Important News in Greenwich
We are still charged up after our big wins in the election last month. Thanks to all who ran for office and all those who came out to help us win. It was a tough battle, but we prevailed!
In this month’s issue you‘ll find some very interesting statistics and analysis from the recent election. Also, read highlights of some important issues being discussed in Greenwich including some school updates and gas leaf blower ordinances.
This January, Greenwich Republicans will hold caucuses in each of our 12 districts for the Republican Town Committee (RTC). This will elect our members for the next 2-year term. Several of our first term members have really stepped up over the past two years. We are proud to have so many new, energetic, and informed faces in the fold. The current RTC accomplished a great deal by implementing several inspirational initiatives:
1) We increased transparency and involvement by opening the doors for associates and members to join several new committees.
2) We improved community outreach efforts such as joining local parades and organizations including the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Memorial Day Parade and Greenwich Clean-ups to name a few.
3) We hosted notable Republican National figures for fundraising (including Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and millennial Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy who ignited new, young voters).
4) We had record-breaking fundraising.
5) We brought back the Lincoln Reagan Dinner.
6) We increased our digital presence by way of all social media avenues.
7) We started a newsletter and increased communications all around.
8) We created a usable website, organizing the database and responding to inquiries
9) We focused on team-building with our BOE and BET.
10) We created a logo and marketing presence.
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In a year where everything was on the line, nobody worked harder than our Greenwich Republicans. The Greenwich DTC spared no expense and pulled out all the stops in their attempts to take control of the Greenwich town budget. Despite now being a minority party, we prevailed with a full Row B Sweep!!!
We thank the brave residents who courageously stepped up to run for the RTM. It was a banner year with almost 350 candidates joining the election race. Many Republicans and unaffiliated residents had to withstand deceitful attacks and divisive rhetoric labeling them as “extremists”. This was even though an overwhelming majority of candidates had never been previously involved in politics. How could such an assessment be justified?
The Greenwich Democratic Town Committee (DTC) invested generously and made extensive efforts in their pursuit of influencing the November elections, especially the BET race. Their endeavors, combined with the involvement of local media, elected officials and various social media groups, like “Voting Moms” led to the spreading of rumors in their takeover of the RTM.
Stay strong, stay involved and speak out. We will continue to keep you informed.
Transparency leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to more public engagement, more public engagement is the path to accountability.
Onward! God Bless you all.
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In further news, we have another deadlock on the BoE in the chairperson vote. Both of our BoE candidates (Wendy Vizzo Walsh and Karen Kowalski) were the top vote getters this election, amassing just shy of 10,000 votes each! Karen Kowalski was the top vote getter last election as well, and she has done a terrific job as Vice Chair this past term!! She supports our schools and GPS students to the fullest extent. It should be the easiest decision ever made by the Board of Selectman to name Karen Kowalski the next BoE Chair.
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Currently the two big topics of discussion are banning gas leaf blowers and installing a multi-use trail between Greenwich and Stamford:
(1) Quiet Yards Greenwich announces a leaf blower ban from May 1 to September 30th.
QYG wants all landscapers to convert their equipment to electric blowers. Clearly no one appreciates the noise of gas blowers, but is it overreach to tell a small business owner how to operate? The current ordinance in place, established by Greenwich Board of Health, is not fully enforced.
Should residents be forced to hire landscapers that can provide the electric blowers for their properties and let the marketplace dictate what people pay for services?
Do we mandate that all landscapers change their fixed costs and purchase the electric blowers, batteries and revamp their practices with a new ordinance?
How does this affect our local landscapers?
How will this increase the cost of services for our tax payers?
If commercial properties and other exemptions apply, how do we really make a difference with this mandate?
In January these questions will be explored by the new RTM and this ordinance should be fully evaluated.
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(2) A Multi Use Trail between Stamford and Greenwich- with a mandated end point of Boccuzzi Park in Stamford
Yes - everyone is excited about a multi-use path
Yes - More Sustainability and Community Connections
Yes - “Free money” in a grant, but there are strings attached, as in it MUST end at Boccuzzi Park in Stamford
Are Old Greenwich residents ready to be linked to a crime area in Stamford? (March 2023 murder Boccuzzi Park homicide suspect arrested, Stamford police say (stamfordadvocate.com).
The current path that is along Shore Road in Old Greenwich is too narrow for new path implementation which means the possibility of home owners losing approximately 5 feet of their front yards to accommodate the trail (Eminent Domain).
It is a good idea but maybe we can find “free money” with flexibility for a new path. The RTM has more to investigate. The Sustainability Committee and the Active Transportation Task Force (who support the Greenwich-Stamford Multi Trail) are working towards a resolution.
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We hope you enjoy the photos of some fellow Republicans at a fun and energized Holiday party held recently. In the meantime, we wish you and yours a very happy Holiday season!
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