanics out of Westport? No, but they talk about property values, safety and preserving open space — all the things that a town can do to prevent development that would bring up a more economically and racially diverse housing population.”
The housing development would have been in the Hiawatha neighborhood of Saugatuck, and would have included 187 apartments created by Summit Development LLC.
Hollister continued to The Mirror, saying “They don’t use the overt racial terms, but it’s absolutely clear to everybody in the room that’s what they’re talking about.”
Members of town leadership questioned the firm and fought back - some saying the District should get rid of their services due to the possible conflict and Hollister’s negative comments - a more than $200,000 annual blow to the group.
However the claims were ultimately not substantiated by law - and tonight - a unanimous Board of Education vote concurred that they will continue to serve the District after July 1. This continues a relationship between the town and the firm that has lasted over 30 years.
Board of Education Chair Candy Savin described the benefits of keeping the firm, and said that although other firms were interviewed, they were still the best choice for the District and its students. Savin also said that they would not be used for certain legal issues, such as special education circumstances. The firm’s attorneys who work on affordable housing, specifically in Westport, do not represent Westport Public Schools.
Click here to read the 2019 Connecticut Mirror article about the conflict.