Police and wildlife officials helped free a fawn that had become trapped last week between the metal poles of a fence in a Ramhorne Road yard. The New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section at 10:29 a.m. on July 17 responded to a report that an injured fawn was stuck inside a pool area at a residence there.
At Wildlife In Crisis in Weston. Credit: Sarah Maddox
The young deer clearly had been injured in some way and its hair could be seen on the poles of the fence, between which it had squeezed through to enter the yard, according to Officer Allyson Halm. When a landscaping professional showed up and frightened the animal, it became stuck again trying to get out. The fawn likely had entered the yard when it was younger and smaller, and tried to get back in by habit. Halm and the head of Weston-based Wildlife in Crisis—a donor-supported organization that rehabilitates and releases injured wildlife from New Canaan and surrounding towns—worked together to free the dehydrated and frightened animal again.
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The Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday night voted 5-4 to approve a change to the New Canaan Zoning Regulations sought by Grace Farms. Those voting in favor of the text amendment were Chairman John Goodwin, Secretary Jean Grzelecki, Laszlo Papp, Bill Redman and Jack Flinn. Those opposed were Dick Ward, Elizabeth DeLuca, Dan Radman and Kent Turner. The vote is widely viewed as clearing the way for Grace Farms to pursue an updated zoning permit, though it isn’t clear yet just how many events, of what size and type, and with what approvals and oversight will be required of the organization. P&Z members and consultants during the hearing noted that deep distrust of Grace Farms still lingers for many, and that a heavily conditioned approval of the amended permit is possible, including a third-party enforcement official to ensure that the Lukes Wood Road organization complies. Though actual, physical neighbors of Grace Farms were in attendance, Papp—a long-serving P&Z commissioner—toward the end of the four-hour hearing asserted that “the entire community is a neighbor” to the organization. It wasn’t immediately clear whether or how P&Z could apply such a principle in reviewing applications to expand, build or otherwise alter properties in New Canaan.
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Kevin Moynihan, a Republican who will face Democrat Kit Devereaux this November in seeking the office of first selectman, is a New Canaan taxpayer through the co-op in town where he lives, though he’s not listed individually as such in the Assessor’s database. The facts of Moynihan’s property ownership right the record on misstatements made by some—including in reader comment threads on this site—leading up to the GOP caucus last week.
Town Hall
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Police reported this week that the department’s community impact officer, who patrols downtown New Canaan, has responded to New Canaan Library and Town Hall “due to intense residents and some concerns by staff there.”
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The former tenants of a New Norwalk Road home are suing the property’s owners, saying they never got back a $12,500 security deposit since moving out of the house in March. In their complaint, the plaintiffs say they saw to it that the home was professionally cleaned prior to moving out, that the owners were properly noticed and that the property was then leased straightaway to a new tenant. They’re seeking monetary damages.
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We hear that staff members at Embody Fitness Gourmet and Locali on Forest Street on Wednesday afternoon came to the aid of a skateboarder who took a bad fall. They tended to the dazed young man who bled badly from his head until EMTs arrived.
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The Board of Selectmen this week approved a $10,480 contract with Stamford-based Almstead Tree & Shrub for tree pruning and removal at the following locations:
- 224 Frogtown Road—remove white pine and hemlock;
- 163 Pocconock Trail—remove the white pine tree and fire;
- Corner of Ferris Hill and Valley Roads—remove dead ash;
- Park Place near Fairty—Remove dying oak tree
- 32 Country Club Road—remove two hickory trees and a tulip tree;
- 286 Indian Rock Road—remove black birch;
- 252 to 286 Indian Rock Road—remove two elm trunks;
- Orchard Lane cul-de-sac—prune small Kousa dogwood;
- 386 Carter St.—remove two sugar maples;
- opposite 79 Adams St.—remove dying oak tree;
- 78 Brooks Road rotary—remove white oak;
- opposite 198 Bridle Path—remove dead elm.
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The selectmen by a 3-0 vote on Tuesday approved the appointments of Rose Rothbart and Marty Skrelunas to the Historical Review Committee.
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Police reported this week that calls for officers to respond to suicide attempts are down from 11 to four year-over-year so far in 2017. Here is some helpful information about suicide risk factors and warning sings from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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The selectmen this week approved the hiring of Sean Halloran as an equipment operator in the Department of Public Works and also removed Sewer Plant Operator Nick Chieffalo from probationary status—congratulations to Nick.
Wilbur Dinan
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A Pet Loss Support Group organized by Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Fairfield County will start meeting Thursday, Aug. 10. The group will meet on three straight Thursdays, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at the VNHFC’s offices: Suite 114 at the Health & Wellness Center at I-Park, 761 Main Ave. (Route 7) on the Norwalk-Wilton line.
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More than 200 people attended Tuesday’s benefit concert for New Canaan resident Ann Depuy, who is living with ALS. Here is a statement from her husband, Warner: “Ann and I and the family can’t thank everyone enough who made Nick’s benefit concert for his mom’s ALS care such a success! Over 200 family and friends attended and the financial help we received will continue to allow us to keep Ann cared for in the home she loves. We were blessed by having Ann attend the entire concert and she enjoyed seeing so many who care about and for her so much. Finally many thanks to Webster Bank who sponsored the night, Baldanza’s for providing food, New Canaan Wine Merchants for providing drink, Summer Theatre of New Canaan for providing the venue Optomark for providing printing and all the volunteers …. Our hearts are fueled by everyone’s caring, energy enough to keep up the fight.”
Afterschool program participants at the Day Care Center of New Canaan who have taken up the “Walk Across America” challenge. Contributed
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Students in the afterschool program at the Day Care Center of New Canaan accepted a challenge from their teachers this summer to track their miles walking for the summer and add them together to see if they could “Walk Across America.” At the end of the 4th week they have walked more than 907 miles collectively. The idea of the challenge is to get kids to get out and exercise, and it’s had side benefits of family involvement, organizers say.
Barry Citrin
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Finally, Barry Citrin has been hired as First Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Bankwell, according to a recent announcement from Chief Lending Officer Heidi DeWyngaert and Chief Credit Officer Christine Chivily. In his new position, Citrin will be responsible for supervision of the Commercial Loan Portfolio at the bank. This newly created position has been designed to coordinate the commercial loan department with the commercial credit department and loan operations. Citrin received his MBA from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Brandeis University. He resides in Rye Brook, N.Y. with his wife and their rescue dog, Tali.
Good Job !!! saving Fawn — I have 6 babies in the back
of my property – 2 sets of twins a and 2 singles — which
made me go out and buy deer feed — one of the wonderful reason to live here !!!
Just to say it, there is no requirement that the First Selectman be a real estate property tax payer. The FS position as an ex officio member of the Board of Finance also does not require that. Those who are appointed to the Board of Finance must be real estate property taxpayers, but the FS is not appointed to the Board, rather is a member by virtue of being FS.