Editor’s note: following is an opinion submitted by the Town of Westport’s Chairman of the Board of Finance Lee Caney.
I am a Democrat and I strongly endorse Don and Andrea for the position of First Selectman and Second Selectwoman of Westport. As a twelve-year member of the Westport Board of Finance and most recently as the Chairman of the Board I have had a front row seat to Don and Andrea’s leadership, working style and accomplishments. They are the only candidates who have the experience to lead Westport.
Don was elected twice as a member of the Board of Education and served as Chairman for four years and currently serves as a member of the RTM. Don served as Chairman of the highly successful Coleytown Building Committee and currently serves as a member of the Long Lots Building Committee. As a member of the Coleytown Building Committee, Don was able to successfully shepherd the Town and the Board of Education through the biggest crisis faced by our Town in recent history. His service on the Long Lots Building Committee was equally stellar, helping to replace an old outdated Long Lots School with a new 21st century school that will benefit our school age children for the next 60-70 years. His financial modeling was instrumental in the Board of Finance’s approval of the project. Neither of the other candidates have the relevant experience to lead the Town (take a look at their records). Work outside of government is helpful, but is no substitute, as I have learned over my years of service.
I have also worked closely with Andrea during her time as Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Finance and as Second Selectwoman. Andrea has been instrumental in maintaining a stable mill rate and at the same time investing in Westport’s infrastructure. As a lifelong resident, Andrea knows Westport and its residents. Andrea always makes herself available to listen to all Westport residents, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or unaffiliated voters.
The decision to endorse Don and Andrea was not an easy one as I was personally endorsed by the Democratic Party for each of my three elections and I am currently a member of the Democratic Town Committee, but it is clearly what is right for Westport. One commentator on the blogs has called for my censure and requested that I be taken off the list of Democratic officials. Another leading Democratic Party member who I considered a friend and mentor, recently emailed me that “I really have little or no interest in hearing from you again” because of my support for Don and Andrea. As Democrats we constantly (and correctly) complain that the Republican members of Congress blindly follow the administration, let’s not do the same in Westport.
Finally, let me address a few issues that have circulated in the press and blogs:
Experience: Having been intimately involved in Westport government over the last twelve years and having witnessed all three candidates for the First Selectman’s office in their respective roles, the only candidate that has the experience to lead the Town is Don. The other two candidates, although intelligent and able people, have never demonstrated the knowledge and leadership abilities to run the Town. Listening is important, but over the next four years, Westport needs a leader who can work with the Town department heads and navigate the complex ten year capital forecast.
Transparency: There have been arguments by a vocal minority that there was a lack of transparency on the Long Lots Building Project. There were probably close to 100 meetings in our Town related to the building of Long Lots, and in almost all of the meetings the Building Committee allowed and responded to public comment. Yes, there were Executive Sessions to address safety issues and specific cost estimates, but I think most members of the public would agree that the safety of our school children and saving the Town money in the bidding process are important (and legally appropriate) reasons for Executive Sessions. Obviously, all of the Town bodies agreed with the recommendations of Don and the Building Committee as the project was unanimously approved by all Town Boards and the RTM. Also, a highly publicized referendum received only 70 signatures.
Politics: Several online commentators have voraciously argued that Don will bring the MAGA movement to Westport and therefore the residents of Westport should support their chosen candidates. This is patently untrue, Don is an unaffiliated candidate and has publicly stated that he has not voted for nor does he support Donald Trump.
I hope you join me in supporting the only team that has the experience to lead Westport.
Lee Caney, Chairman of the Board of Finance
Dorchester Drive
Westport
I agree with Lee — Don O’Day isn’t bringing the Washington, D.C. MAGA movement to Westport. What he is bringing is the Tooker/Moore movement. And if we take a clear look at where that approach has brought us, it’s fair the old way of thinking isn’t working for the future we need to create.
Yes, experience matters. But experience without results is not leadership. The experience Mr. O’Day brings as Chairman of the Board of Education includes years of deferred school maintenance and missed opportunities. When leadership is reactive instead of proactive, we all pay the price. A stronger, forward-looking plan for our school infrastructure years ago could have prevented the crises at Long Lots and Coleytown. The irony is that Mr. O’Day is now volunteering to fix the very problems that might have been avoided under better leadership.
