December RTM Meeting: Wieser, Karpf Re-elected as Moderators; Funding Approved for Long Lots Study
December 6th, 2022 Agenda & Results
Westport’s Representative Town Meeting met in the Town Hall Auditorium for a session beginning at 7:30 and adjourning at just after 9:30 in the evening.
1. To take such action as the meeting may determine, to elect a Moderator of the Representative Town Meeting. Jeff Wieser was elected by 28 members with Sal Liccione abstaining.
2. To take such action as the meeting may determine, to elect a Deputy Moderator of the Representative Town Meeting. Lauren Karpf was elected unanimously.
3. To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and a request by the Board of Education for $216,056.00 from the Westport’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, to enhance social needs of students at all five Elementary Schools. Unanimously approved by all present RTM members.
4. To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and a request by the Director of Public Works, to approve an appropriation of $482,000.00 along with bond and note authorization to the Municipal Improvement Fund Account for an Engineer Assessment, Design Consultant, Project and Construction Managers for the feasibility study for the Long Lots Elementary School Project. Unanimously approved by all present RTM members.
5. To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and a request by the Director of Public Works, to approve an appropriation of $385,000.00 to the Capital and Non-Recurring Account for the replacement of the existing sidewalks leading to Greens Farms School along Morning Side Drive South, Hillandale Road and Center Street. A STEAP Grant was awarded to the Town in the amount of $250,000.00. Approved by 28 members with Dick Lowenstein abstaining.
6. To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and a request by the Director of Public Works, to approve an appropriation of $350,000.00 along with bond and note authorization to the Municipal Improvement Fund Account for the maintenance and replacement of sidewalks in the existing network program. This project is for sidewalks leading to Bedford Middle School, Coleytown Middle School, and sections along Riverside Avenue. Approved by 28 members with Dick Lowenstein abstaining.
7. To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance and a request by the Director of Public Works, to approve an appropriation of $550,000.00 along with bond and note authorization to the Sewer Reserve Fund Account for the purchase of a Freightliner 114SD Van-con Jet Truck to be assigned to the Sewage Collection System Division. Unanimously approved by all present RTM members.
Gary Miller Stuart, 82, Died; Local Volunteer, “enjoyed being a grandfather”
Gary Miller Stuart of Westport, Connecticut died on November 27, 2022, at the age of 82 due to complications related to Alzheimer’s.
Gary was born on May 8, 1940, to H.W. and Ruth Stuart in Normal, Illinois. After graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1958 at Normal Community High School, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962. Following M.I.T., he earned his Master’s degree in economics from Harvard. He then joined the renowned training program at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan as a financial analyst.
He and his wife Sylvia lived in New Canaan, Connecticut, where they raised four boys. Gary had a successful career in corporate finance serving in various financial and operational roles at Ford, the General Foods Company and Union Pacific Corporation, where he was the Chief Financial Officer when he retired in 1999.
Following his retirement, he traveled, became an avid cyclist, volunteered at the Saugatuck Congregational Church and the Westport Public Library, took a serious interest in genealogy and enjoyed being a grandfather.
He is survived by his wife Sylvia (Rowayton, CT), his four sons David (Peggy) (Fairfield, CT), Peter (Lona) (Derby, VT), Paul (Lesley) (Southlake, TX) and Michael (Vanessa) (Madrid, Spain) and his eight grandchildren Maggie, Emma, Sam, Abigail, Vicki, Nicholas, Celeste and Sofia. The family requests that memorial contributions go to the Saugatuck Congregational Church in Westport, Connecticut or the Westport Public Library.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Rain, mainly after 10am. High near 57. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
Rain. Steady temperature around 52. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tomorrow
Rain, mainly before 1pm. High near 58. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tomorrow Night
A 30 percent chance of showers before 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight.