Editor’s note: following is an opinion submitted by Westporter Ian E. Warburg.

To all the candidates seeking election: thank you for volunteering to serve our community. I  understand and appreciate the enormous time commitment and weight of the responsibilities you  aim to take on and am deeply grateful for your willingness to serve as stewards of Westport’s  precious resources. 

Having carefully considered the candidates vying for the top spots as First and Second  Selectmen, I believe that Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich are Westport’s best choice in this  election cycle. Highly experienced, measured, reasonable, transparent, and collaborative, they  embody the character traits essential for good governance.  

Good governance is not an abstract ideal; it is a measurable standard that restores and preserves  public trust. It rests on eight principles: Participation, Rule of Law, Consensus Orientation,  Equity and Inclusiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Accountability, Transparency, and  Responsiveness. 

In recent years, town residents have witnessed too many flawed processes in connection with the  planning and approval of numerous important projects, eroding public trust significantly. As  noted by some longtime community members during the Long Lots planning process, many  residents have expressed concern that fair play and good governance had not received their due.  On that matter—and others—I wholeheartedly agree. Now, more than ever, we need to correct  course.  

As Westport residents, we rely on our elected representatives to champion the principles of good  governance and fair play—engaging openly with the public, weighing expert input carefully, and  asking the hard questions that safeguard our town’s financial and environmental future.  

I believe that Mr. Christie and Ms. Wistreich are committed to honoring these sacred principles.  They have what it takes – and what Westport needs – to lead Westport most effectively.  

Ian E. Warburg
Compo Road South
Westport