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FRIDAY, October 18, 2019
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Peter Tesei's Final State of the Town Address
By Ricahrd Kaufman
S On Tuesday, North Mianus School welcomed First Selectman Peter Tesei for a visit to celebrate their designation as a 2019 National Blue R ibbon School. North Mianus School was one of 362 schools named to the list of National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement g a p s a m o n g s t u d e nt subgroups. S T h e To w n o f Greenwich Department of Health will be launching a social media campaign a s a to ol to i nc re a s e communications with the public. The Department will begin to utilize social media, most specifically Facebook, as a resource to support, promote and increase the flow of public health information to the community.
For the f inal time, First Selectman Peter Tesei gave his annual State of the Town Address at the Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwich last week. Te s ei ha s s er ve d a s Gr e enw ich's chief elected official for 12 years, and he is not seeking re-election this November. Tesei focused on the idea of change; how Greenwich has changed and implemented change since he came into office. "Change is ref lective of a willingness to adjust, to adva nce, to rev ise, a nd transform. I believe that during my tenure, the town has risen to the challenges that municipalities in Connecticut have faced over the years, and will continue to face both near and long-term," he said. Looking back, Tesei stated that cities and towns across Connecticut have had to react "swiftly and smartly to the wave of economic uncertainty that has eroded the stability we once enjoyed." He pointed specifically the Great Recession in 2009 that ravaged budget and economic plans. "The value of having a vibrant economic engine is vital to the survival of each of our neighborhood hubs, whether it's Central Greenwich, Byram, Cos Cob, Old Greenwich or Riverside."
S The Round Hill Association w i l l hold a candidate forum for the First Selectman and Selectman candidates on Oct. 22 at the Round Hill Community House from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jara Burnett from the League o f Wo m e n Vo t e r s o f Greenwich will moderate. S The Town of Greenwich a nd t he St. L aw rence Society commemorated Columbus Day with an Ita lian f lag raising at Town Hall on Monday. Selectman John Toner surprised Tesei by issuing a proclamation, declaring Oct. 14 as Peter J. Tesei Day in Greenw ich. Tesei is in his sixth term a s Gre enw ich ’s ch ief elected official, and is not seeking re-election this November. Tesei was also honored at an event at the St. Lawrence Club on Monday night.
"...my successor will inherit a town that's financially stable, has clear plans and visions, is vibrant, diverse and ready to face the challenges ahead. My personal advice is rather simple. Look, listen, be civil, and most of all be patient, be inclusive and be thankful," he said. "I am very thankful." professional and volunteer public safety services went above and beyond the call of duty during several natural disasters, freak late spring and early fall snow storms, Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy." G o i n g f o r w a r d , Te s e i s a i d h i s
administration has been able to build a st r ong i n f ra st r uc t u r e t hat w i l l b e t he fou ndat ion for f ut u re ende avors in the town's 15 year master plan. He mentioned the 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development as being an important document for the future. But with all of his accomplishments, Tesei acknowledged that he has a few disappointments. Throughout his tenure, Te sei cha mpione d t he ide a of a new Northwest Fire/Greenwich Emergency Medical Services station. However, town of f icials were unable to convince the Representative Town Meeting to approve any plans. Tesei thanked his colleagues and staff at Town Hall for helping him over the years, and thanked his family for their unwavering support. In closing, he offered some words of advice to the next First Selectman. "I believe that as I conclude 12 years of service as First Selectman, that my succe ssor w i l l i n her it a tow n t hat's f inancially stable, has clear plans and visions, is vibrant, diverse and ready to face the challenges ahead. My personal advice is rather simple. Look, listen, be civil, and most of all be patient, be inclusive and be thankful," he said. "I am very thankful."
There's A New Chef in Town Meet Gabriele's Innovative New Chef, Stephen Lewandowski
S The plan to build a commercial mooring for a barge in Stamford waters near Old Greenwich has been withdrawn af ter outcry from the public. Last week, Greenwich residents attended an informational meeting in Stamford to object to the proposal, brought forth by Weeks Marine, a contractor based in New Jersey. The transfer station would’ve housed barges t hat wou ld t ra nspor t construction materials in and out of the Stamford Harbor from O&G Industries. Residents cited environmental and safety concerns. S The Greenwich Police Department is once again adv isi ng resident s to lock their car doors, take valuables with them and to not leave anything that can be seen from outside the car. The Department posted on Facebook that they have seen an uptick in valuables being stolen from locked cars.
