Month: June 2004 - Page 5 - Westportnow.com

Friday, June 02, 2023

New Assessor: “My Head is on the Chopping Block Here”

William Gaffney (r), who began work Monday as Westport’s new assessor, meets with members of the Revaluation Working Group today at Town Hall. Gaffney said he hopes to have bid specifications ready Thursday for firms interested in conducting Westport’s physical revaluation. He said he is determined to conduct the best survey possible, adding, “(I know) my head is on the chopping block here.” WestportNow.com photo

CEO of Westport’s Playtex Products Retiring

Westport’s Playtex Products Inc. is losing its CEO. Michael Gallagher plans to retire by the end of the year or when a successor is named, the personal care products company said today.

The company, with its corporate headquarters in the Nyala Farms office complex just off I-95, has been struggling to compete against larger companies like Procter & Gamble Co.

Playtex said it will look for a successor to Gallagher, 58, outside the company.

Gallagher’s contract was due to expire at the end of this month, according to the company’s annual proxy report.

You Can Get There From Here

The controversial path from Evergreen Avenue to Westport’s Winslow Park is now complete and area residents can make their way on foot to the Westport facility. A sign tells visitors: “Thank you for visiting Winslow Park. This park crosses a wetland property. Please help us to preserve the wetlands. Please leash dogs beyond this point.” WestportNow.com photo

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

10:30 a.m. – Town Hall Room 102 – International Hospitality Committee
Noon – Town Hall Room 309/307 – Citizens brown bag lunch
2 p.m. – Town Hall Auditorium – Revaluation Working Group
5:30 p.m. – Staples High School, Room 516 – School Building Committee Staples Subcommittee
7:30 p.m. – Town Hall Room 201 – Boating Advisory Committee
7:30 p.m. – Town Hall Room 309/307 – Board of Selectmen

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2004

Getting Ready for Saturday’s jUNe Day

Preparations are almost complete for Saturday’s annual jUNe Day in Westport. More than 300 guests from the United Nations will come to Westport for a day of swimming, boating, and other leisure activities. The day is sponsored by Westport’s International Hospitality Committee and will include flying U.N. member flags from the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge, seen here in a 2003 photo. WestportNow.com photo

Westport Town Hall Television to Expand

Westport’s cable government access channel is about to expand its ability to cover Town Hall meetings.

The Board of Finance at its June 28 meeting will consider a request to fund the $7,356 cost of the expansion, funds for most of which have already been received via a $7,090 grant from the Area Nine Cable Council.

Eileen Zhang, the town’s director of the Office of Information Technology, said the funding will enable live or taped meeting coverage from Town Hall rooms 309 and 201/201A.

The town’s government access channel 79 has been able to transmit live telecasts from the Town Hall auditorium for several years.

Fairfield County Business Journal Spotlights WestportNow

The latest issue of the Fairfield County Business Journal includes a special section on Westport, including a story on WestportNow. The weekly, published by White Plains, N.Y. -based Westfair Communications Inc., circulates throughout Fairfield County.

Westport GOP Women Install New Officers

Westport’s State Sen. Judith G. Freedman (l) congratulates Republican Women of Westport President Lillian Krause (c) and First Vice President Rita Lener as the group installed its new officers for 2004-2006 at its recent annual spring luncheon. Contributed photo

Farrell Getting Fundraising Help from House Minority Leader Pelosi

In an indication of the importance national Democrats are giving the 4th Congressional District race, Westport First Selectwoman Diane G. Farrell is getting some fundraising help this week from House minority leader Nancy Pelosi.
Nancy Pelosi campaigning for Farrell. File photo

The California Democrat will attend a Farrell fundraiser Friday evening at a private home in Darien.

Farrell was in Washington last week and met with Pelosi and other Democrats. She was introduced to the House Democratic caucus by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who represents Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District.

Farrell’s campaign, which raised more money in the first quarter of the year than opponent Republican incumbent Christopher Shays, is anxious to have even more funds committed prior to the next campaign finance reporting date of June 30.

Farrell will officially open her campaign headquarters on Westport’s Riverside Avenue on Sunday, July 18 at 2 p.m.

Westport Summer Scene

Monday was the first full day of summer and WestportNow contributing photographer Dave Matlow caught this morning scene at the edge of the Saugatuck River near Westport’s center in the area called the Taylortown Salt Marsh section of the Aspetuck Land Trust. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com