Editor’s note: this is part five in a five-part series about the candidates running to serve on the RTM. We covered District 1 Monday, District 2 Tuesday, District 3 Wednesday and District 4 yesterday.
WESTPORT–The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) is the Town of Westport’s legislative body.
The RTM’s responsibilities include approving all town expenditures of over $20,000, passing ordinances, reviewing changes to town property and reviewing changes in zoning regulations, among others.
Westport is divided into nine districts, each with a similar number of residents. In odd years, like 2025, each district votes for four members of the RTM.
This year, four districts are uncontested–there are four candidates for the four slots.
However, more than four people are vying for spots in five districts, Districts 1 through 4 and District 9.
This week, Westport Journal publishes the answers that each of the candidates in contested districts submitted last week, when asked the question:
Given the opportunity, how will you apply your experience and enthusiasm to best serve the members of your district?
Responses appear in the same order that District 9 candidate names will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
District 9:
- Jennifer Johnson
- Nancy Kail
- Sal Liccione
- Kristin Schneeman
- Addison Moore
- Rachel Precious
Jennifer Johnson
I am running for a third RTM term so I can continue to serve my constituents through real-time engagement in town matters. This means attending meetings, voicing ideas and concerns, proposing solutions and supporting robust and respectful debate. If reelected I will continue to work to secure equal access to public meeting recordings and key documents so everyone can stay informed and engaged.
Some of my most significant accomplishments since my election in 2023 include: (1) helping to save Jesup Green; (2) addressing environmental and rail access concerns posed by the Hamlet; (3) advocating for a tiered downtown parking structure (to expand river access and pedestrian space on Main Street), and (4) pressing RTM leadership to reconsider the controversial vote that undercut the public’s right to petition the RTM. In addition, I have advocated for open space protection, transparency around water quality (Compo Beach closures), protecting Longshore and seeking funding for relocating the garden. I have also worked hard to insist on transparency around the costs and tax implications of the new Long Lots school which is only one of many capital projects ahead.
I hope to earn your vote. And I hope to have the opportunity to serve with others on the RTM who are committed to working to help the public stay informed and engaged in matters of importance to our town.
Nancy Kail
If reelected for a third term, I will continue to serve District 9 by focusing on issues that matter most to our community, including operating and capital expenditures, reasonable taxes, land use and development, traffic and safety, schools, cultural organizations and protecting natural resources such as parks, beaches and rivers. I have a proven record of budget and capital plan scrutiny, thoughtful votes, and consistent engagement. My support for projects like the Long Lots rebuild, Safe Roads Grant, downtown improvements, Wheels to You, Earthplace, Library, Wakeman Farm, and the Westport Affordable Housing Trust reflects commitment to fiscal responsibility and community enrichment.
Beyond votes, I’ve worked to bring people together through community conversations, including two affordable housing programs. On the Finance Committee I delivered the Town and Education Budget reports, and as Chair of IT & Communications I led town website improvements, Get to Know the RTM event organization and better meeting access efforts. I co-sponsored the leaf blower ordinance, attended all RTM and many other meetings/programs, and maintained direct communication with residents through newsletters, coffees, emails, and phone calls.
I respond to constituent concerns, recently about town hall dumpsters, Hamlet Place, river development, and wildlife. The RTM touches every issue central to residents’ quality of life, and I take pride in showing up, listening, and acting. With your support, I will continue to bring experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to strengthening our town. Please vote!
Sal Liccione
I’ve been privileged to serve as an RTM Representative for District 9 for over 5 years. As I live in the heart of downtown Westport, I walk this busy center of activity every day and every night.
I’ve been present for every emergency, every celebration, and every event in between.
I’m proud of the relationships I have with merchants, restaurant owners, workers, and neighbors. I do my best to listen to all and to be a problem solver. I know that I could not do my job without the cooperation and assistance of the Administration, the WPD, WFD, the DPW,
many hard-working Town employees, and countless other organizations. I look forward to doing more of the same in my next term if I am fortunate to be re-elected.
High on the list of things I’d like to help improve, is the quality of relationships among my fellow RTM members. I promise to do all that I can to make our differences of opinion less adversarial and act as a reminder that we share the same common objective: to make the best decisions for our community.
If I had to express my hopes and dreams for the future in one sentence, I would say this: “Always remember that the first two letters of Westport are We.”
