By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — More than seven decades of Westport’s citizen assembly were celebrated Tuesday as the Representative Town Meeting marked its 75th anniversary. 

Town meetings, where any resident can attend and vote on public business, are a traditional form of government in New England, but only six towns in Connecticut have a “representative” adaptation of the historic town meeting, where elected representatives form the municipality’s legislative body. In addition to Westport they are Fairfield, Darien, Greenwich, Branford and Groton.

The celebration at Town Hall included an invocation by former First Selectman Jim Marpe, a proclamation from current First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker and a special 75th anniversary cake.

The occasion also featured observations by RTM members — both long and short term — on the nonpartisan body’s role as the foundation of local democracy. Those views were published in a booklet presented to members and the public at the celebration, and also posted online.

“We vote for what is good for the town, and while we might have differences in what that is, the benefit to Westport drives the decision,” Jeff Wieser, the RTM moderator and 17-year member of the body, said in the anniversary booklet. “Any democratic institution that goes on for that long is starting to look more exciting,” he joked, when speaking at the celebration.

 “It’s a wonderful institution, the heart of hometown democracy,” said Velma Heller, who served on the RTM for 20 years, retiring as moderator in 2021.

Some of the RTM’s pivotal accomplishments were heralded by Marpe in his invocation. They included sealing the town’s purchase of Longshore Club Park at Compo Beach 60 years ago, as well as acquisition of Cockenoe Island, Winslow Park and the Baron’s South open space property. He also cited the RTM’s trailblazing adoption of an ordinance prohibiting plastic bags at local store checkouts.

“The RTM is the cradle of public leadership in Westport,” Marpe said.

Tooker, in her proclamation, said the RTM “is ensuring that democracy is alive and well in Westport.”

She called the RTM “an essential democratic institution with a direct and impactful voice in our government.”

The RTM was established in Westport in 1949 after the town outgrew the traditional town meeting structure, where anyone who showed up at the meetings could vote, allowing special interests to prevail. The town now has nine RTM districts, each with four members elected without political affiliation. The allocation of seats means each member represents roughly 250 electors.

Current RTM members, in both the “Anniversary Celebration” booklet and in response to the Westport Journal, had a variety of thoughts about the RTM and what it stands for:

“I am deeply impressed by the willingness and enthusiasm with which many of my fellow RTM representatives have been serving the community for many years,” said David Rosenwaks of District 6, who was first elected to the body in 2023. “We are extremely fortunate that we live in a town with so many impactful and thoughtful leaders.

Jack Klinge of District 7, the longest-serving member of the RTM at 27 years, said he is “most proud of working to prevent the YMCA from building on Baron’s South,” and for serving on the committee that planned the Westport Center for Senior Services to be located there.

An RTM representative with less than a year serving on the RTM, Pam Kopack from District 3, said a big advantage for all Westport residents is that information is readily available about how town government operates.

“With recorded … meetings where folks can participate or view after the fact, it’s not difficult to get information, have questions answered or better understand the thought process that went into whatever recommendation is being voted on,” she said.

“The second thing I have learned is that we have town departments full of extremely competent people. Whenever I ask a question or attend a meeting, I am constantly impressed by the level of detail that has gone into decisions being made on behalf of the town.”

Dick Lowenstein, who has served District 5 for 22 years, commented: “By far the most satisfying aspect of my service has not been the votes on the floor of the RTM, but helping members of my district get solutions to their problems that involve town government.” And he believes the nonpartisan structure of the RTM is extremely important.

Matthew Mandell from District 1 agrees. “I am most proud of the nonpartisan nature of the body with the goal of always putting Westport first,” he said. “The RTM is always there for our community.”

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York and Southern Connecticut State universities.