Tesei discussed the fact that more than $600 million in capital improvement projects have been completed during his time in office, including the state-of-the-art Public Safety Complex on Bruce Place. Other accomplishments mentioned by Tesei include his creation of the First Selectman's Economic Advisory Committee; the completion of the Performing Arts Center at Greenwich High School; the creation of Cos Cob Park and the Sept. 11 Memorial; ongoing renovations of the Greenwich Senior Center; and a dredging and replanting program at Binney Park. The town is fortunate, Tesei said, to have such strong citizen engagement. He praised the many volunteers who serve on various boards, commissions, committees and elected bodies. He noted that public/ private partnerships have produced many projects that have enhanced residents' lives over his tenure. Tesei said one of the things he will miss about being First Selectman is his work with first responders. "As both the police commissioner and fire commissioner, I find it gratifying to say that during my tenure, I have had the honor of swearing in and promoting nearly half of the Greenwich Police Department, and the fire department," Tesei remarked. "We all remember how our
Maytag Blue Cheese, Endive & Pear Salad with spiced pecans, sundried cherries, vanilla pear mousse & apple cider vinaigrette. Never fear, your favorite steak is still on the menu at Greenwich's legendary steak house, Gabriele's. Their innovative new chef, Stephen Lewandowski (whose taste testers included Bruce Springsteen and Robert De Niro once upon a time), has made some spectacular additions based on "layering flavors." For example, he says, "the endive" in the blue cheese salad, "adds a nice bitter
Buffalo Mozzarella Salad with roasted tomato fondue, arugula, basil pesto & tomato oil.
flavor which compliments the sweetness of the cherries as well as the strong flavor of the blue cheese. The glazed pecans add a little spice (from cayenne in the glaze) as well as crunch to the dish. The dressing has apple cider vinegar which gives you acidity which again balances the sweet bitter f lavor. The whole salad sits on top of a vanilla pear mousse which adds a creamy texture to the total dish."
Column: On My Watch
Trail Blazing for Horses, Open Space, and Chestnuts
At around $14, Gabriele's new salads are worth talking about. Lewandowski makes a point of visiting tables himself at Gabriele's to ensure his menu is hitting the right notes with diners; achieving a layered flavor profile that hits, "the tastes buds in your mouth with sweet, salty, bitter, sour, spicy." Gabriele's (203.622.4223) opens at 5:00 pm daily for dinner.
Excerpts from The Waterwheel
Swiss Cheese ILLUSTRATED BY WAJIH CHAUDHRY
The Briefing Room
By Anne W. Semmes I have a vision of our Town’s WWI hero Col. Raynal Bolling, whose statue stands on lower Greenwich Avenue, not on the battlefield where he died, but piloting his little plane over his beloved horse farm and family off Stanwich Road - while “his riding associates in the hunting fields would recognize his flying machine above their galloping horses.” Those were the golden days of horseback riding in Greenwich, when Bolling was Master of the Hunt, and 1914 co-founder of the Greenwich Riding Associates, when there were “no gates on driveways.. no deer fencing, just old farm walls” for jumping. So records retired rider Betty Davies in her oral history of what became the Greenwich Riding and Trails Association (GRTA), at a time when, “People loved to see those horses on their property.” The vision came with a n i nv itat ion to t he GRTA’s November 2 Silver Horse Ball with its stunning image of the metal sculpture,” Silver Steed,” that manages to greet all Ball goers when they enter the Round Hill Club party site. The Ball is
By Jill S. Woolworth, LMFT
Dan Brubaker GLT Conservation Outreach Manager talks chestnut trees with attendees of the Chestnut Harvest in Greenwich’s American Chestnut Sanctuary about supporting this mantra of the GRTA, as expressed by GRTA President Anita Keefe: “We preserve, protect, promote open space, historical trails and the tradition of horseback riding for future generations.” Or, as board chair Vicki Skouras says, the biennial Silver Horse Ball “is our blood money to mow the fields, to do the work that we need to do to
maintain and clear the trails.” With 150 miles of GRTA trails to blaze across Greenwich - in partnership with other groups, stretching from King Street to Stamford, and especially from Round Hill Club Road to Armonk, that’s a lot of manpower and womanpower. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
We prefer to look like solid blocks of cheddar cheese perfection, but it is through the Swiss cheese holes of our humanity that we connect with each other. It is healthy to let others who have earned our trust see our vulnerabilities. Cheddar cheeses are lonely. Swiss cheeses are relatable. Our closest friends are those we have invited to see through our “holes.” They see us! This is true intimacy. Trust- worthy people celebrate our accomplishments and, more importantly, comfort, encourage, and challenge us during times of loss and discouragement. We do the same for them. André avoided risk and strangers. He liked being a wall of cheddar. His solid wall felt like protection—armor devel- oped during a difficult childhood. In professional settings, his armor worked well, but André was lonely. He wanted a life partner and closer friendships. As he developed the cour- age to reveal his true self through his human “holes,” he grew closer to his friends and found a partner. An excerpt from The Waterwheel by local author, Jill Woolworth, available through Amazon. Alternatively, we encourage you to shop locally where it is also available at Diane's Books or Christ Church Books & Gifts.
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