Election 2025: Town Council Incumbent Hilary Ormond [Q&A]

Town Council incumbent Hilary Ormond, a Democrat, is seeking re-election to New Canaan’s legislative body. The Democrats currently hold four seats on the 12-member Town Council. Six seats are up for election: four currently held by Republicans, two by Democrats. There are five Republicans and four Democrats running for Town Council.

Here’s our exchange with Ormond.

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New Canaanite: Please give us some background on you, including your history in New Canaan and your involvement with community organizations and/or local government. 

Hilary Ormond: It’s been an honor to serve on the Town Council since I was first elected in 2021. My family has lived in New Canaan since 2014, and I am currently a stay-at-home parent of 12- and 9-year old children. We also have two dogs and a fish. 

I graduated from the University of Virginia in 1998. After working for several years in the fashion industry, I earned a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), and then a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. Prior to moving to New Canaan, I worked as a litigator at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and clerked for a federal appellate court judge.   

Since moving to New Canaan, I have volunteered in numerous ways, including most recently as the co-chair of fundraising for the construction of an all-inclusive playground at Waveny Park. I also advocated for having cameras installed at Waveny Park and spearheaded the inaugural Pride recognition in New Canaan. You will often see me at fundraisers for various charitable organizations in town, including: the library’s Literary Luncheon; the New Canaan Community Foundation’s annual luncheon; teas for Blossom Hill; events at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society; S.T.A.R.’s Juneteenth celebration; and galas supporting ABC House, Waveny LifeCare, and the Waveny Park Conservancy. I am also a proud and longstanding member of 203 Action.

The Town Council is soon to kickstart the Charter revision process. What changes, if any, would you like to see to New Canaan’s main governing document?

First, and perhaps most importantly, we need to partner with an attorney and take a hard look at all of the provisions of the Charter to ensure the text is consistent with both federal and Connecticut state law. Any proposed changes coming from this review are not necessarily the most exciting ones, but they can really impact the day-to-day operations of the Town.  

I would also like the Charter Revision Committee to consider measures that would increase participation in local elections, particularly among voters not affiliated with either the Democrat or Republican parties. Unaffiliated voters are now the largest voting block in New Canaan, but many find it difficult, if not impossible, to run for office or even be considered for appointment to a board or commission as they are outside of the nominating process for the two major parties. Of course, I would hope that they could find their ideological home in my party; I also understand the reality that the two-party system turns off many people, and that for professional reasons, some choose not to or can not affiliate with a party. 

So how do we maximize the number of choices voters have in electing their representatives? That is something I would like the Commission to explore. Perhaps the answer is some form of a public financing option and/or a limit on the use of PAC money for local elections. This could help unaffiliated candidates with election expenses and also level the playing field among the Democrat and Republican candidates. Again, the goal is to increase, not limit, the breadth and quality of candidates for whom residents can vote, and I can think of no better way to do that than by encouraging and supporting anyone from any political persuasion to run.  

Where do you stand on the proposed seasonal ban on leaf blowers?

I support seasonal restrictions on the use of leaf blowers. Among towns in Fairfield County and Westchester, New Canaan is an outlier in having zero restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers. It’s time for that to change, in the interest of both reducing unnecessary noise and environmental damage.  

That said, passing any regulation is a serious undertaking with a number of steps. The Bylaws & Ordinances Committee, which I co-chair, has been debating whether and to what extent to restrict the use of leaf blowers since I joined the Town Council in 2021. After much back-and-forth, I took the initiative this summer to draft a proposed ordinance for discussion and debate. The Committee had an incredibly productive meeting on Monday, Sept. 29 where the draft was discussed and the details debated. Next steps include further refinement of the proposed ordinance, presentation and discussion before the full Town Council, and several public hearings. I am very optimistic that we can come to a consensus that both addresses the issues with leaf-blower use while also allowing residents to maintain their desired yard aesthetic.

