Someone elected to an executive position has an obligation to advocate for their turf, the portion of the town that they’re managing through their elected position. It’s the role of the finance committee to look at the whole town and try to find a balance between all the competing priorities for scarce funds.”

Former town moderator Stephen Fors

My certificate of appointment to the finance committee states that my term runs through the end of June 2026, and I have no intention of doing anything but continuing to serve the thousands of Westport residents ... who deserve a government that operates with fairness, integrity, and common sense.”

Christopher Thrasher

This past election we had two contested seats. Many ... races had write-ins or one person running. We need to be careful as to how we’re limiting people.””

Jake McGuigan

In a vote that one select board member warned could dissuade residents from running for public office, voters at Tuesday's Town Meeting approved a warrant article which forbids elected officials, who are part of the executive branch, from serving on the town’s finance committee, which falls under the town’s legislative branch.

The article was first proposed last fall by former town moderator Steven Fors, who chose not to seek re-election and has since been replaced by Kurt Hayes, who ran unopposed when he won the position in the April town election.

Fors wrote in a letter to fincom members last year that his proposal aims to prevent conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and reiterated that from the floor Tuesday evening:

“Separation of powers is fundamental to American democracy at every level, including the town level,” he said. “Elected officials who are part of the executive branch of town government, which would include the school committee and other elected positions, are a separate branch of government” from the finance committee.

“So someone elected to an executive position has an obligation to advocate for their turf, the portion of the town that they’re managing through their elected position. It’s the role of the finance committee to look at the whole town and try to find a balance between all the competing priorities for scarce funds.”

In a letter to the finance committee last year, Fors spoke of the service of Christopher Thrasher, who he appointed to fincom prior to his subsequent election to the school committee, of which he now serves as chair.

It is Fors’ responsibility to appoint members to the finance committee, and he wrote that serving on both concurrently presents a “conflict of interest problem.”

“If I could remove him, I would, but I cannot,” Fors wrote. “The best solution would be for (Thrasher) to resign voluntarily. If he is unwilling to do so, I will meet with the selectmen.”

Thrasher also spoke Tuesday evening, and has said that while he understands the sentiment behind the article he doesn’t believe his presence on both committees presents a conflict. On the contrary, he said, he sees his role partially as a bridge between two bodies that have consistently been at odds with each other. He said it has become clear to him that there is “this constant, unfortunate adversarial stance between the town side and the school side.”

“To me that just speaks to the divide that really needs to be put aside so that the town can move forward," he said Tuesday evening.

Thrasher proposed an amendment precluding fincom membership by anyone compensated for their service to the Town of Westport. But in his case, he said, he is not compensated for his service on either the school board or fincom — zero times two is still zero,” he said.

The amendment was defeated, but not before select board member Jake McGuigan, speaking from the stage, offered a warning about the lack of public participation in local town government, and how the article could exacerbate that.

“Everyone needs to be very careful,” he said, suggesting that there is no getting around conflicts of interest, real or perceived, in town government.

“This past election we had two contested seats. Many ... races had write-ins or one person running. We need to be careful as to how we’re limiting people — (a) conflict of interest could be something that could be looked at for every single individual on every single board.”

After a few more minutes’ worth of discussion, the vote was called and the article passed overwhelmingly.

On Thursday, Thrasher wrote an open letter to Westport residents detailing his thoughts on conflicts of interest, the state of political discourse in town, and the role of the finance committee. And despite the service prohibition now written into the town bylaw, he wrote that he isn’t going anywhere:

“My certificate of appointment to the finance committee states that my term runs through the end of June 2026, and I have no intention of doing anything but continuing to serve the thousands of Westport residents — working families, parents, seniors, neighbors — who deserve a government that operates with fairness, integrity, and common sense,” he wrote.