Every Friday until Election Day, GOOD Morning Wilton publishes Letters to the Editor that we’ve received about the candidates and/or election-related issues. Letters are limited to 225 words and must be signed with a full name and verifiable address. GMW will publish up to 15 letters each week in the order in which they are received with a deadline of Thursday at noon; any letters received after we hit that 15-letter limit and/or deadline will be held for subsequent weeks. This is the last Letters to the Editor to run before Election Day. Please click HERE to read our election coverage guidelines, policies and requirements about Letters.
Wilton Needs New and Committed Leadership
To the Editor:
Our always steady, assured, and dependable Town of Wilton government has fallen into a worrisome situation. We have had no progress from the Board of Selectmen for months. The audit is delayed. There is confusion about who is in charge of what. The Finance Department is in great disarray. Further, the Planning and Zoning Commission’s planning has stalled. Its vision is short sighted. It is not planning broadly for the future. We need new and committed leadership.
I ask you to vote for David Tatkow and Rich McCarty for selectmen. Both are committed to getting Town government up and running properly again, and with the best interests of Wiltonians in mind.
For P&Z, I ask you to vote for Ken Hoffman, Trevor Huffard, Jessica Rainey, Margit Ritz and Michelle Saglimbene. With their election, they will set a new direction for the commission that will listen to the public and will act to plan for the future.
Let’s strengthen the Board of Finance by electing Kari Roberts and Eric Fanwick. Both have the skills, the experience, and the attitude to make for a well-functioning board.
Please get out and vote Row A — Democrats.
John Kalamarides
Margit Ritz will Bring Creative Thinking, Collaboration and Proactive Planning to P&Z
To the Editor:
Wilton is at a crossroads. Our Planning and Zoning Commission needs leaders who can think creatively, act collaboratively and plan proactively for the town’s future. That is why I’m supporting Margit Ritz for the Planning and Zoning Commission.
A long-time television producer and community volunteer, Margit brings more than 25 years of professional experience managing large, complex projects for networks like Netflix, Hulu and Bravo. She knows how to bring people together, balance competing priorities and deliver results on-time and on-budget. This is exactly the kind of steady, practical leadership we need on P&Z.
Since moving to Wilton in 2021, Margit has immersed herself in community life by volunteering with STAR, the Wilton Food Pantry and local schools, as well as coaching Wilton Cheer. She listens, she collaborates and she gets things done.
Wilton deserves a P&Z commission that reflects the voices of its residents. Too often, decision-making has been disconnected from the community’s vision. Margit will bring transparency, accountability and public engagement back into the process. She’s committed to protecting Wilton’s small-town charm while planning thoughtfully for future generations.
This November, vote for a candidate who will plan with purpose and lead with heart. Vote for Margit Ritz for the Wilton P&Z Commission.
Russell D. Robbins, MD
Patti Frisch has Ideal Background to Serve on ZBA
To the Editor:
I am proud to endorse Democratic candidate Patti Frisch for the Zoning Board of Appeals. Patti has lived in Wilton for over 30 years and is deeply committed to preserving the high quality of life and values of good citizenship that are the hallmarks of our community. She has been a member of our local League of Women Voters and has contributed her voice and her skills to support local land preservation efforts. Most importantly, she is a knowledgeable and highly-skilled attorney specializing in commercial and residential real estate — a particularly ideal background to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Patti’s education and career as a successful real estate lawyer — particularly her work representing clients before zoning boards in multiple towns in New York and Connecticut — have provided an excellent training ground for her to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals. She possesses a deep understanding of the board’s processes, both from the perspective of applicants who appear before the board and board members who are often called upon to make difficult decisions. She is also cognizant of the fact that the Board of Appeals is not a place where board members should attempt to advance political agendas or formulate new zoning policies. Rather, in Patti’s view, it is a place for careful consideration of the facts and governing laws and regulations on a case-by-case basis. I urge you to join me in voting for Patti as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Max Gabrielson
Former BOF Chair: Matt Raimondi a Wilton Success Story and Consensus Builder who Reaches Across Party Lines
To the Editor:
I enthusiastically endorse Matt Raimondi for the Board of Finance. Matt is exactly what we need on the Board of Finance. Matt has a complete working knowledge of the town budget and finances. More importantly, he is a consensus builder and reaches across party lines to achieve consensus. Matt succeeded me as Chairman of the Board of Finance. The fact that we were affiliated with different political parties never factored into our working relationship. When I was Chairman, Matt consistently expressed to me that he was willing to compromise his personal views to reach a unanimous decision of the board because he believed that was better for the town. Now that he is Chairman, Matt has done just that.