What is your single most proud accomplishment on the Town Council?

I am proud of so much that the Town Council has accomplished during my tenure.  In four short years, we approved a location for and completed construction of a much-needed new police station. Our new world-class library opened and has become a true community hub. We navigated a post-pandemic world, distributing ARPA funds to various non-profits and endeavors that were negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. One of our best uses of ARPA funds was the Town’s partnership with Silver Hill Hospital to provide New Canaan residents in urgent need of mental health treatment with a timely psychiatric evaluation and appropriate referral for ongoing care. The Assessment Program is available to all ages at no out-of-pocket cost, and the towns of Wilton and Weston recently joined to begin offering it to their residents.  

My proudest accomplishment was partnering with my fellow By-laws & Ordinances Committee co-chair, Tom Butterworth, to create the Affordable Housing Committee. Its composition is unique, in that it includes five at-large members of the public and four members that serve on commissions or boards who have a direct hand in planning for, financing, constructing, and managing affordable housing in New Canaan: one each from Town Council, Board of Finance, Planning & Zoning Commission, and Housing Authority. As the Town Council liaison, I have seen firsthand how New Canaan is admirably addressing the very real housing crisis that exists in our state while also balancing local constraints on infrastructure and schools. It is imperative, in my opinion, that we continue this important work and demonstrate to Hartford that we are able to tackle this issue locally. Rolling up our sleeves, coming up with workable solutions, and being transparent with our residents and Hartford will do far more to preserve local control than stubborn resistance.

To what extent, if at all, will your party’s national agenda affect your decision-making at the local level?

Very little, if at all. Let me be clear: I am a proud Democrat. But party politics, particularly on a national level, typically have little impact day-to-day local governance. It’s one of the main reasons I like serving on the Town Council.

To the extent any aspect of my affiliated party’s national agenda affects my decision-making, it is only to make decisions that benefit our residents and mitigate fallout from the many deleterious policies of the Trump administration. Among other things, grants for open space and walking trails are being cancelled; health care for seniors is being undermined; education funding for children with special needs is being slashed; and non-profits are losing critical support. It is essential for New Canaan to have leaders who recognize the impacts of these cuts, and to ensure New Canaan is insulated from them. That means we need to continue to support public-private partnerships that build and maintain everything from our parks and open spaces to our planetariums and sports fields. We need to support our wonderful health and human services departments, which led the way in information sharing, testing and vaccinations during the pandemic and continue to provide screenings, resources and mental health support to our residents. We need to fund community centers like the New Canaan Library and Lapham Community Center that provide information and programming for free or at low cost on everything from Medicare re-enrollment to Mah-Jong. 

Finally, we need to continue funding our schools so that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Even though the amount of federal funding that our public schools receive from the federal Department of Education seems minimal relative to the total school budget, any cuts we face could nevertheless have a significant impact on our students with special needs. The loss of funding for a single aide or therapist would be catastrophic for the several students who depend on them to receive a free and appropriate public education. These specialists also help the school day run more smoothly for everyone. We need to insulate our schools from any such losses and ensure the needs of all students continue to be met. 

It’s been just over one year since The Playhouse reopened following an extensive renovation that went over budget. How do you rate the success of New Canaan’s partnership with CinemaLab, the movie theater’s operator?

I love the Playhouse, and was very excited to support its reopening—so much so that my family invested in CinemaLab after the Town Council approved its lease with the Town. As a result of our investment, I recused myself from any further discussions and votes related to the Playhouse, its renovations, and its management. I remain eternally optimistic that the Playhouse continues to operate as a movie theater for years to come.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.

I was in a documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film, called “After Innocence,” profiled several Innocence Project clients after their convictions were overturned. It highlighted the difficulties of navigating life post-exoneration, especially in jurisdictions where there is no compensation for those who were wrongfully convicted. I was a law student intern at the time the documentary was filmed, and a meeting between one Innocence Project client and the legal interns made the final cut.