"When I first met Peter more than two decades ago, I was immediately impressed with his vast knowledge of our Town, his calm demeanor, and his consummate courtesy."

- State Representative Livvy Floren

Latest News Items:

November 8, 2011 - Tesei takes 3rd term; Theis, Marzullo retain seats
"First Selectman Peter Tesei accomplished a rare political three-peat Tuesday night, joining fellow Republican John Margenot Jr. as the only incumbent to win a third term in the town's highest office since it became a full-time job and leading the GOP ticket to a clean sweep in Greenwich. The 42-year-old married father of two from Cos Cob shellacked businessman John Blankley in the latest landslide by a Republican over a Democrat in the traditionally right-leaning town."

November 6, 2011 - Tesei: A leader offers direction, solutions
"I frame the election in terms of what's the most critical issue facing the town," Tesei said. "I'm convinced it's the economy." Tesei touted modest and predictable taxes as hallmarks of his administration, one that he said has earmarked finite dollars for both a new high school auditorium and central fire station, as well as routine maintenance.

November 3, 2011 - Greenwich Time Endorses Tesei, Theis and Marzullo for Board of Selectmen
"Mr. Tesei's opponent says he lacks leadership, but his positioning of the town to respond to emergencies has won Greenwich national acclaim, we have two new schools, and a new police station. Funding for the high school auditorium project was narrowly approved, partially due to Mr. Tesei's intervention, and he is leading the effort to, finally, give downtown firefighters a decent place in which to live and work."

November 2, 2011 - Following record breaking storm, Tesei urges battle cry against CL&P
"In the days following last weekend’s rare October snowstorm, First Selectman Peter Tesei has found Connecticut Light & Power’s ability to do its job severely lacking and he wants residents to join him in holding the public utility company accountable."

November 2, 2011 - Letter: Tesei "Deserves Another 2 Years" by L. Scott Frantz
"Peter has a demeanor that inspires individuals to not only freely offer their ideas and suggestions, but also to roll up their sleeves and work very hard towards collective goals. He is a very good listener and a very thoughtful decision maker. Having worked with him on a great many issues over the last three years, I have witnessed the seriousness with which he does his job as well as the affection that Peter, a life long resident, has for the town and its citizens. He is precisely the kind of Chief Elected Official that the Town of Greenwich needs and deserves for another two years."

October 30, 2011 - Greenwich is First - Connecticut Magazine ranks Greenwich #1
"Connecticut Magazine published their annual Town Ratings issue where they compare each town in Connecticut against others of its size. The magazine affirms that Greenwich is First - ranking in the top position against its peers of cities with a population over 50,000."

October 28, 2011 - Kudos to Tesei, Emergency Op's Team
"Making good on a promise he made last spring - to appoint an 11-member economic advisory council whose charge is to help attract new businesses to Greenwich. First Selectman Peter Tesei announced the committee with nine members who are residents and businessmen with long ties to Greenwich and the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. In addition to attracting new businesses to Greenwich, the council will be responsible for keeping abreast with the competition posed by surrounding communities."

October 21, 2011 - Blankley, Tesei divided over need for debt ceiling
The race for the town's highest office has its first wedge issue -- whether Greenwich needs a debt ceiling like the one imposed by the federal government. Tesei told Greenwich Time in an interview. "I think there has to be some parameters placed on the allocation of tax dollars. We see the experience in Washington and in Hartford whereby there are no limits placed on the expenditure of taxpayers' funds. I think Greenwich has had a rich tradition of keeping a firm control over the expenditure of taxpayer dollars." Democrat John Blankley, the challenger in the first selectman's race, objected to the policy. "I am in total opposition to the new debt ceiling," Blankley told the BET.

October 13, 2011 - Tesei Names Economic Development Team
"Making good on a promise he made last spring - to appoint an 11-member economic advisory council whose charge is to help attract new businesses to Greenwich. First Selectman Peter Tesei announced the committee with nine members who are residents and businessmen with long ties to Greenwich and the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. In addition to attracting new businesses to Greenwich, the council will be responsible for keeping abreast with the competition posed by surrounding communities."

September 11, 2011 - Remembrance Ceremony First Selectman Peter J. Tesei Remarks
"Tonight we gather as we have for the past 9 to collectively support the families who lost those who they held most dear. These victims were fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors. They were a part of the Greenwich community and each year we vow to pay our respect to each of them and the lives they lived and shared with our community."

September 8, 2011 - Environmental Groups Release Two-Year Action Plan to Improve LI Sound
A coalition of environmental groups on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious two-year plan to improve the environmental health of Long Island Sound. In attendance were Executive Director of Audubon Connecticut Tom Baptiste, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (R-4), State Sen. L. Scott Frantz and Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei.

September 6, 2011 - Toll Debate Heats Up in Fairfield County
Leading the effort to bring back the tolls is state Rep. Tony Guerrera, Democrat- Rocky Hill. Opponents include Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei and Town Planner Diane Fox"

September 3, 2011 - Underground lines can inspire sticker shock
"We have many inquiries from the towns we serve about relocating power lines underground which typically involve aesthetics and storms," utility spokesman Mitch Gross said. "But once they learn of what it would cost them and what is involved, they put those ideas aside."

Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei said the town has been pursuing the possibility of burying power lines since the destructive March 2010 nor'easter. The Republican has received estimates for the cost, some as steep as $3.6 million per mile, he said. Tesei met with Kenneth Bowes, vice president of operations for CL&P, on Friday. The first selectman shared with Bowes concerns and thoughts Greenwich residents had following Irene, one of which was the possibility of burying lines.

