Board of Selectmen

Letter: Nick Williams Will Not Seek Re-Election to Board of Selectmen

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Dear Friends,
It is with mixed emotions that I write to announce that after sixteen consecutive years of public service—12 as selectman and four as a member of the Board of Education—I will not be running for re-election to the Board of Selectman this November. 

It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve the Town of New Canaan, the place my family and I have been fortunate enough to call home for the last 30 years. I am incredibly proud of what we have all accomplished together: a world-class public education system, an extraordinary new library, increased police, fire, and EMS funding, a renovated Town Hall building, an expansion of Saxe Middle School, updated playing fields, natural gas, improved cell service, and many other infrastructure achievements. Make no mistake, none of these successes would have been possible without the unwavering support of this community and my constituents, who always told me what was important and necessary, even when it wasn’t an easy conversation. 
Constant engagement is a necessity in public service, and I express my deep gratitude to the residents of New Canaan for the valuable feedback and trust they have given me over the last 16 years. 
The decision to not run for re-election was not an easy one, requiring much contemplation and consultation with my family and friends. 
And while I don’t preclude seeking additional public service in the future, for now I’m going to take a break from government and from politics, recharge my batteries, and enjoy the company of those same family and friends. 
Why the decision today? For one, I am a firm believer in the importance of bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table. Second, I fear that the toxicity, partisanship, and polarization that we’ve seen at a national level has entered into the local level, starting at the top. 
It feels that politics now has become about picking every battle, instead of picking the necessary battle. 
I am hopeful that change will lead to more measured conversations and increased civility in town, and in Town Hall itself (for the benefit of our hugely talented yet beleaguered staff).

Andrew Melillo

Attorney: 1903 Deed Conveys God’s Acre to Congregational Church

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An attorney representing the Congregational Church of New Canaan is asking town officials to correct the municipal tax database by listing the church as owner of God’s Acre. The question of ownership emerged in 2020, when officials from the church said they would block a town-backed plan to install a permanent stone terrace directly opposite Park Street from its front door. 

Since then, led by First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, the municipal government has spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in legal fees seeking to establish the town as the owner of the .65-acre parcel. Now, according to attorney John F.X. Peloso, Jr. of Stamford-based Robinson + Cole, property records have surfaced that clearly show that God’s Acre is a church-owned property. 

In March, Peloso and his team “consulted both the records of the Town Tax Assessor as well as those of the Tax Collector,” he wrote in an April 17 letter addressed to the New Canaan assessor. “Our online search revealed that, presently, there is no listing in either the Assessor’s or the Tax Collector’s database under the above criteria that identifies the record owner of the Property,” Peloso wrote in the letter, which was cited in a legal bill approved May 16 by the Board of Selectmen and obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a Freedom of Information Act request. Peloso adds that the chain of title points to two deeds, from January 26, 1773 (recorded in Norwalk Land Records) and December 29, 1903 (recorded in New Canaan Land Records). 

“As you will see, the 1903 deed conveys the Property to the Church,” he wrote in the letter.

Board of Selectmen

Three Crosswalks on Heritage Hill Road To Get Accessible Ramps

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Residents of Heritage Hill Road can anticipate safer pedestrian routes because of the Department of Public Works’ decision to move forward with installing new concrete curb ramps at crosswalks there. 

Those living on Heritage Hill Road—a popular cut-through to Route 123—asked for the crosswalks, and the project has since been given the green light by the Police Commission, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “We had a residential request for mid-block crosswalks on Heritage Hill Road,” Mann said during Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. “The intention is to address safety concerns, especially during school bus pickup times and facilitate easier crossing for residents.” The comments came as Mann presented a contract with a New Canaan-based company to do the work. Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams, and First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, voted 3-0 to approve the $19,925 contract with Peter Lanni, Inc. The figure includes $10,000 for police to oversee motor vehicle traffic during the ramp construction.

Board of Selectmen

Town Approves Contract for ‘Neglected Cemetery’ Cleanup

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Town officials on Tuesday approved a contract to clean up cemeteries in New Canaan. The Board of Selectmen approved a $7,650 contract with a local company for maintenance at nine cemeteries in town. The cemeteries, which are spread throughout town, will undergo a spring and fall cleanup and then two summer mowings, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “Leaves, branches, and further debris removal,” Mann said at the May 16 selectmen meeting. 

Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams, and First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, voted 3-0 in favor of the contract with Rosati Landscaping. There are 27 cemeteries in New Canaan, Mann said.

Board of Selectmen

Construction of New Features at Dunning Stadium To Start in June

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Construction is expected to start toward the end of June for new features at Dunning Stadium, including an entranceway, ticket booth and “Donor Wall,” officials say. It’s unclear just when power will be run to another widely anticipated feature—a new press box, according to New Canaan Athletic Foundation Chairman Mike Benevento. However, the stadium’s PA system will be functioning through this coming fall football season as well as New Canaan High School graduation 2024, he said. Asked by the Board of Selectmen during its most recent meeting whether fundraising still needs to be done to build the new press box itself, Benevento said yes. “The project can‘t go forward unless we have $2 million sitting in the bank when we sign a contract,” he said at the selectmen’s May 2 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

The New Canaan Athletic Foundation or “NCAF” anticipates raising a good portion of the funding by selling naming rights for the press box, Benevento said.