Government

Town Council Honors the Late Keith Richey

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New Canaan’s legislative body held a moment of silence Wednesday night for a longtime community volunteer who died this week. The Town Council remembered Keith Richey, who spent more than two decades on the Parking Commission, most of them as its chair, volunteered with the New Canaan Exchange Club, a service organization, and helped organize the annual “Mich-Rich Softball Game,” providing colorful roundups of the summer contest. Councilman Eric Thunem offered condolences to Marina Richey and the entire family at the start of the elected body’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Keith Richey was a member of the New Can Exchange Club for 33 years,” Thunem said. “I think that’s about as long as the Exchange Club has been in New Canaan.

Andrew Brooks

Board of Finance Chair: Budget Planning Amid Economic Headwinds

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The purpose of this letter is to update you on the plan for the 2023/24 budget, and our overall financial picture. In summary, our town is in great financial shape, but there are economic uncertainties and challenges that we will need to work through this year. Let me share some highlights. On February 7th, the New Canaan Board of Finance will begin analyzing the Town’s budget for the fiscal year 2023/2024 that begins on July 1st. The town departments have been working on their needs and requests over the past few months.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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Town Treasurer Andrew Brooks told members of the Town Council on Wednesday night that New Canaan’s General Fund balances as of Dec. 31 were up about $8 million over the prior year—an indication, he said, that many residents prepaid their tax bills to take full advantage of a deduction to be capped now at $10,000. ***

The Police Commission on Wednesday night voted 3-0 to approve April 22 and Sept. 16 dates for Caffeine & Carburetors. Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said the auto enthusiasts’ gathering “runs very well.” The Parks & Recreation Commission is scheduled to vote Feb.

Government

Kevin Moynihan Wins New Canaan First Selectman Race by 33 Votes [UPDATED]

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Kevin Moynihan, a longtime resident and community volunteer who has served for four years on the Town Council, won election to New Canaan’s top municipal office on Tuesday by 33 votes. The Republican earned 2,684 votes in a widely anticipated first selectman race against Democrat Kit Devereaux, who received 2,651 votes, according to figures supplied by the New Canaan Registrars of Voters. The .6 percent margin of victory —a math-defying outcome, given the party makeup of New Canaan’s electorate—narrowly beats the state-mandated recount figure of .5 percent. Moynihan said he felt “wonderful” though “we expected to do better, quite honestly.” “I am surprised it was so close,” he told NewCanaanite.com.

Government

Election 2017: New Canaan Hub [UPDATED]

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What follows is a digital voter guide for Tuesday’s election. Voter Turnout

As of 6 p.m., 4,986 New Canaan residents had cast their ballots—322 by absentee ballot and 4,664 at the polls. The number of residents casting ballots at Saxe and NCHS represents a 42 percent increase over the last local election through the same hour. If voters turn out this year at the same rate as they did in 2015, New Canaan will see a 39 percent turnout. Here’s a table detailing total voter turnout in recent local elections:

 

And here’s a table that compares hourly voter turnout two years ago—when there was no truly contested first selectman race—to this year:

 

Kit Devereaux, Democratic candidate for first selectman, said minutes before she entered Saxe to cast her own ballot that she was “feeling really good” about the campaign and election. “I think I’ve done absolutely everything I can, and so now it’s just a matter of waiting to see what happens,” she told NewCanaanite.com.