We shouldn’t confuse twelve years of involvement with twelve years of progress. Service matters, but results matter more. Westport doesn’t need more of the same, it needs leadership that acts, unites, and delivers. For too long, we’ve been trapped in tactical debates, top-down decisions, and divided opinions.
It’s time for a new approach, one built on shared values, a clear vision, and a strategic plan that aligns our priorities. When everyone’s voice is heard and respected, Westport can move from debate to decision, from dissent to direction.
And let’s talk about fiscal responsibility. The current administration, including Andrea Moore, just presented a 250-line capital plan totaling $374 million with no categorization, no prioritization, and no clear strategy. That’s not leadership, that’s a spreadsheet. And Mr. O’Day has stood by it.
Westport deserves leadership that looks forward, not backward. Leadership that listens, plans, and delivers results.
Here’s a track record for both:
A whopping $120 million tax increase, 4%, begotten behind closed doors. I currently have a complaints in front of the Freedom of Information Commission for Board of Finance Violations of both Open Meetings and public records laws.
In my opinion, this opinion should be disregarded on several fronts. Caney’s tenure on the BOF, including as chair, is abysmal.
His tenure as a Democrat and member of the DTC is abysmal. He should be evicted immediately.
He tenure as a community leader has been self-interested and smug. We are fortunate he is stepping down from public service.
He and O’Day are kindred spirits. I didn’t and wouldn’t vote for either
In the interest of keeping my comment brief, these are sweeping generalizations. If you want specifics, let me know.
Thanks Toni. So I guess we don’t have to debate Don’s claim that you are dead to the DTC if you don’t keep the strict party line and even consider voting for who an individual thinks is best and not just blind party faith.
I certainly don’t speak for Toni. I don’t always agree with Toni.
But if you serve on a Town Committee… you are part of a team that builds a consensus around a slate of candidates. And you build that consensus with the tacit agreement that you are going to walk out of the room with everyone on the Committee supporting the full slate of candidates. If that is not your commitment, you should not serve on a Town Committee.
I’m a registered Democrat, but I have no interest in serving on the DTC, and I speak my mind about candidates. I’m voting for David Rosenwaks. I’m voting for Shackleford and Harris. I’m voting for Robert Harrington.
If I was on the DTC, I would certainly not publicly endorse other candidates when I participated in the creation of a slate of candidates. There is no place for “take my ball and go home” on Town Committees. It’s trying to have it both ways. It’s unethical. If you can’t trust yourself, you shouldn’t serve in that role.
Though I respect her passion on certain topics, I think Ms. Simonetti’s comments against Lee are completely out of line. After two years of serving in town government, I can spot the selfless public servants from the shameless self-promoters in a nanosecond — Westport has plenty of both — and I assure the readers of WJ that Lee Caney is the former not the latter. He doesn’t need me to defend him, but here we are. Reading these sorts of personal attacks and other nonsense on a daily basis has become…tiresome. It needs to stop.
Rich
I have the utmost respect for you, and appreciate your service on the BOF.
From where I sit, as a tax-paying resident and constituent of elected officials such as you and Lee, I do not see how he has served us well.
From a strictly partisan perspective, he certainly has served your party, the Republican Party, well over his tenure, displacing the chair of the BOF in a coup, supporting Jen Tooker for Selectperson, and now Don O’Day.
As for being a representative of the people: I can’t begin to describe his complete and utter disregard for the community of gardeners, his predispositions, his rude conduct at meetings he chaired. He lacks empathy for those in need with his charge to defund Wheels2U time and again. He lacks understanding of the importance of open green space in his official BOF Chair capacity by leading a charge against funding for Earthplace.
As for party affiliation, he is an active Republican at heart, with the ideology of an extreme conservative, so why does he wear the badge of a Democrat on his sleeve? It is disingenuous.
This is not a personal attack. It is criticism of an elected official who I believe does a very bad job of it.
How can any American with the slightest regard for the rule of law and the basics of decency and democratic principals endorse any Republican who has not publicly denounced the atrocities of Donald Trump and his Brown Shirt wannabes.?
Or Democrats who support Republicans.
This is why I am an Independent voter now and am voting for Rosenwaks. He has what it takes to lead this town. You have to start somewhere with experience and he is smart and knows how to lead. I have full faith in him.
I believe in people over party. I believe in town over party. At this juncture, parties seem to get in the way.