Gilbert and Tracey: Open Ears For Weston

(Editor’s note: Dan Gilbert, currently a selectman, is running for First Selectman of Weston on the Republican ticket, and Dennis Tracey is running for the Board of Selectmen. Democrats Gayle Weinstein, Weston’s First Selectman, and David Muller, currently a selectman, are both seeking reelection. A piece on the Weinstein and Muller will be published on Patch Monday morning.)

tops the Weston Republican Town Committee’s ticket for next month’s elections. Along with Dennis Tracey, who is seeking a position on the Board of Selectmen, if elected the duo hopes to listen to their neighbors and serve the town they both say they love.

“We’re two people who love the community, love its values, and want to help the town realize its vision,” Gilbert told Patch last week. “It’s all about respecting everybody who walks through the door.”

Tracey said he and Gilbert want to use their talents to improve Weston.

“We’re doing this out of a sense of community,” Tracey said. “We have no aspirations for higher office, no allegiance to other politicians. We want to donate our time to make Weston better.”

The two candidates said it’s important to maintain the quality of Weston’s schools.

“We have terrific schools. What makes a terrific school is terrific teachers who are motivated,” Tracey said. “It’s not about how much you spend. If elected, I will work closely with the Board of Education to make sure we’re spending our money in the right way.”

Gilbert said as selectmen, the men would not micromanage the schools; rather, they’d work closely with the school board.

“Nobody knows what the right level of funding is,” he said. “Weston schools are well-funded. The town supports the budget overwhelmingly. People in Weston, regardless of what age they are, regardless of whether they have kids in school, they want great schools.”

It’s also important to keep Weston’s seniors in town, Gilbert said.

“How do we stop pushing seniors out of Weston? We just had a tax increase,” he said. “We need to keep that budget increase as close to zero as it can get.”

Gilbert said it’s important that Weston creates a five-year financial plan.

“Either you manage your wealth or it manages you,” he said.

Gilbert said currently, “every selectman’s meeting is baked in — it’s unhealthy.”

The two men said if elected, they would not see eye to eye on every issue.

“If we get elected, we will disagree,” Tracey said. “We are going to act independently.”

Gilbert echoed Tracey’s thoughts.

“If we get three of us disagreeing, four of us disagreeing — that’s how we’ll find the right answer,” he said.

Charter commission

The Republicans both said they want an open town government, that national politics are destructive and that an election every two years is something Weston should maintain. As Weston’s Charter Commission meets and talks about revising the town’s charter, the subject of whether selectmen terms should double from two to four years has come up.

“I don’t want four-year terms,” Gilbert said. “I want to stand before the public every two years. It’s about having respect for the people. If you’re responsible to the people, you don’t have to worry about being reelected.”

Gilbert said four-year terms were rejected by a similar commission in 1979.

“If the Charter Commission recommends a four-year term, I’ll vote against it,” Gilbert said.

Lachat property

Tracey said the property needs to be utilized in “the way that’s best for the community.”

“We want to use it as the town feels appropriate,” Tracey said. “It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of property around. “

But in order to get the farmhouse restored, , according to Tracey. 

“That property’s going to be saved,” Gilbert said. “If we can get through another winter, we should have a plan for that property. We’re getting close.”

Gilbert said the property might become an education center or a community farm.

Cobbs Mill Inn

The . Gilbert said the owner is petitioning to have the area rezoned in order to possibly rent a few rooms out.

“I would be sick if it closed,” Gilbert said. “It would be wonderful to see it be viable economically. It’s a part of our history.”

Gilbert added the decision of whether to rezone the property is the Planning and Zoning Commission’s to make.

About the candidates           

Dan Gilbert has been a selectman since 2009. Before that, he served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for six years. He is involved with St. Francis of Assisi, Kiwanis and the Westport Weston Health District. He also commanded 150 men in the U.S. Army as a 1^st Lieutenant.

Dennis Tracey is the co-chairman of the Weston Chart Revision Commission, chairman of the Lachat Building Committee, chairman of the Weston Legal Review Committee and a regional managing partner of an international law firm.