Kristen Schneeman
I’ve been privileged to serve District 9 on the RTM for eight years, serving on the Education, Environment, Health, and Ordinance committees, among others – and I hope to continue! My professional career has been in public policy and politics, which has served me well in understanding how to influence issues locally. Officially, the RTM approves appropriations and passes local laws; I have successfully sponsored legislation to limit the use of gas leaf blowers, and I am not afraid to ask questions and vote against spending I believe is unnecessary. Unofficially, RTM members can and must raise their voices on issues of concern to their constituents; I have done that as well, regularly attending meetings of other town bodies and providing input on important local issues.
It’s shaping up to be another eventful couple of years in Westport. Development of Saugatuck will continue to be an issue. We need to increase the diversity of housing opportunities available in town, or be at the mercy of developers. We’ll be building a state-of-the-art elementary school and planning for another. We are considering important public projects downtown, such as Parker Harding Plaza and possibly Baron’s South, and there are plans to build a Parks & Rec maintenance facility – hopefully not at Longshore — and a new public safety facility. Major capital expenditures are on the horizon. We need RTM members who are looking at all of these efforts with a critical eye, doing their homework, asking questions, and holding the Administration accountable.
Addison Moore
I’m only 20, but I’ve been lucky to experience Westport in more ways than most.
I grew up here. I walked the halls of Staples, marched in the Memorial Day Parade, and stomped through the woods building forts with friends. I poured coffee at the Library Café, ran food at Romanacci, and shoveled driveways for neighbors. I’ve had first jobs, first dates, and first chances all in this town.
At 15 I founded Up Next Teens which has grown into one of Connecticut’s largest youth-led nonprofits, raised tens of thousands of dollars to fight food insecurity, and given hundreds of young Westporters tools to create change. Today, I am the events coordinator for the YMCA and serve as a commissioner for the Department of Human Services.
I’ve served on boards, teen councils, and town committees. I’ve partnered with the Department of Youth Services, the Library, MoCA CT, Toquet Hall, Wakeman Town Farm, our schools, civic groups, businesses, nonprofits, soup kitchens, youth programs, and local organizers. I’ve stood with officials on Jesup Green announcing town-wide programs, and I’ve sat at kitchen tables with neighbors, listening to what matters most.
I’ve experienced Westport as a child, a teen, and an adult. As an employee and organizer. As a leader and listener. Through successes and setbacks. In all, my love for this community has only grown stronger.
If elected, I look forward to bringing these perspectives together into a clear, actionable vision rooted in listening, learning, and building a stronger Westport for all.
Rachel Precious
Given the opportunity to serve, I will bring a unique perspective to representing our district by looking at every issue through three interconnected lenses. First, as a lifelong Westport resident, I understand the concerns, hopes, and values of our community. I know firsthand what makes Westport special, and I am committed to preserving its character while working toward solutions that benefit all residents.
Second, with a degree in Conservation Biology and a lifelong passion for protecting the environment, I will ensure that decisions are made with long-term sustainability in mind. Our natural resources and landscapes are not only part of Westport’s identity, but also vital to the health and future of generations to come. I will advocate for policies that balance growth with environmental stewardship, ensuring we protect what makes our town unique.
Finally, as someone who has spent my life working in the trades and now as a small business owner, I understand the challenges local businesses face. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and I want to create conditions that allow them to thrive—whether through reducing red tape, improving infrastructure, or encouraging smart economic development.
By combining these three perspectives—community, environment, and business—I can provide balanced, thoughtful leadership that keeps Westport’s best interests at heart. My enthusiasm and dedication will drive me to listen, collaborate, and find practical solutions that serve all members of our district.
I am fortunate to live and vote in District 9. It is one of the few Districts in which we have an actual choice of representation — with six good choices!
Narrowing it down to four, I endorse:
Sal Liccione,
Jennifer Johnson,
Kristin Schneeman and
Rachel Precious
I don’t know the two new candidates but certainly respect my neighbor Toni’s opinion.
Sal is, as just about everyone knows, an absolutely tireless RTM voice for residents and merchants alike. At this point, it’s hard to imagine D9 without him.
Jen’s principled stands on important issues which impact residents have earned my respect and admiration. Truly.
It’s a comfort to know that Sal and Jen are willing to continue representing us.
District 9 Resident, I will be voting for Sal and Jennifer, who have consistently worked for more openness and transparency.
I will not be voting for Kristin or Nancy who were part of the RTM 29 who took away the long established right for citizens to add items to the RTM agenda by petition. That is a permanent negative mark on their record.
