The Board of Selectmen on Feb. 25 appointed Scott Becker to a four-year term as chief building official for New Canaan, succeeding Brian Platz in the role.
Scott Becker
We caught with Becker for a quick chat on Thursday afternoon. Here’s our conversation.
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New Canaanite: Scott, I know from our conversations that you started on the other side of the counter, doing residential construction in Trumbull with your own company.
Scott Becker: Northern part of Fairfield County. Yes, I was up in Trumbull and did mostly residential, not a whole lot of commercial. Did it for 35 years.
Where are you from originally?
I went to high school in Ridgefield.
What’s your educational background?
Never finished college. Went straight into the trades. I did three-and-a-half years of college.
Oh, you were almost there.
I know. I just went to work for a builder in Ridgefield, and then went from there.
And you came to New Canaan in 2021 as a residential building inspector.
Yes.
Tell me how you felt about being appointed chief building official here.
I was very excited. I’m excited for the challenge. It’s definitely more than just the inspector part of it. And I’m looking forward to it. I like the town. People in the town have been great so far. I haven’t had any issues.
I’m guessing the chief building official role is something you became familiar with over your years in the trades as well as working for the municipality. How do you describe this role to lay people?
This role is more than you would think. It’s—I don’t want to say ‘babysitting’—but you’re dealing with the residents of the town on certain issues. You’re enforcing the State Building Code. You’re making sure that things are done correctly. You’re trying to keep the quality of work to a high standard.
What is the reputation of New Canaan, as a municipality, in your field of building?
It’s wonderful. It’s great. And I hope to continue it. Brian [Platz] built a great building department. We hear from everybody that it’s probably the best one in the state and I’m just trying to live up to that and keep it on that path.