TEAM Westport ‘blindsided’ by membership allegations in attorney’s letter
WESTPORT — Harold Bailey Jr. said he was “blindsided” when an attorney sent a letter last week to the first selectwoman alleging TEAM Westport had violated local and state rules with its membership.
Bailey, who chairs TEAM Westport, said the accusations impacted the credibility of the committee, which aims at addressing diversity, equity and inclusion. He added that the committee is only advisory and has different requirements than boards and commissions.
Attorney Vincent Marino charges in his letter on behalf of his clients, Westport residents Zack Alcyone and Camilo Riano, that TEAM Westport has too many Democrats, two members who don’t live in town and members who have served more time than allowed in the town charter.
“As the coverage of the accusations within the Marino letter have zoomed from Westport and Fairfield County to the state level, the reputations of TEAM Westport in general and its individual members in particular have taken major hits,” Bailey said. “The coverage clearly implies that we have been involved in a twodecades long conspiracy in ‘violation of the law’ at local and state levels.”
“These are serious accusations,” he said.
In the initial letter to the town, Marino said his clients were prepared to seek a writ of mandamus to compel the necessary action if their concerns were not addressed by Feb. 4.
He has since backed off since town officials said they are reviewing the concerns.
“The town attorney informed me that the first selectwoman is reviewing the matter, but that she is also dealing with other matters of municipal concern,” Marino said. “At this time, there are no imposed deadlines. My clients appreciate the first selectwoman’s time and consideration of their concerns, and have agreed to extend her time to review the matter. We hope to learn the first selectwoman’s thoughts on the matter in the near future.”
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said she is still awaiting the opinion of the Town Attorney’s Office.
Bailey said while everyone awaits the official rulings, the overriding fact to keep in mind is that neither he nor any other committee member appointed themselves to TEAM Westport throughout its 19 years. He said only the first selectperson has the power to appoint members or keep them in place.
He agreed that political representation, electors living in town and term limits are “absolutely” required for boards and commissions, however it’s “a different animal” for committees.
“The positions aren’t filled by political party,” Bailey said. “On a board or commission that makes sense, but on a committee level where we’re giving advice on arts or diversity, equity and inclusion, that’s a little bit beyond what you would have for restrictions on organizations.”
Bailey also highlighted that with respect to the political representation, over the last nine years TEAM Westport has operated under Republican first selectmen. He said former First Selectman Jim Marpe, or Tooker now, could change it if they wanted.
He said the focus has not been about political party, but instead TEAM Westport’s mission on what people can contribute to the committee.
Bailey said concerns about membership or political representation have never been brought up to him in the 19 years he has been involved.
“We have lived up to the charter that we were put in place with,” Bailey said. “It basically says that we are an advisory committee. We give advice, but none of it is binding. We don’t set any rules or alter anything like that. As a committee we have been operating at the pleasure of the first selectmen.”
As a member of the Representative Town Meeting in August 2005, Ann Sheffer and her husband and fellow RTM member Bill Scheffler, wrote the ordinance establishing the organization. At the time, they authored two other ordinances for the Arts Advisory Committee and the International Hospitality Committee, which were all approved by the RTM.
Sheffer said what all three committees have in common is that there are “absolutely no authority or even membership requirements.” She said all are “completely advisory.”
The language adopted by the RTM reads: “The Together Effectively Achieving Multiculturalism (TEAM) Westport Committee is hereby established, to be appointed by the First Selectman, in order to advise the appropriate Town officials as to specific actions that may be taken to achieve and celebrate a more welcoming, multicultural Westport/Weston community. This Committee’s recommendations shall not be binding, but shall be of an advisory nature only.”