Albert Johnston Gale, 85

Dr. Albert Johnston Gale, 85, of Sarasota, Florida and New Canaan, Connecticut, passed away peacefully in 2025 at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, CT surrounded by his wife, Ann, his son, Max, and best friend, Kris, after facing Pulmonary Fibrosis with remarkable strength, grace, and positivity. Albert lived in New Canaan for 23 years. Born on Valentine’s Day in 1940 to Enoch Ralph Gale II and Ruth Maxwell Gale, Albert (known as “Buddy” in his youth) was the fifth of six children. He is the last of his siblings to pass. He spent his childhood and youth in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Roger Sherman Inn Property Sells for $3.7 Million

The Oenoke Ridge property that includes the historic Roger Sherman Inn sold last week for about $3.7 million, records show. The transfer of 195 Oenoke Ridge from its prior owner, a limited liability company, to its new owner, another LLC, was recorded July 14 in the Town Clerk’s office. The new owner, 195 Oenoke Ridge LLC, was formed July 2, according to Connecticut Secretary of the State records. Its principal is a New Canaan man whose email address at New York City-based Broadfield Realty Capital appears on the LLC’s Certificate of Organization as the new company’s business email address, the records show. 

According to its website, Broadfield Realty Capital “is a New York-based commercial real estate investor focused on providing creative and flexible financing solutions.” “As an active, fundamental value, research-driven investor, our team is comfortable with and specializes in complex investments,” the website says.

Did You Hear … ?

New Canaan Police at 6:24 p.m. on July 4 received a report of a diamond ring missing from a River Wind Road home. Police have no suspects. It’s under investigation. ***

The Republican and Democratic parties in New Canaan held their Caucuses on Tuesday night, setting up the following party-backed slates for the municipal election (as provided by the RTC and DTC, what we’re listing below are elected offices that currently are expected to be contested races in November):

Republican Caucus

Town Council: Scott Gress, Pavla Levin, Arvind Bajaj and Penny Young (incumbent)
Board of Education: Hugo Alves, Julie Toal and Phil Hogan (all incumbents)

Democratic Caucus

Town Council: Hilary Ormond (incumbent); Michael Rodgers, Lina Lee and Heather Russell
Board of Education: Erica Schwedel (incumbent), Josh Kaye and Kate Brambilla

***

Registration is open for New Canaan Mounted Troop’s fall horsemanship and equine care program. Details here.

Canoe Hill Road Antique Sells for $3,750,000

The following property transfer(s) were recorded recently in the Town Clerk’s office. For more information about each property from the assessor, click on the street address. To get the history of a New Canaan street name, click here. ***

July 16

652 Ponus Ridge

$4,325,000
Glen Messina to Tyler Alexander

208 Canoe Hill Road

$3,750,000
Scott Delgado to John Hilton

99 Woodland Road

$2,490,000
John Carpi Revocable Trust to Matthew Tracey

July 15

172 Summer St. Unit 172D

$1,050,000
Federico Baulan to William Rasso

183 Hemlock Hill Road

$7.2 million
Celia Nichols-Najar, trustee, to McKayla Kingston

July 14

195 Oenoke Ridge

$3,703,816
Jaffre Real Estate LLC to 195 Oenoke Ridge LLC

State Agency Rules in Town’s Favor Against Worker’s Complaint

[The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates.]

State officials last week concluded that there is no reasonable cause to believe that a longtime municipal employee has been discriminated against on the basis of race, age or gender, as claimed. 

Last summer, an African American woman, 59, who had started working for the town in October 2008, lodged a complaint against the town, claiming violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination Act of 1967. Four months later, in October 2024, the Complainant alleged that after filing her initial complaint before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), “Respondent discriminated and retaliated against her by reducing her hours from approximately 25 hours a week to 19 hours a week, and instructing her not to utilize her former supervisor’s (Chief Building Official) office when others are permitted to do so,” according to findings from CHRO Human Rights Representative Jessica Kohut, obtained through a public records request. The employee has filed a total of three complaints against the town, the third of which has been dismissed, failing to meet minimum requirements for a claim. 

On July 16, investigators concluded that, “there is no reasonable cause for believing that a discriminatory practice has been or is being committed as alleged in the complaint,” Kohut wrote in the findings. According to the state agency’s review, the employee claims that the Director of Human Resources instructed [her supervisor] to not schedule her for more than 19 hours a week. However the investigation “determined this directive originated in April of 2023 when the Complainant initially requested to join AFSCME Local.”

It continued: “Simply, this directive predated both this complaint and the Complainant’s first complaint before the commission.”

In relation to the complainant’s claim that she was instructed not to use her supervisor’s office, the investigation concluded that “while testimony from Complainant’s colleagues supported her assertion that [supervisor] permitted the use of his office by staff, the occasional use of his office cannot be considered a term or condition of Complainant’s employment but more a personal favor.