Inauguration 2009

The 2009 Inauguration Ceremony Monday at Town Hall was a night of thanks and congratulations.

 From the election workers to the elected officials, Town Clerk Patty Strauss recognized them all before swearing in Westport's leaders.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney also attended the event to speak and swear in the re-elected First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff and Third Selectman R. Gavin S. Anderson.

In Blumenthal's address, he told the crowd he's known Joseloff since his "growing up days." He commented on the sincere dedication required for public service - a quality he's seen among Westporters. And he thanked Joseloff and other officials for conducting their election campaigns with respect for one another's ideas.

"We live in a time of increasing conflict and diminishing civility," Blumenthal said. "Fortunately, in this community, you have leaders who conduct themselves with dignity, grace, poise and courage."

McKinney agreed and stressed that public service is a noble profession.

"When you run for the Board of Finance or the Planning and Zoning Commission or the Board of Selectmen, you don't do it for public adulation," McKinney said. "You do it to make the community in which you live a better place."

After the Oath of Offices were administered, Joseloff  addressed the crowd.

He remarked on the low voter turnout during the recent election and how Westport must do better.

"As a journalist for many years overseas, I watched many people put their lives on the line in an effort to try to live in the kind of democracy we take for granted," Joseloff said, referring to his days as a foreign correspondent for United Press International and CBS News. "In Moscow, under the ever watchful eyes and ears of the KGB, I chronicled the struggles of Solzhenitsyn, Sakaharov, Sharansky and many others seeking freedoms. In Seoul, South Korea, I choked on tear gas in the streets as students sought to oust their corrupt leaders. In Manila, I marched with hundreds of thousands in the streets as Filipinos sought to overthrow Ferdinand Marcos. ... So it pains me to see people here not vote."

Joseloff said he'd like to think those who did not vote are satisfied with the way things are. But whether or not that's true, Joseloff said Westport is not immune from economic issues facing the state and the nation.

"Despite tough economic times, Westport will not and cannot stand still," Joseloff said. " ... We must meet the challenges of keeping our schools No. 1. We must meet the challenges of protecting our environment. And we must meet the challenges of providing a safe community that embraces newcomers as well as our senior citizens."

In closing, Joseloff read a letter written to him by Long Lots School second-grader Isabelle Katz.

"Here's what Isabelle wrote," Joseloff said. "'Dear Mayor Gordon. I am so happy you won. Was it worth it? Write back to tell me if it was."

"Well, Isabelle," Joseloff said. "It certainly was. It was because I and all of us taking the oath of office tonight will do our best to make it worth it. We'll do our best for you and all future Westporters. We have no higher priority. We have no greater challenge."

The evening ended with a photo slideshow titled, "In Wonderful Westport," prepared by Strauss to music written by Greens Farms School second graders and their teachers Suzanne Sherman Propp and Cheryl Buck.