Around Town

‘Art Was His Whole Life’: Celebrating the Life and Work of Norm Jensen, Sunday at the Carriage Barn

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The Carriage Barn Arts Center is set to host a unique celebration Sunday of the life and art of a beloved member of the New Canaan community. 

Norm Jensen, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native and 30-year town resident who worked as a graphic artist and was prolific in painting, ceramics and photography, died Feb. 13 at 84. A member of the Carriage Barn, Jensen “was always showing art at the Carriage Barn and all the other neighboring centers—Rowayton Arts Center, Ridgefield, Wilton,” according to his daughter, Laura Jensen.

At those places, “most people know him,” Jensen told NewCanaanite.com

Jensen experimented with various kinds of art during his lifetime, she said. 

“He originally did photography and also some painting, like oils and acrylic,” she said. “He also did sculpture, computer art, and then he got into making diorama boxes.” 

From 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, the Carriage Barn is hosting “The Life & Artwork of Norman A. Jensen,” where guests will be invited to take home a piece of Jensen’s art to remember him by, and may leave a donation in his honor. “We love Norm—he’s part of the Carriage Barn community,” the organization’s executive director, Hilary Wittmann, said.

Animal 411

Springtime Wildlife in New Canaan [Q&A]

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With springtime just around the corner, New Canaan residents should prepare to see changes in the wildlife around town. March 20, spring’s official start, marks the beginning of the environment’s transformation and with it, changes in animal species and their behaviors around town.  

We put some questions about the changes out to Officer Sean Godejohn, head of New Canaan Police Department Animal Control section. Here’s our exchange:

New Canaanite: What should New Canaanites be on the lookout for when spring begins? Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn: As spring begins, residents should be aware of ticks that carry Lyme Disease especially when hiking or walking in woody or grassy areas. Residents should check themselves and their animals after hiking.

Government

Chief: Firefighters in New Canaan Must Undergo Testing, Tactical Simulations to Move Up in Rank

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Firefighters in New Canaan who are seeking promotion can attain two ranks, lieutenant and captain, officials said this week. In rising from firefighter to either position, New Canaan’s bravest take on a slew of new responsibilities, according to Fire Chief Albe Bassett. “Lieutenants conduct training for the shift” and “are more hands-on with training,” Bassett said during the March 11 Fire Commission meeting, held at the firehouse on Main Street. 

He continued: “The captain is responsible for the entire shift. They are the overall incident commander on a fire scene, manage schedules, and ensure all members are trained and have proper equipment.”

Bassett’s comments came during an informational session on promotional processes and timelines within the municipal department. Despite the differences between lieutenant and captain duties, there’s crossover between the roles, Bassett said. 

“Each officer is responsible for various projects in the fire service, whether that’s helping with scheduling and apparatus repair, maintenance, tools and equipment, and training,” he said.

Government

Selectmen, Commission ID Wages Issue within NCPD

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. Town officials this month discussed what they described as an ongoing salary issue among New Canaan’s finest. 

During the Ag. 6 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, members of the Police Commission asked the selectmen for percentage salary increases for the highest-ranking members of the New Canaan Police Department. Paul Foley, a member of the appointed body, asked the Board to increase the deputy chief and captain’s salary from 2.75% to 3%, and the chief’s from 2.75% to 3.5%. During the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference, Foley said these increases aren’t “quite where other departments are, but it gets them bumped up a bit.”

Foley said the increases would send a message to the rest of the staff that “there is some room for compensation increase.”

Foley said the department has been dealing with an issue where there’s a lack of individuals moving into administration positions.

Government

Town Officials Approve Request To Demo ‘Audubon House’ at Nature Center

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. Town officials last week approved a request to demolish a long-disused town-owned building at the New Canaan Nature Center. During the Aug. 6 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, officials discussed the future of the “Audubon House,” a deteriorating 15-by-30-foot structure located across from the Oenoke Ridge nonprofit organization’s Visitor Center. 

Department of Public Works Senior Engineer Joe Zagarenski asked the Board of Selectmen for authorization to enter into a contract with Fuss & O’Neill, a civil and environmental engineering company. 

The contract, in the amount of $4,355 plus a contingency of $800 (a total of $5,155), is required to perform the demolition of the rectangular structure, Zagarenski told the Board at its regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

Director of Public Works Tiger Mann said the cost is funded in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget in a $50,000 line item. The building originally served as a laundry facility for the late Susan Dwight Bliss, a New Canaan resident and philanthropist.