Government

Selectman Votes Against Natural Gas Deal, Citing Environmentalist Concerns

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Describing herself as a strong environmentalist, Selectman Beth Jones on Tuesday declined to support the town’s long-awaited agreement with the utility company to bring natural gas to New Canaan. Casting a lone dissenting vote on the Board of Selectmen and saying the town should invest instead in renewable energy, Jones during the group’s regular meeting said she was “worried for the communities where the fracking is happening.”

“You can have a ‘NIMBY’ attitude about it and say it won’t affect us in New Canaan, but it affects others,” Jones said at the meeting, held in Town Hall. She referred to a plan that will bring natural gas from Route 106 in Stamford up through South Avenue. First Selectman Rob Mallozzi and Selectman Nick Williams voted in favor of the approval. According to Jones, both Maryland and New York have banned fracking, due in part to debates over how to dispose of waste.

Government

Selectmen Hear Recommendation for $20,000 Salary for Town Treasurer

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Members of a municipal government subcommittee advocating for a $20,000 salary for the salary of the town treasurer said this week that the substantial pay increase could, in fact, save New Canaan money. According to Town Council member Kathleen Corbet, who serves on the legislative body’s Subcommittee for General Government and Finance, “with responsible, fair compensation for the town treasurer,” New canaan could “rely on them to do some of the functions that are being paid for on an internal audit function, which is an outsource function.”

“This committee is really all about savings for the town,” Corbet told members of the Board of Selectmen during their July 11 regular meeting, held at Town Hall. “We had the benefit of working with the Board of Education to find cost savings in health insurance, and we did that. We saved over $200,000. We’re not doing this for political attribution, but for saving money for the town.”

This recommendation comes after an extensive study of the salaries of town treasurers in 22 neighboring towns and cities, with respect to their respective budgets and duties, according to Corbet.

Business

‘It’s the Perfect Location’: Ashtanga Yoga Opens on Elm Street

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Noelle DeStefano first found yoga as a business professional suffering from stress. DeStefano had been running an area website and graphic design business for 15 years, and began searching for an answer. “Sitting at a desk all day takes a toll on your body,” she recalled on a recent afternoon, seated on an embroidered pillow at the center of a sunwashed Elm Street studio, “I knew as soon as I stepped on the mat that yoga was what I needed.”

She added: “I think yoga can help just about anyone.”

DeStefano recently launched Ashtanga Yoga New Canaan in a second-floor space in the heart of the downtown. A relatively self-led style, Ashtanga yoga was founded in Mysore, India by Shri K Pattabhi Jois and it has just three authorized teachers in Connecticut, including DeStefano. “In a regular yoga class, everyone starts at the same time with the teacher in the front of the room, and everyone’s sort of moving together,” she said.

Around Town

Enchanting and Hilarious: Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s ‘Singin’ in the Rain’

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Nothing quite compares to the magic one witnesses as three generations of town residents take their seats beneath a white canvas tent and a welcoming party of fireflies to enjoy a classic musical. This year, that enchanting energy is amplified tenfold with New Canaan Summer Theatre’s production of Singin’ in the Rain, a refreshingly traditional take on the iconic 1952 film. Under direction from Melody Libonati, the show is bursting with joy, and boasts a colorful, beautifully constructed set and committed performances from a  game cast. For the unfamiliar, Singin’ in the Rain follows silent film star Don Lockwood, whose wildly successful career is threatened by the introduction of the “talking picture.” Set in the undeniably romantic world of Old Hollywood, Lockwood must manage such a career transition while also dealing with a difficult leading lady and his growing feelings for a talented ingénue.

Business

‘It’s Important to Me That Kids Eat Healthy’: New Canaan Woman Launches ‘Nutmeg Kitchen’

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When Megan Morales called a local cooking studio to schedule a birthday party for her daughter, the last thing she expected was that she’d end up founding her own fledgeling company. Nutmeg Kitchen, which opened with its first class July 5 and is located at the Fiddleheads studio in Pound Ridge, N.Y. was very much a labor of love for the New Canaan mother. Morales said she aims to promote the early development of culinary skills while also fostering an appreciation for healthy ingredients. “Many studios are outrageously expensive for a child’s birthday party,” Morales said. “But I found Fiddleheads here in Pound Ridge.