Matt also has the life experience that makes him such a valuable member of the Board of Finance. Matt grew up in the Town of Wilton. He was educated in our public schools and knows the value of a Wilton education. He is a success story by every measure both personally and professionally. He is now volunteering to give back to the community that gave him so much. Please vote for him for the Board of Finance.
Michael P. Kaelin
Former Chairman, Board of Finance
Former Member, Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen
Wilton is Better for Matt Raimondi’s Leadership on Board of Finance
To the Editor:
I’m proud to support Matt Raimondi for re-election to Wilton’s Board of Finance. I’ve seen firsthand that Matt leads with respect for every perspective and has a genuine desire to bring people together. He brings an open mind, sound judgment and a deep commitment to doing what’s best for Wilton. I trust him with the financial future for our community without any reservations, and I wholeheartedly believe he will do everything in his power to continue to make Wilton an excellent place to live.
Under Matt’s leadership as chair, the BOF has strengthened the town’s financial footing, improved transparency and actively sought input from the community as a whole, through surveys, canvasing and a renewed willingness to listen. He listens carefully, challenges assumptions and makes decisions based on facts after hearing all viewpoints.
My wife, Alex, and I have been friends with Matt and his wife, Kristen, since we moved to Wilton, and we’ve come to know him as someone who leads with integrity, humility and purpose.
Matt has earned support from across the political spectrum because he’s focused on fiscal responsibility, common sense and community. Wilton is better for his leadership.
Please join me in voting to re-elect Matt Raimondi to the Board of Finance.
Ryan Thorne
Kari Roberts Will Help Get Wilton Back on Track
To the Editor:
Kari Roberts deserves Wilton’s support and vote for Board of Finance in this pivotal 2025 election. A 26-year resident of Wilton who raised her family here, Kari brings not only deep community roots but unmatched financial credentials. Her 21-year Wall Street career culminated as [a] managing director at Credit Suisse, where she managed billion-dollar mortgage transactions and led teams responsible for complex financial assets and risk evaluation. The magnitude and intricacy of Kari’s professional responsibilities far exceed what most municipalities face — her expertise is exactly what Wilton requires now.
Recent financial process challenges, audit delays and increased budget scrutiny make it clear: Wilton needs proven real-world financial leadership, not just good intentions. Kari’s analytical rigor and hands-on management of high-stakes, multi-billion-dollar operations uniquely qualify her to restore public trust and accountability. Moreover, her economics degree from Stanford and direct experience in asset securitization reflect a mind trained to solve problems under pressure.
Beyond numbers, Kari has tirelessly served Wilton’s civic life — from ABC Wilton and the Land Conservation Trust to local youth and education non-profits. She understands our schools, supports smart development, and will partner with organizations to bring strategic growth. Kari Roberts is not only the most qualified candidate — she embodies the commitment and competence Wilton needs to get back on track and prosper going forward.
Katie McSporran
Do Not Vote for a Party — Vote for Wilton
To the Editor:
Wilton is entering a consequential decade. Please do not vote for a party. Vote for Wilton. If there were a “party of Wilton,” I would gladly join it.
We have challenges in our spectacular town. Not all understand needed growth. Turmoil in our financial leadership was appalling. We were aback by a handful of recent disrespectful incidents. Enormous capital needs appeared. There is frustration with leadership.
We still have much to celebrate. We moved not for the schools, but for the environment, natural beauty, old-fashioned centers, friendliness, lack of pretense, financial stewardship and its unfailing civility. Most agree.
Volunteer, world-class incumbents remain. We have a gift in Matt Raimondi, chair of Board of Finance, who steers brilliantly through the mill-rate maze. The young lawyer on Planning and Zoning, Jill Warren, speaks pithily on pivotal topics. Other longtime volunteers are shifting roles and bringing their gifts, Kim Healy with accounting and auditing expertise from Board of Selectmen to Board of Finance. Brand new, promising candidates on both sides offer impeccable credentials, including Andrew Warren for Selectmen with his CPA and Kari Roberts for Finance.
We have an old style of town meeting that needs fundamental change to strengthen public participation. We have an old style of selectmen system with two non-elected chiefs (administration and finance) that needs to change.
Vote for Wilton.
Barbara Geddis