Matthew Mandell is a long time Westport resident and community leader. He is in his fifth two-year term on Westport's Representative Town Meeting representing District One. He Chairs the RTM Planning and Zoning Committee as well as serves on five others. He is a Trustee at Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center, since 2007. Mr. Mandell is probably best known for his grassroots advocacy for open space and historic preservation. He has been integral in saving the 22-acre Partrick Wetlands in Westport as well as six acres at the White Barn Theater and 11 acres at the Norden property in Norwalk. Most recently he's championed the preservation of the Terrain House, the Geiger Barn and most notably the Kemper-Gunn House with its innovative move to town property and its adaptive reuse to promote local incubator retail businesses. In 2011 he created and organized the Slice of Saugatuck Festival, a wine, food and retail experience to promote commerce in the Saugatuck Center section of town, in his district. Matthew was also integral in creating what has become a new restaurant district on the west side of the river in downtown Westport. Matthew went to Boston University where he received a BS in Film and Communications and went to get an MFA from New York University in Film. He is married and has two children attending Staples High School.