Amy Murphy Carroll

‘It Frightens Me’: Selectmen Consider ‘Elevated’ Crosswalk Near Saxe Middle School

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. Citing children’s safety concerns, town officials said last week that they’re thinking of creating a “bump” for motorists at a pedestrian crossing to Saxe Middle School. Many Saxe students use the crosswalk near Farm Road and Village Drive to get to and from school. Yet, despite signage and striping in the roadway, drivers regularly blow through the pedestrian crosswalk, Director of Public Works Tiger Mann said during the Board of Selectmen meeting last Tuesday. “We’ve put in flags and they have a monitor that is actually bent in the middle of the road and cars have still passed,” Mann said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Board of Selectmen

First Selectman Pushes for ‘Zero-Based Budgeting’ [Correction]

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. New Canaan’s highest elected official this week called for the town to be even more fiscally conservative in its approach to contractors and vendors hired by the municipality. 

First Selectman Dionna Carlson said Tuesday that the town should move toward “zero-based budgeting” versus “carry-forward budgeting.”

“We’ll continue to get better at this process, but the way it should be done is we go out to our vendors and get an estimate for the year based on what we’ve made and what we buy,” Carlson said during a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. The comments came during a discussion of a blanket purchase order request from Public Works Director Tiger Mann regarding the town’s Water Pollution Control Facility. The purchase order includes 18 items totaling $532,667.50. 

Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll asked Mann whether the listed prices were “working off of last year.”

“Are you doing any inflation adjustments on this stuff?” Murphy Carroll asked. Mann said no, that DPW is “working strictly off of last year’s number.”

“We’re not making an adjustment per se,” Mann said.

Around Town

‘You Can’t Miss It’: Summer Concerts at Waveny Kick Off Wednesday Night

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. One of New Canaan’s highly anticipated summer traditions is kicking off this week. The annual Summer Concert Series in Waveny starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. 

“It’s a summer must here in New Canaan,” said Steve Karl of Karl Chevrolet, a longtime sponsor of the series. “We have always supported the New Canaan Rec Department’s efforts to bring New Canaan residents together.”

Held each Wednesday evening on the lawn behind Waveny House, the concert series draws hundreds of New Canaan families who come prepared with picnic blankets, foldout chairs, food and beverages. Featuring a multitude of musical genres, from country and ‘50s doo wop to today’s hits, the concert series is sponsored by local businesses and organizations that include Kaster Moving Co.