Setting the Record Straight -
An Open Letter to Don O’Day

Mr. O’Day:

In an era of politics that gives life to “alternate” facts, misrepresentations and false narratives, it is necessary to address several statements you have been repeating in your quest to become our First Selectman.

As you try to whitewash the events leading up to and including the destruction of the Westport Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve, you continue to repeat falsehoods that have been promoted by Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker and the Building Committee on which you serve. You completely misrepresent a meeting on this issue that took place with First Selectwoman Tooker in October 2023. You have stated that at this meeting between you, Jay Keenan, Jennifer Tooker, myself and another garden member, an offer was made to “move” the Westport Community Gardens, at the Town’s expense, to another location (Baron’s South) and that a gardening season would not be lost. You said that our response was “No way, we’re going to fight this to the end.” You say that you wish all the gardeners were better served because they would be gardening today and the controversy that we saw would not have happened. You said that “The gardeners lost, and the kids won.”

The October 2023 Meeting

1.  The truth is that there was no offer made that would have resulted in a viable new community garden. This was a hollow “offer” as the proposed site was completely unsuitable for a garden. Jennifer Tooker told us she had called the meeting as a “courtesy” to inform us of her decision to build a community garden at Baron’s South. This marked the very first time that she and her Building Committee reached out to the Westport citizens who are members of the Community Gardens.

2.  To say that our response to the “offer” of Baron’s South was “No way. We will fight you to the end.” is simply not true. We did not respond to her decision at all. Our response at that meeting was no response. We merely listened, and asked some questions about the property and the process, to which the First Selectwoman had no answers. At a later date we were asked by the Building Committee (through an intermediary) which scenario the gardeners would prefer: To move to Baron’s South, or to have the Garden rebuilt in its current location after the school construction was completed. Our membership overwhelmingly supported staying at Hyde Lane, even if that meant missing several gardening seasons.

3.  To say that you wish “all of the gardeners were better served” reveals your willful ignorance regarding the sentiments and concerns of the 120 families that made up the Westport Community Gardens. Reaching out and listening to them would have been an easy thing to do. A full garden membership meeting took place to discuss Baron’s South. The vast majority of garden members agreed that it was a terrible location for a new garden. It is shaded on the east, south and west side by large trees. It is on a slope, it has questionable soil, it is full of invasives and has inadequate parking.

4.  To say that a new community garden would be up and running without a gardening season lost, no matter where it would be located, is pure fantasy. The First Selectwoman does not wave a magic wand and place a garden anywhere. Even if part of Baron’s South was flat, sunny, had water, parking, unquestionably healthy soil and adequate space, this is a property that has been discussed and fought over for decades. Absolutely nothing has happened with it. Land use changes, in particular, take a very long time to negotiate and implement. Myriad town bodies need to be involved and funding needs to be approved. 

Divisiveness 

1.  Mr. O’Day, your smug comment at your campaign events that “The gardeners lost, and the kids won.” is one of the most disappointing things I’ve ever heard in my 26 years of living in Westport. This damaging and self-serving political tactic has been used by you and by the First Selectwoman to leverage our children and use them in a battle that did not have to exist in the first place. It is not the gardeners against the children, Mr. O’Day. This type of calculated divisiveness is the last thing we need in the town leader.

2.  The truth is that you never reached out to the 120 families that created and maintained an incredible recreational opportunity for town residents.

3.  You promoted the false narrative that our town gardeners were delaying the school rebuild.

4.  You promoted the vilification and demonization of town residents, some of whom are in their 70s 80s and 90s. Some of whom have students at Long Lots Elementary School. Some of whom have significant volunteer roles in our community. They are our neighbors, Mr. O’Day, not the enemy.

5.  You promoted the fear that suddenly, after 20 years, the Westport citizens who are garden members were a security risk to our children. 

6.  You continue to pursue a divisive political agenda that pits ball players, parents and gardeners against each other.

Putting a ball field over the 4 acres of rehabilitated and forested green open space was not part of the Board of Education’s specifications for building a new school. The Building Committee and First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker set this in motion behind the backs of their constituents. “Oops, I guess they found out” is the style of government that you and First Selectwoman Tooker decided to employ. It didn’t have to be this way. Westport can and should do better.

Westport deserves leadership that values transparency, collaboration, and truth. Westport deserves leadership that builds bridges instead of pitting residents against each other for political gain. The gardeners have always acted in good faith, offering to work with the Town to find a viable permanent site that preserves community spirit, recreation, and environmental stewardship.

We hope that as a candidate for First Selectman you will correct the record, acknowledge the facts, and engage in a constructive dialogue that brings this community together, rather than continuing to misrepresent what occurred.

Respectfully,

Louis Weinberg