I agree with John McCarthy. I will not vote for Nancy Kail or Kristin Schneeman. Nancy Kail and Kristin Schneeman failed to show up for an important meeting at the library to save Jesup Green from becoming a parking lot. Jennifer Johnson and Sal attended which means they care for the district. Kristin Schneeman seems to be on the wrong side of practically every issue such as voting to approve funding for the royal palace or shall I say Long Lots school. The people who supported that royal palace were responsible for disgracefully ejecting the community gardeners from their gardens so they could make room for their royal palace and ball fields. The two petitioning candidates Addison Moore and Rachel Precious would be welcome replacements for Nancy Kail and Kristin Schneeman and I will vote for them with no hesitation whatsoever.
I certainly respect Mr. Treadwell’s right to his opinion and to vote for whom he sees fit, but I feel the need to correct the record with regard to the Community Garden. I did vote — along with every other member of the RTM — for the funding for the new Long Lots Elementary School and look forward to students and staff having a safe, healthy, state-of-the-art school. I was, however, one of the few consistent and vocal proponents on the RTM throughout the long process of saving the Community Garden, and I continue to advocate for it to be reinstated in a location of the Gardeners’ choosing. I have attended countless meetings as an RTM member on Long Lots, downtown parking, the Hamlet, Baron’s South, annual budgets, environmental and education issues, etc. etc. etc. and look forward to continuing to be able to advocate on behalf of District 9 residents for the next two years.
Ms: Schneeman, On April 1, 2024 I attended a meeting in the Komanskey room at the library. At the time there were serious discussions about turning Jesup Green into a parking lot. The Department of Public Works director was there and presented the plan to blacktop Jesup Green and cut down the ancient trees that were there. There was a vote and Jennifer Johnson and Sal who were there voted against the parking lot plan. Jesup Green is right in the middle of your district. Why did you not show up for that meeting and I ask the same question to Nancy Kail? Why did Ms. Kail not show up for that meeting? I know that both of you failed to show up because I was there.
Although I do not reside within District 9, I have had the privilege of knowing Sal Liccione over the years and can unequivocally affirm his unwavering dedication to the greater Westport community. Sal’s civic engagement and dynamic public presence transcend geographical boundaries—he is a ubiquitous and tireless advocate for the town, consistently immersed in both its most consequential matters and the nuances of daily life.
Sal embodies the qualities of a consummate public servant: intellectually engaged, remarkably accessible, and profoundly committed to the collective well-being of Westport. His interactions with constituents, business proprietors, and town officials are characterized by a rare blend of authenticity, empathy, and strategic insight. He possesses an innate ability to galvanize collaboration across diverse sectors, and his steadfast involvement in municipal affairs reflects both his deep-rooted sense of civic duty and his formidable leadership acumen.
Even from outside his district, I have observed the tangible impact of Sal’s contributions—his presence is not only visible but deeply felt across the community. His re-election would ensure the continued benefit of a representative whose vision is expansive, whose integrity is unimpeachable, and whose devotion to the town is both inspiring and enduring.
Please come by the Westport Public Library tomorrow (Saturday) from 10:00 am to noon and meet all the RTM candidates running for office in all 9 districts. It’s your chance to ask questions and get to know your friends and neighbors running for the RTM.
Wishing all the candidates the best of luck, and a thank you to all for running for our nonpartisan RTM
Jimmy Izzo
RTM 3
I would be remiss if I failed to give Sal the highest recommendation:
He has helped my neighbors and me sort out groundskeeping problems on town properties, knowing whom to contact and setting up universally good interactions with Westport employees.
He is sensitive to the issues that must be addressed (and most of our candidates are avoiding)—the arrogant neglect for maintenance of town owned buildings (the Saugatuck firehouse) and property (Baron’s South), the horrendous safety issues that I-95 traffic has brought to Westport.
He supports open meetings that the Selectperson and RTM leadership appear to want closed (Long Lots/The Garden, The May 15 CTDOT meeting on the Cribari Bridge)
And he brings candidates to his constituents.
Some of the other candidates have good qualities and intentions, and I truly wish I could hear their voices, see evidence of vigorous representative government, and know their stands on the issues that will dominate the next decade… but I haven’t yet.
Sal deserves your vote.
Some folks offer service, Sal offers devotion. The way you know the difference is, even though you are not part of District 9 (like me), but you need someone willing to give a strong voice to a strong concern, your first thought is: “Better Call Sal”!