A feasibility study and a hard calculation of costs would have to be completed before any decision is made, Tesei said.

August 28, 2011 - Tesei, Theis Survey Greenwich During Hurricane "First Selectman Peter Tesei and Selectman David Theis spent Sunday morning surveying damage caused by Hurricane Irene. Tesei said he was concerned with the pending morning high tide whipped by the heavy winds."

August 27, 2011 - Residents in Low-lying Areas Asked to Evacuate as Irene Approaches
"In a 1:45 p.m. update, First Selectman Peter Tesei informed that Hurricane Irene is now expected to make landfall in Greenwich at about 7 a.m. Sunday — a few hours earlier than had been previously forecast."

July 25, 2011 - Greenwich Selected for National Pilot Program on Emergency Response [Video]
"This system will be of great benefit to Greenwich, as we have seen our community come under stress from multiple natural and man-made stresses in recent history. With a community resilience system in place, we will be better situated to both respond and recover from these stresses, to the benefit of our residents."

July 22, 2011 - Parties have chosen, now it's the voters' turn
The Democrats have fielded two school board candidates. And since only two are elected from each party, Democrats Jennifer Dayton and Adriana Ospina are guaranteed election. But all Greenwich voters, not just Republicans, must choose which two of four Republicans will be seated.

May 26, 2011 - Tesei Seeks a 3rd Term as First Selectman
Cross-party supporters who spoke included Democrat Julie Faryniarz, who said she crosses party lines to vote for those who support public education and improving the school system's infrastructure; registered Independent Betsey Frumin, chair of the Representative Town Meeting District 9 who regaled the crowd with memories of Tesei growing up as a neighbor and friend of her children, and Tom Conelias, a Repubican of the RTM's District 3, who described Tesei as "someone who genuinely cares."

May 25, 2011 -Tesei, Theis launch Greenwich re-election bids
"The past four years have presented many challenges, but, as always, the people of Greenwich have come together as a community to put the interests of Greenwich first and to sustain and enhance our wonderful town."

May 19, 2011 - Tesei promises flood mitigation near Byram River
Tesei indicated he expects to sign a contract this fall. So there appears to be some hope for a solution, once again.

May 9, 2011 - The State of the Town
First selectman assesses town's stature for local businessmen; unveils proposal for an economic advisory council.

May 5, 2011 - Tesei announces creation of economic development advisory panel
The council will meet on a monthly or quarterly basis, serving as a conduit between the town and both current and prospective businesses.

November 4, 2009 - Tesei sends Lavery packing for good on huge night for GOP
Tesei not only walloped his Democratic rival in the first selectman's race but knocked her completely off the Board of Selectmen, which Lavery had served on as a selectman for the past two years.

October 30, 2009 - Glenville gets TCO for school construction
“From its inception when the parents of the school garnered support from across the town for the project, through the leadership shown by [First Selectman] Peter Tesei and the Board of Estimate and Taxation in keeping the funding in place when facing opposition, and finally due to the efforts of Frank Mazza and the building committee, the GPS administration team and the outstanding professionals on the project, this really has shown how the town can come together, rise to challenges and achieve success,”

October 13, 2009 - Greenwich selectmen candidates go back to school
"I do believe that having a low student-to-teacher ratio is imperative to fostering education," Tesei said. "You only have one shot at an education."

September 3, 2009 - Tesei follows through
"If not for Mr. Tesei's leadership on the BET, I am doubtful that the Glenville School rebuild would have become a reality. Mr. Tesei not only listened to the Glenville community, he and the BET also did something about it."

August 27, 2009 - Ribbon cutting for police headquarters draws crowd

Nov 7, 2007 - Tesei rides landslide into office

Nov 7, 2007 - Tesei is town's new first selectman

Nov 2, 2007 - Greenwich Citizen is the Second Town Paper to Endorse Peter Tesei
Greenwich Citizen became the second town paper to endorse Peter Tesei for First Selectman. Citing Tesei's years of service in the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), and in the financial arena, the paper stated that his skills will "help to keep Greenwich on an even fiscal keel." It pointed out that "under his leadership as BET chairman, the Town has the lowest property tax rate in Connecticut, with modest annual increases in the 3.4 percent range." The paper also took notice of Tesei's "cool head" and "ability to build consensus" - attributes that it believes are of "inestimable value leading a municipal government." In contrast, Tesei's opponent, Frank Farricker, was described as "strident on occasion" and "a bit too argumentative". The paper said it believes Farricker has "overstated some of the problems facing the Town."

Oct 30, 2007 - Tesei: Taking a deliberate approach to policymaking

Oct 28, 2007 - Land use priorities vary among candidates

Oct 26, 2007 - Greenwich Time Endorses Tesei and Crumbine
Greenwich Time placed its support behind Peter Tesei and Peter Crumbine declaring that “a Tesei administration would hit the ground running at Greenwich Town Hall.” The editorial cited Tesei’s “years of experience in town hall government” and his reputation for a “cool head and compromise, both of which are useful in running a municipal government.” Greenwich Time agreed with Tesei’s view that overdevelopment is his top priority. They stated their expectation that Peter Tesei will use “his background and abilities over the next two years to develop a multi-tiered approach to fighting commercial as well as residential overdevelopment in Greenwich, which threatens not only the character of town neighborhoods but the environment, and adds to already serious flooding problems.” The paper also emphasized that they ultimately “disagreed with Mr. Farricker’s assessment of the overall state of Greenwich”, and did not see the type of trouble that he sees.