Government

Parks & Rec To Propose New Fee for Out-of-Towner Use of Lapham Center

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Saying there’s wide support among adults who use Lapham Community Center, recreation officials are proposing a new fee category for nonresidents who use the facility and avail themselves of some programs there. Officially, the one-story building in Waveny Park is set up to serve New Canaan adults, offering a wide range of education courses, health and exercise programs and special events. 

Yet for many years, “there’s been a number of out-of-towners” who also use it, according to Parks & Recreation Director John Howe. “We’re looking at a policy to allow out-of-towners to come to Lapham,” he told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their regular meeting, held Oct. 14 at Lapham and via videoconference. Howe continued: “Most likely, there’ll be a yearly fee for an out-of-towner to use, but residents don’t have to pay, and there’d be an extra charge on any program that does cost where they could do that.

Bill Oestmann

‘I Enjoyed My Work’: Buildings Superintendent To Retire After 31 Years

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New Canaan’s buildings superintendent, a 31-year employee of the Department of Public Works, is retiring next year. In his highly visible role for the past dozen years, Bill Oestmann has been responsible for the safety and integrity of all town-owned buildings and structures in New Canaan, scheduling, planning and overseeing their maintenance. 

“Time has gone by so fast, but I enjoyed my work and the people here in New Canaan,” said Oestmann, who added that when his March 31 retirement date takes effect he will have worked for the town for 31 years and four months. He started with the town in 1995 as assistant superintendent of the Highway Department, responsible for town vehicles and equipment. Asked about highlights of his career here, Oestmann said he “modernized the fleet and added much needed equipment” during that period. 

“I was also involved with relocating the Highway [Department] to its new and current location,” he said. “I assisted with building repairs and upgrades, and managed FEMA Storm recovery costs.”

In 2012, he took the position of buildings superintendent and soon took on the renovation and expansion of Town Hall during the administration of then-First Selectman Rob Mallozzi.

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SEEC Complaints Filed Against Candidates in Hotly Contested State House Race

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Both candidates for a hotly contested General Assembly seat that includes parts of New Canaan are facing accusations that they’ve misused funds in their campaigns. The State Elections Enforcement Commission has received complaints against State Rep. Tom O’Dea (R-125th), a seven-term incumbent, and Democratic challenger Meredith Tobitsch, both New Canaan residents. According to a summary of the complaint filed Sept. 25 by town resident Chris Wilson, Tobitsch violated state law by misattributing the committees that paid for more than one dozen digital campaign posts that have appeared on social media, in at least one case failed to identify any committee that paid for an ad and, in another case, had two committees listed on a single ad. According to the complaint summary, “Based on the presently available information, the conduct at issue may implicate several provisions of Connecticut’s campaign-finance laws.

Government

‘It’s a Cluster You-Know-What’: Route 106 Repaving at Silvermine-Canoe Hill To Start Wednesday

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Town officials on Tuesday warned residents to avoid the area of Route 106/Silvermine Road between Canoe Hill and Valley Roads as the frequently delayed repaving of that state road gets underway this week. The paving has already been “delayed twice,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “They’re going to start Wednesday,” he told the Board of Selectmen at its regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Mann continued: “They say it’s four weeks. I’m saying it’s six weeks, because it’s a monster amount of work that has to be done, and I would tell the residents to just avoid the area.

Government

Town Approves Contracts for New Lampposts at Center School Lot

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The Board of Selectmen during its most recent meeting approved a $97,743 contract with a Norwalk-based company for 23 new lampposts and fixtures for the Center School Lot that serves New Canaan Library. The town will re-use existing footings for lampposts in the busy lot while switching to a softer LED light that uses less voltage, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings in the Department of Public Works. “We’re not going to dig up the parking lot,” he said at the Board’s meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Oestmann continued: “We’re going to actually go to the left and to the right of the entrance—so right across the library, where the lights end—we’re going continue from there and go right around the perimeter, put the new footings in, and then pull all the wiring.”

The wiring will go “through the grass,” Oestmann said, “so we’re not going to rip up any asphalt.”

The town also will be able to use existing conduits for the two “islands” in the lot. First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the contract with F&M Electric Supply for 19 single and four twin lampposts.