Residents welcomed the event, but it doesn’t fix our broken planning process
After fierce criticism over a lack of capital planning and a growing backlog of deferred projects, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo and outgoing BET Chairman Harry Fisher held a public hearing on budget priorities at Town Hall last Thursday. Despite minimal advertising and no Zoom option, many residents attended and advocated for long-delayed upgrades to key town assets. The most obvious need was exposed by the slapdash nature of the meeting itself: Camillo must establish a credible multi-year capital planning process.
A call for multi-year capital planning
Incoming Selectwoman Rachel Khanna called out our practice of single year budgeting, which “makes planning difficult and inefficient,” noting that residents deserve multi-year budgets that reflect the multi-year projects facing the town. A clear view of the town’s long-term priorities should also account for how we’ll pay for them.
Speakers repeatedly pointed to the 2023 League of Women Voters Capital Projects Funding Study, which co-author Steve Waters said shows the BET must adopt at minimum a five-year capital plan. Marcy Brown, VP of Advocacy for the League, summarized the report’s recommendations, which found that Greenwich faces up to $1.6 billion in deferred needs—including school buildings, flood mitigation, parks, and town facilities.
Riverside School: “Outgrown its size”
Parents and PTA leaders focused heavily on the condition of Greenwich public schools, beginning with Riverside School. Built in 1932, the building is now over capacity. According to parent Caitlin Wardell, 80% of its classrooms fall below state size standards, and the cafeteria is so undersized that students face extremely early or late lunch periods and spend much of their lunch period waiting in lines.
Although the BET approved $2 million for architecture and engineering work to begin, it did not include plans to fund the full renovation. Parents urged the BET to commit to a multi-year funding plan rather than a partial start.
Greenwich High School: Safety, traffic, and a failing pool
Roughly half a dozen residents testified about the long-standing need for a second egress at Greenwich High School (GHS). Neighbor Ashley Cole held up a 2019 report recommending an additional access point to relieve severe congestion at drop-off and pick-up. Another neighbor, Catherine Pushcart, warned of the risks if the school’s single entrance were ever blocked during an emergency.
The deteriorating 57-year-old high school pool also drew sharp concern. Terry Lowe, GHS’ legendary swim coach, quipped, “I came to Greenwich in the 1960s knowing that Greenwich was about to build a school with a pool. I never thought that I would outlast the current facility.” Matthew Murphy of Cos Cob described the pool as being on its “last legs,” while GHS PTA co-president John Fisher noted that only one drain is functional and the facility has been deemed unsafe for the dive team. Others emphasized that GHS’ swim and dive programs have won an astounding 65 FCIAC Championships and deserve a facility that meets basic competitive standards.
School bus parking: We need a permanent solution
Residents also pressed the town to end the temporary parking of over 60 school buses at Western Middle School, where buses have been stationed on turf fields and blacktop for two months. Parents detailed the impacts: disrupted recess and PE classes, unsafe bike and walking routes, strong diesel fumes, persistent noise, and the use of staff parking by drivers. Witnesses urged the town to secure a permanent off-site lot immediately.
Toward a more transparent process
Until this hearing, the public had no opportunity to weigh in on budget priorities before the First Selectman released his proposed budget in January. Thursday’s meeting was a welcome step forward, but it didn’t meaningfully address the current annual cycle of budgetary suspense, surprise, and spitballing that’s been the norm since Camillo stopped preparing credible multi-year budgets. True transparency requires:
- Hearings that are well publicized, Zoom enabled and listed on the town calendar
- A meaningful explanation of proposed capital projects rather than a laundry list
- A multi-year plan for projects and the means we’ll use to pay for them
A new Democratic majority on the BET in partnership with Selectwoman Rachel Khanna will bring back transparency and long-range planning. We will share updates as those ideas take shape.
Connecticut builds a safety net when Washington won’t
Last week, as Democrats in congress were fighting to stop the impending increase in healthcare premiums for millions of Americans, our state legislators were battling for a safety net for Connecticut residents. During a special session, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a bill creating an emergency fund to shield vulnerable neighbors from federal funding cuts to supplemental nutrition, school meals, childcare, healthcare and heating assistance.
“It’s about discipline and compassion, ensuring that we have resources to act when others do not,” explained State Senator and Appropriations Committee Chair Catherine Osten. “This is a plan that reflects Connecticut’s values: fiscal responsibility, compassion, and readiness.” Greenwich State Rep. Steve Meskers noted it’s important to be able to respond to the “erratic and arbitrary decisions” coming from Washington. “The fund allows us that flexibility.”
A bipartisan vote—with two notable exceptions
The bill overwhelmingly passed both state chambers with bipartisan support (153-28), including from the Republican minority leader in the House. But, that didn’t stop our local Republican electeds, State Senator Ryan Fazio and State Representative Tina Courpas from loudly opposing and ultimately joining a fringe minority voting no on helping neighbors in need.
Their votes come as new federal cuts are about to hit home. Starting December 1st, 220 Greenwich families will no longer be eligible for their food assistance under the new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules. And next on the horizon is fallout from Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill Act.” It could cause over 2,000 Greenwich residents to lose healthcare coverage, according to calculations by DataHaven, a well regarded CT non-profit that provides high-quality, local-level information across a wide variety of issue areas.
Instead of representing Greenwich values and helping struggling families, Fazio and Courpas are doubling down on the cruelty that’s become the hallmark of the Trump administration. Be warned—Fazio and Courpas think they’re doing such stellar jobs they now have their sights set on higher office. Fazio has announced a bid for governor and Courpas is rumored to be interested in filling Fazio’s state senate seat. Voters will remember who stood with neighbors in a time of need—and who wasn’t up to the task.
WHAT WE’RE READING
“We are both mugger and victim”
As the bus parking crisis at Western Middle School continues, the First Selectman is instead focused on continuing to sue the Board of Education at taxpayer expense, even after the November elections made the lawsuit moot. In a letter to the Greenwich Free Press, Brian Raabe asks many key questions, including “Who is this litigation serving and how?” Read the letter here.
Take the resident survey
Share your thoughts on how well the town is doing in various areas from road maintenance to health services. The biennial survey is open to all Greenwich residents You can take it online at GreenwichSurvey.com or via the town’s website. The survey is available in both English and Spanish and is completely anonymous.
Action calendar
December 1. Attend.
Join the swearing in of the Board of Selectmen. 5:00 p.m. Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center.
December 5. Tree lighting.
Join Santa and friends for holiday treats, 4:15 p.m., Friday, December 5. Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road. More info.
| Volume 4, Number 23 • November 20, 2025 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |