A Logan Road dog is under 45 days of strict home confinement after suffering a puncture wound while tussling with a raccoon, officials said. It happened around 3 p.m. Friday, and the 12-year-old Border collie had the raccoon in his mouth when the mammal appeared to have bit the dog in the face. The dog is up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations, according to Officer Allyson Halm of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section. The raccoon got away.

Sandra Dennies, interim CFO for the town. Credit: Michael Dinan

***

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday approved by a 3-0 vote the hiring of Sandra Dennies as interim CFO for the town. “I would be happy to serve until there is a permanent replacement that is identified,” Dennies said at the meeting, held in Town Hall. The selectmen made no specific mention of Dawn Norton, who has served as finance director of New Canaan for five years, but who shouldered some criticism from members of the Audit Committee for what they called lingering “material weaknesses” in some areas. During the meeting, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi noted that his appointed “overseer” of the finance department, Administrative Officer Tom Stadler, is going away and that officials “want to be sure that someone is there in a daily leadership role.” Mallozzi added that the town will proceed carefully and deliberately in finding a successor permanent CFO. Selectman Nick Williams agreed, adding: “We know about the material weakness issues and that cannot happen again. Just cannot happen again. I will not stand for it.”

Bobby Troup

***

New Canaanites are rallying around a town man from a prominent, longtime local family who recently was diagnosed with cancer. Funds are being raised for New Canaan High School graduate Bobby Troup—son of the late Robert “Papa Blue” Troup, also known as “The Colonel” following his experiences in World War II’s Pacific campaign in Saipan—who will miss work and must move nearer to where he’s undergoing surgery and treatment in Boulder, Col., where he lives with his four beloved Border collies. “Bobby has four dogs which are his family and will also need to go for walks and have some play time,” according to his fundraising page, here. “They are sweet dogs and are very well behaved should anyone know of a home rental in the boulder area.” Read New Canaanite Paul Devlin’s SportsRip post “Praying For Bobby Troup” here.

***

NCPD Chief Leon Krolikowski said the department is ramping up its efforts to stop distracted driving among local motorists. “Zero Tolerance” enforcement will occur in the center of town, as well as on South Avenue, New Norwalk Road, Smith Ridge Road, Oenoke Ridge Road “and other roads that have unacceptable accident rates,” the chief said.

The Bobby, available at design solutions on Elm Street.

***

Elm Street shop design solutions is introducing the “Bobby,” a backpack with protection like a personal policeman: It has a zipper that is fully hidden in the back of the bag, concealed pockets and material that is cut-proof.

***

The selectmen on Tuesday approved a $14,500 contract with New Canaan’s Mill River Tree Service for removal, pruning and stump removal work throughout town, including at these locations:

231 Ponus Ridge—remove sugar maple trunk
Ponus Ridge south of parkway—remove sugar maple
46 Gerdes Road—remove maple and grind stump
Sleepy Hollow between 2 and 16—remove dead ash tree and decayed maple
50 Sleepy Hollow—remove dead ash
Opposite 50 Sleepy Hollow—remove two maples and dead cedar
815 Ponus Ridge—remove red maple and grind stump
Weed Street from Wahackme to West—grind seven marked stumps
32 West Road—grind maple stump

***

The Town Building Evaluation and Use Committee is anticipating that it will be working with 2,000-plus pages in its assessment of publicly owned structures, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings in the Department of Public Works.

***

Originally scheduled for Sunday, May 7, the New Canaan Police “Run with the Law” for the Special Olympics scheduled has been postponed till the fall. A new date will be provided when it has been selected.

Highlights from LiveGirl “Girls Can Lead” Leadership Summit (at Grace Farms, April 29th).

***

Silver Hill Hospital has announced its disbursement of funds through a donor-guided fund at the New Canaan Community Foundation. The Valley Road psychiatric hospital is to benefit the New Canaan High School Parent Faculty Association (for post-prom), LiveGirl’s summer leadership program and three camp scholarships, translation equipment at Horizons as well as a scholarship for a child in the summer program, and a drum set and recording equipment for Grove Street-based Arts for Healing.

***

Finally, here’s a gallery spotlighting more newsworthy happenings in New Canaan, including a recent LiveGirl event and the Gridiron Show:

permalink

Bankwell donated $2,500 to New Covenant Center in Stamford. The mission of New Covenant Center is to provide basic living items and services, combined with longer-term solutions that focus on self-sufficiency to those in need, including men, women and children. More about New Covenant Center can be found at newcovenantcenter.org. Photo: John Gutman, Executive Director at New Covenant Center with Shanelle King, VP at Bankwell

permalink

League of Women Voters, New Canaan Board Members, Eloise Killeffer and Amy Bradach. On Tuesday, April 25th, the League of Women Voters, New Canaan (LWVNC) partnered with all three town Registrars of Voters to register 84 new voters during the four lunch periods at New Canaan High School. Anyone who will be 18 prior to election day (November 7, 2017) may register to vote. Registration may be done in person at Town Hall as well as on-line at www.voterregistration.ct.gov via the Secretary of State’s office. The League of Women Voters, New Canaan is a non-partisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government. The LWVNC works to increase the understanding of local public policy issues, and influences policy through local education and advocacy. For more information visit www.lwvnewcanaan.org.

permalink

On Saturday, April 29, volunteers from the New Canaan High School Service League of Boys (SLOBs) club worked at the New Canaan Land Trust's recently-acquired Silvermine Fowler Preserve. The team cleared away vines, shrubs, branches and leaves before beginning work to rebuild a large stone wall along Silvermine Road. The stone wall work was led by master stone mason, Greg Fallaci. Shown in the photograph, front row: Charlie Woodman, Ryan Lytle, Ishan Tyagi, Jack Lisecky and Dereck Perone. Middle row: Greg Fallaci and Haik Kavookjian. Back row: George Benington, Arthur Benington, Chip Newton, Brad Newton and David Woodman.

permalink

Gail E. D. Brathwaite Joins Bankwell Financial Group Board of Directors New Canaan, CT – Christopher R. Gruseke, President & CEO of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc., announced that Gail E. D. Brathwaite has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. and Bankwell Bank, effective March 29, 2017. Ms. Brathwaite joined Bankwell as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2013, bringing over 30 years of experience in the areas of retail banking, mortgage banking operations, IT, human resources and M&A. Following her departure in 2015, she continued to provide consulting services to the company. Ms. Brathwaite played an instrumental role in Bankwell's transformation and growth as Chief Operating Officer, including the acquisitions/mergers of The Wilton Bank and Quinnipiac Bank & Trust. Ms. Brathwaite is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of G.E.D.B. Consulting. Prior to her position as COO at Bankwell, Ms. Brathwaite was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NewAlliance Bank from 2002 to 2011. Before joining NewAlliance, Ms. Brathwaite was SVP, Director of Branch Administration and Compliance and Loss Control at The Dime Savings Bank in New York. Ms. Brathwaite said "I am honored to serve as a Director for Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. and Bankwell Bank". Christopher Gruseke, Bankwell’s Chief Executive Officer said, “With her extensive experience and expertise in executive and operating roles in banking and her knowledge of Bankwell in particular, Ms. Brathwaite will provide a valuable perspective to the Board. We look forward to further benefitting from her insights and expertise.” About Bankwell Financial Group Bankwell is a commercial bank that serves the banking and lending needs of residents and businesses throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties, CT. For more information about this press release, interested parties may contact Christopher R. Gruseke, President and Chief Executive Officer or Penko Ivanov, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bankwell Financial Group at (203) 652-0166.