NewCanaanite.com will publish endorsement letters for this local election through Oct. 27. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com.
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I am endorsing Pavla Levin for a seat on the New Canaan Town Council. My experience on the Town Council taught me that an effective town councilor needs 2 characteristics: the ability to work on a team and the willingness to spend your time studying issues and bringing your experience and skills to bear. Simply showing up at the meetings, listening to presentations, and voting is not acceptable. Pavla has demonstrated these characteristics in all of the positions that she has taken on for the town since she arrived 13 years ago.
Pavla filled a vacancy on the Utilities Commission earlier this year when I was chairman. She rapidly attacked the cellular coverage problem. With her analytical and programming skills, she has been able to transform the coverage data for the town that we gathered last year, into information that will soon be available to each resident in town. The external resource that we had found was making little progress. She stepped in and identified what resources were required, found them, and will soon be rolling out a web app that will be available to all of our residents to see the coverage available to them by each provider of the 4 cellular providers in our town. It will be at the individual building level of detail for each building and road in the town. This web app will also be used to improve cell coverage for our first responders. Her willingness to spend her time has enabled us to not use costly external system and programming resources. She has accelerated the availability and saved the town thousands of dollars.
The Utilities Commission is simply one example of her willingness to provide not just judgement and experience, but value add to the positions she has held. Those positions include: Assessment Appeals, Board of Directors of the New Canaan Ice Rink, Founding Member of Ct 169 Strong, and the Republican Town Committee.
I recommend you join me in voting for Pavla Levin in this year’s election for New Canaan Town Council
Rich Townsend
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Letter to the Editor:
Please join me in voting for Board of Education candidates Erica Schwedel, Josh Kaye and Kate Brambilla by Nov 4. I have served on New Canaan’s Board of Education for 18 years and write this letter in my personal capacity. I have learned that providing a world class education for our students requires dedicated BOE members who will work collaboratively with our talented administration and teachers. Erica, Josh and Kate will do so. They will prioritize students, not politics. They support leaving the curriculum development process as is, in the hands of our capable Curriculum Leadership Council with oversight by the Superintendent and Board of Education.
In her first BOE term, Erica worked tirelessly to help craft and pass budgets that meet today’s challenges and keep parents informed and involved. She served on the BOE communications and facilities committees and as Secretary and Vice Chair of the BOE. Parents of NCPS students, Josh and Kate will be equally committed to our schools. An accomplished lawyer, Josh will use his talents to advocate for students and help create well-rounded, thoughtful BOE policies. With her background as a court-appointed advocate for children, PTC volunteer and Staying Put staff member, Kate understands the New Canaan community and has the skills and knowledge to support NCPS.
Erica, Josh and Kate will be active and well-prepared BOE members, listen to all points of views, enhance communication with parents and work with the teachers and administration to insure NCPS students thrive in their lives by becoming effective communicators, thoughtful collaborators, critical thinkers and resilient problem solvers.
Penny Rashin
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Within nine months of moving to New Canaan, I quickly found people who shared my values of community, family, and volunteerism. Wanting to give back, I joined the New Canaan Community Foundation’s grant review team and was lucky to serve under Erica Schwedel on the early childhood education committee. Erica led with poise, asked thoughtful questions, and fostered meaningful discussion. When I learned she served on the Board of Education, I knew I wanted to help ensure she’s re-elected.
Soon after, I met Hilary Ormond, who invited me to join the Friends of Waveny Playground Committee. Hilary is not only generous with her time and resources—she rolls up her sleeves and leads by example, organizing spreadsheets, coordinating with Parks & Rec, and motivating those around her. She brings that same energy and diligence to Town Council, and New Canaan will continue to benefit from her leadership for another four years.
As campaign manager, I’ve had the chance to work closely with Josh Kaye, candidate for the Board of Education. Josh is a dedicated dad, active community volunteer, and would bring a valuable legal perspective to the Board with Penny Rashin stepping down. Kate Brambilla, a former court-appointed child advocate in Brooklyn, brings a rare and vital skill set to understanding where New Canaan’s students need the most support. Together, Erica, Josh, and Kate combine experience, professionalism, and a deep commitment to our schools. Great schools don’t just happen—they’re built by people willing to show up on time, work hard, and put students first.
Our Town Council candidates represent the same strength of purpose. Mike Rodgers, a 23-year resident and small business owner with a recent NCHS graduate, brings financial insight and deep community roots. Lina Lee, executive director of the Connecticut Bar Association, has spent her career protecting communities from predatory development. Heather Russell, a finance communications professional and working mom of two public school students, understands firsthand New Canaan families’ priorities and will be a strong voice in budget discussions. And of course, Hilary Ormond continues to champion what makes New Canaan so special—our schools, our library, and our sense of community. Our slate brings differing perspectives from different phases of life, and we hope you’ll find your own values in Row A.
The 2025 Row A slate reflects the very best of New Canaan: professional excellence, volunteer spirit, and deep community roots. To protect what we value most—our schools, our library, and our shared sense of belonging—Row A is the clear choice this election.
Meredith Tobitsch
Campaign Manager for Row A Candidates
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I have lived in New Canaan for 30 years and have been an active member of the Republican Party throughout that time. I served as Treasurer of the New Canaan Republican Town Committee for two years and have supported our local Republican efforts, both financially and personally, for nearly three decades.
This year’s Republican Caucus, however, has left me deeply concerned. The process and the actions that followed have not reflected the transparency and fairness that our community deserves. As a result, I cannot support the current Town Council Republican slate.
Specifically, I was disappointed to see efforts to discredit a legally confirmed Republican petitioning candidate, Kim Norton, whose candidacy has been validated by both the Connecticut Secretary of the State and New Canaan’s Town Clerk. Attempts to undermine a confirmed candidate raise serious questions about fairness, judgment, and respect for the electoral process.
Additionally, it is troubling to see claims that I believe are inaccurate made by a candidate about professional experience. Thirty years of investment banking expertise is simply not the same as working in the IT department at a bank. In my opinion, this is a stretch too far. Truthfulness and transparency are essential qualities for anyone seeking to serve in public office, and voters should be able to rely on candidates’ statements about their qualifications.
Over the years, I have found incumbent Kim Norton to be fair, impartial, and diligent in her service on the Town Council. Her preparation and attendance are consistently praised by the chair, and her decisions reflect careful consideration of what best serves New Canaan. She has shown independence from political pressures and bases her support for appointments and initiatives on professional qualifications and ethical standards, as required by Connecticut’s municipal regulations.
This commitment to best practices and good governance stands in contrast to the behavior of some others seeking re-election, whose decisions too often appear to be influenced by personal or political considerations rather than the town’s interests.
For these reasons, my family and I are proud to support Kim Norton for Town Council.
Roy Abramowitz