Opinion

Election 2023: Republican Tia Whinery Announces Candidacy for Board of Education [Q&A]

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New Canaan resident Tia Whinery has announced that she will seek a seat on the Board of Education. The Republican will seek party backing at the GOP Caucus on July 25. We put some questions to Whinery ahead of the Caucus, which is open to all registered New Canaan Republicans. 

Here’s our exchange. 

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New Canaanite: What is your background professionally and in terms of living and volunteering here in New Canaan? Tia Whinery: After graduating from Boston College, I went through the merchandise training program at Abercrombie & Fitch. After a year working for the main brand I, along with 2 other merchants were tapped to launch a new brand concept that would become Hollister Co.

Board of Education

Board of Ed Divided on Filling Vacant Seat [UPDATED]

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Republicans on the Board of Education said last week that they won’t fill a vacancy on the elected body because it could interfere with the party’s upcoming Caucus. Former Chair Dan Bennett resigned April 26. Under Section 7-4 of the Town Charter, the Board of Ed can fill a vacancy prior to the next municipal election, where a successor is elected to fill the balance of the term (Bennett’s four-year term expires in 2025). “If the Board of Education fails to fill any vacancy which occurs on the Board within 90 days after the vacancy occurs, the Board of Selectmen may fill such vacancy until the next biennial municipal election,” according to the Charter. During a special meeting held July 5, Board of Ed Chair Katrina Parkhill said, “Of note and interest to this Board, the Charter language suggests that it would like the Board to act, but also acknowledges that there could be circumstances under which the Board cannot or chooses not to act.”

“Since May, our Board has undergone a process to evaluate candidates who wanted to be considered for the vacancy,” Parkhill continued at the meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School and via videoconference.

News

Board of Ed Unanimously Elects Katrina Parkhill as Chair, Phil Hogan as Vice Chair

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The Board of Education on Monday night elected Katrina Parkhill as chair. A Republican member of the Board since 2017 who served as chair through the COVID-19 pandemic—from late-2019 through last November—Parkhill was unanimously elected during a brief organizational meeting at the start of the BOE’s regular meeting. In nominating Parkhill, Board member Hugo Alves said, “I’d like to nominate Katrina to be chair of the board if she’d do it again.”

“Obviously it’s been an interesting time and an unfortunate one considering the circumstances, but Katrina has at least proven to me and the rest of us in town that she not only cares about the town, cares about the school system, she’s got the experience to lead and I think that whatever transition we experience over the course of the rest of the year, it would be helpful and important to have some continuity and that level of experience,” Alves said at the meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. Board members Bob Naughton, Brendan Hayes, Parkhill, Erica Schwedel, Alves, Phil Hogan and Penny Rashin voted 7-0 in favor of Parkhill. Board member Julie Toal was absent.

Alicia Meyer

Board of Ed Chair To Step Away Temporarily Following Drunk-Driving Arrest

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The chair of the Board of Education said Monday night that he will step away from the elected body temporarily. Dan Bennett read out the following prepared statement at the start of the Board’s regular meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School, his first public comments since being arrested last week for drunk-driving:

“I wanted to make a statement to this Board and the public. After the completion of this meeting, I will be absent from Board meetings and participation in Board activities for a few weeks as I deal with a personal situation that requires my and my family’s attention. With the help of my wife and family, we will manage this situation with humility and respect. I will make no further comment on this matter, which I hope that you understand.

Government

Town Council Approves Fiscal Year 2024 Budget; 3.12% Increase over Current Spending

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New Canaan’s legislative body last week approved a budget of $166.6 million for fiscal year 2024, a 3.12% increase over current spending. The Town Council at its April 5 meeting voted 12-0 in favor of the budget, which takes effect July 1. 

Chair Steve Karl said in a town-issued press release that it’s been “a challenging year given the current backdrop of rising costs and inflationary pressure on most major budget categories.”

“The town faces many of the same challenges the private sector is experiencing, including the rising interest rates, cost of energy, healthcare, labor, and materials,” Karl said. “We managed to keep the increase raised by taxation flat over the past four years, but this year may bring a modest increase to our tax bills. On a positive note, our town departments and Board of Education have done a great job holding the line and controlling costs as much as possible without sacrificing the finished product our residents have come to expect.”

In addition to Karl, those voting in favor of the budget were Town Council Vice Chairs Mark Grzymski and Penny Young and members Robin Bates-Mason, Rita Bettino, Tom Butterworth, Luke Kaufman, Mike Mauro, Maria Naughton, Kimberly Norton, Hilary Ormond and Cristina A. Ross. The annual budget process is a months-long undertaking that starts in the fall and comes before the public at Board of Selectmen hearings in January before moving to the Board of Finance and, finally, the Town Council.