By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — Joseph “Joey” Arciola, a longtime town employee from a family of public servants, was remembered Tuesday with a moment of silence by the Representative Town Meeting.

Arciola, 52, died Feb. 14. He was a decades-long employee of the Parks and Recreation Department and recently retired as foreman.

He also was an avid athlete, sports fan, hiker and camper, and loved spending time on Cockenoe Island, according to his obituary.

“He was a very close friend of mine, like a brother,” said RTM member Sal Liccione, District 9.

He thanked fellow members Jimmy Izzo, District 3, and Andrew Colabella, District 4, and all of the town employees who attended Arciola’s service.

“As you all know, the Arciola family has been in town as long as my family has,” Izzo said. “A very, very skilled worker, a contributor to our town and from the old days.”

Izzo said Westport used to be a very small town, and lots of people worked for the town in various positions.

“Joe treated everything like it was his own,” Izzo said, remembering Arciola would ask people about town beaches and parks, what they thought and how they might be made better.

“He just cared,” Izzo said. “I’d love to have a moment of silence for Joe Arciola and the Arciola family. They’re hurting right now, not an easy time.”

Colabella worked for Arciola and also remembered him fondly.

“Had it not been for Joey, I would not have been able to support myself through college,” Colabella said.

“He helped me maintain a seasonal job while going to college at night,” he said. “I owe it to him. He was an amazing person. And just like his brother, they were extremely dedicated to this town.”

“He was the person behind the scenes of every athletic and recreational field in town,” Colabella said. “You didn’t know that was him that had his hands on it, but he had a magic touch with everything.”

Thane Grauel, executive editor, grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond more than three decades. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.