‘A Historic Moment for New Canaan’: Beth Jones Appointed to Fire Commission, First Woman To Serve in Role

Beth Jones, lifelong New Canaanite and former selectman, has been appointed as a member of the Fire Commission.

Beth Jones in attendance at a 2014 New Canaan Preservation Alliance Awards Ceremony at the Country Club of New Canaan. Credit: Michael Dinan

She is the first woman to serve in the role.

“This is a historic moment for New Canaan,” Selectman Nick Williams said moments before he and fellow Board of Selectmen members Kevin Moynihan and Kit Devereaux voted 3-0 to appoint Jones.

“I look forward to seeing more females on commissions that historically have not been populated with females. Beth Jones, I had the pleasure of serving with her for six years. she became close colleague, a good friend, she is terrific, a voice of reason, nonpartisan and always puts the town of New Canaan first and she is delighted to become Fire Commissioner. She is like kid Christmas morning. What she is bringing to the table is just fantastic.”

Jones, a Democrat and New Canaan High School graduate still known to many in town as ‘Beth Apy,’ will serve for a three-year term, replacing Al DuPont, who recently resigned because he moved out of town.

Devereaux said she’s “known Beth almost forever, I feel.”

“She has a family history with the Fire Department, a great love of the Fire Department,” Devereaux said. “I know she will be wonderful and I am so excited that she will be given this opportunity.”

Moynihan said he was “very happy” to make the nomination and endorsed what his fellow Board members said.