Around Town

New Canaan Museum & Historical Society Buys St. Michael’s Lutheran Church Property

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One of New Canaan’s most venerable nonprofit organizations has purchased an 1830-built church next door, officials say. The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society announced in a press release that it has acquired the adjacent 2.3-acre St. Michael’s Lutheran Church on Oenoke Ridge. “The property, adjacent to the Museum’s campus, contains the oldest church in New Canaan, formerly St. Mark’s Episcopal and now St.

Government

Town Council Passes $181 Million Budget for FY26

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New Canaan’s legislative body on Thursday voted unanimously in favor of a $181 million budget for next fiscal year, a 3.47% increase over current spending. The fiscal year 2026 spending plan includes a year-over-year increase of 4.36% for the Board of Education—a $150,000 reduction from the budget request that the school board had brought to the Town Council after going through New Canaan’s two other funding bodies, the Boards of Selectmen and Finance. The final major discussion item in the budget was funding for the Board of Ed. The Town Council initially explored a $300,000 reduction to the school board’s spending request. Advocates to fully fund the request noted that two staff positions were on the line—an elementary school classroom coach and high school math interventionist. 

Ultimately, the Town Council—Chair Michael Mauro, Vice Chair Hilary Ormond, Vice Chair/Secretary Cristina A. Ross and members Maria Naughton, Penny Young, Tom Butterworth, Rita Bettino, Luke Kaufman, Kimberly Norton, Janet Fonss, Eric Thunem and Jennifer Zonis—voted 12-0 in favor of the budget.

Around Town

‘It’s Very Special’: New Canaan Y Co-Hosts Autism Awareness Family Fun Day

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Town resident Maura Delany held back tears Saturday afternoon watching her 14-year-old daughter Lila step across a trampoline in the Kid Zone at the New Canaan YMCA. A Saxe Middle School student who has autism, Lila Delany had missed last year’s inaugural Autism Awareness Family Fun Day—co-hosted by a local organization, Inclusive Together, in partnership with the Y—because she was scared, according to her mom. “I’ve never actually really seen her play as much as she is right now, so it’s amazing for her,” Delany said as her daughter moved freely among the kid-friendly equipment with other children and teens. Delany added: “I’m trying to hold back tears right now because she went on the trampoline for the first time today. It’s very special.”

The free 90-minute event, part of the Y’s celebration of Autism Awareness Month, saw 12 families with 23 kids play in the Kid Zone and do activities in another room at the Y where a Sherman-based company, Sensory on Wheels, set up a “slime bar” and stations with dyed salt, beans and lentils, balls, scarves and other items designed to empower the kids by helping fulfill their sensory needs in a natural, child-led environment.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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The New Canaan Police Department at 11:33 p.m. on March 20 received a report of a residential burglary on Long Lots Road. It’s under investigation. ***

Tickets here for the Connecticut Stage Company’s widely anticipated production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” running this weekend at New Canaan Library (7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday). Here’s more info on the show. ***

The Board of Selectmen during its March 25 meeting voted 3-0 to appoint Bob Strong to the Affordable Housing Committee.

Government

Q&A: Scott Becker, the Town’s Newly Appointed Chief Building Official

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The Board of Selectmen on Feb. 25 appointed Scott Becker to a four-year term as chief building official for New Canaan, succeeding Brian Platz in the role. We caught with Becker for a quick chat on Thursday afternoon. Here’s our conversation. ***

New Canaanite: Scott, I know from our conversations that you started on the other side of the counter, doing residential construction in Trumbull with your own company.