Editor’s note: following is an opinion submitted by the Town of Westport’s Former First Selectman, Jim Marpe.
As Westport’s First Selectman from 2013 to 2021, I know better than anyone the skills required and the challenges of that job. Because of that experience, I’m endorsing Don O’Day to be Westport’s next First Selectman.
I’ve known and worked with Don for over 20 years. We served together on a non-partisan basis on the Westport Board of Education. As its Chairman, he dealt with a number of difficult educational issues with transparency and clarity. He was never afraid to let you know where, and why, he stood on an issue.
During my time as First Selectman, Don stepped forward to lead the Coleytown Middle School Building Committee, which successfully re-built and improved the school despite years of mold incursion and the challenge of designing and building during COVID. That same skill set is being put to good use on the committee that’s re-building the long-neglected Long Lots School. And he continues his service to the Town as an active, multi-term member of the RTM.
After living in Westport for 30 years, Don knows the Town better than any candidate — and he has demonstrated the professional management experience and demeanor to lead the Town and its hundreds of employees on Day 1.
Throughout his professional career and his time in Westport public service, Don has developed the leadership and analytic skills, the ability to listen to all parties and the courage to take a stand, that will make him an extraordinary First Selectman.
Real Leadership matters! Real Experience matters! Don has both!
Please join me in voting for Don O’Day and his running mate, Andrea Moore, this coming Tuesday, November 4th.
Jim Marpe, Former First Selectman
Westport
The school committee cabal is alive and still throwing punches behind a sanctity-of-children curtain.-
Those shared years of experience on the Board of Education and town boards resulted in the “long neglected” conditions at Long Lots and “years of mold incursion” at Coleytown. Your shared experience is allowing our children to spend each school day in these unhealthy and dangerous environments.
Under your watch, Mssrs. Marpe and O’Day.
This is NOT the kind of leadership and experience worthy of Westport’s top office. O’Day has left a stain of dishonor in his wake. Westporters deserve better.
I am voting for leadership that can stand tall before its citizens: Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich.
See you at the ballot box.
Jim,
I could not agree more with your endorsement. You and Don have always stood up for our children and town. Both of serving on the Board of Ed as Chair and Vice Chair. No party stuff, all about transparency and working to get results. You are both proven leaders.
I look forward to joining you and many others in support of Don O’Day and Andrea Moore as First and Second Selectman of Westport.
Jimmy Izzo
RTM 3
16 year RTM member
Chair RTM Public Protection Committee
I also am supporting Don O’Day and Andrea Moore for the Selectpersons office because they have the experience we need to set the priorities, to make the right decisions, bring them forward to the boards, commissions and RTM, and to get them done.
As an unaffiliated voter who has served on the nonpartisan Representative Town Meeting (RTM) for 14 years, I have learned there is no need to play politics to get things done. The Town of Westport does NOT run on its own. It takes dedicated volunteers to fill boards and commissions, Town employees who know what they are doing, and an administration with leadership and experience to preserve and enhance our quality of life. It also requires trust and fiscal responsibility.
We are facing significant capital projects and challenges in the coming years. We will be presented with plenty of choices and will have to determine our priorities. It will be the DECISIONS we make that will matter.
Your vote counts. I ask for your support to elect Don and Andrea for Selectpersons.
The election is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Some of you have already voted. Thank you. For those of you who have not, GO VOTE!
Thank you,
Louis M. Mall
RTM D2
Chair, RTM Employee Compensation
In general, I refrain from commenting on these pages having long left Town politics and governance to others. However, at this time I feel a need to offer my insights to my friends, neighbors, associates and to the many newcomers who have joined our Town and community.
Having lived in Town for more than 30 years I have seen many changes and for the most part the Town has continued to improve overall; maintain its fiscal stability, educational excellence, strong commercial business environment and civility in our body politic and a mostly bi-partisan approach to problem solving.
I have seen Town management from many perspectives, as an outsider (Manhattan commuter) and as an insider government legislator, committee volunteer and First Selectman’s Operations Manager. I served two terms on the RTM (districts 5 & 8), Co-Chair of the First Selectman’s Town’s Maintenance Committee, served as the first Town Operations Director under Jim Marpe, Manager of the Town’s Downtown Plan Committee which created the Downtown Strategic Plan and later followed up as Co-Chair and Chair of the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee with Melissa Kane.
The Town of Westport has had a very good run and is in position to continue to be a premier Fairfield County town and a desired destination. This did not happen by accident. Strong financial and operational leadership over the last decade have positioned us for success now and into the future. Jim Marpe, Jimmy Izzo and Lou Mall are all correct in their assessments of the position of First Selectman and the experience and skill set needed to be successful at the job. I have known Don O’Day for a long time. He is sober and steadfast in his character and leadership style and has the important knowledge of how the Town runs and how to lead from Day One. There is a steep learning curve when coming into the First Selectman office far more than most can appreciate and Don is ready.
It comes down to this. If you like the job Jim Marpe and team did when in Office, you will get a continuation of that kind of leadership from Don O’Day. I ask you to put Party politics aside as the position is really not about politics as much as some would like it to be. Vote your own self-interest and vote for Don O’Day for First Selectman. You won’t regret it.
Dewey J. Loselle
Westport