Board of Selectmen

COVID-19: Moynihan Cautions Residents on Christmas Gatherings 

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New Canaan’s highest elected official on Tuesday urged residents to avoid the types of Christmas gatherings that will lead to yet another spike in COVID-19 virus cases. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan noted during a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen that New Canaan continues “to see the effects of Thanksgiving gatherings.”

“And we are approaching Christmas season, where we are going to see another wave of Christmas gatherings and travel,” Moynihan said during the meeting, held via videoconference. “Governor [Ned] Lamont’s comments [Monday] at his press conference, I think were very much on target, that we have the ability to control what’s going to happen, whether we are going to keep our stores open and our schools open, or whether we are going to close down like many others states and many countries,” Moynihan continued. He added, “We would like to avoid another shutdown, but it’s going to be wholly dependent on whether people are going to be responsible and don’t have Christmas gatherings that are going to increase a January spike, which are probably coming in any event because of our neighboring states.”

The comments came on the heels of what Moynihan described in a town-wide outcall Monday as New Canaan’s “highest case total to date” with 41 new positive COVID-19 cases in four days. The spike was “not unexpected due to the timing after Thanksgiving gatherings,” he noted, adding, “Residents should refrain from unnecessary gatherings of any size to help reduce community transmission.”

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s latest figures, released Tuesday afternoon, New Canaan has had 577 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19—up 10 from the day before and 30 from Friday.

Government

Town Hires Health Sanitarian Certified in Contact Tracing

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The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday voted unanimously to hire a new sanitarian in the New Canaan Health Department. Shannon Vallerie is certified in contact tracing, among other areas, and has been working since last March with Health and other municipal departments, according to the town’s human resources director, Cheryl Pickering-Jones. “With COVID and everything going on, we are definitely in need of another sanitarian in that position,” she told the selectmen at their regular meeting, held via videoconference. “She has been a great asset to the town, she has helped Human Services out, the Health Department, Planning & Zoning, and I think she will be a tremendous asset to [Health Director] Jenn [Eielson] at this time,” Pickering-Jones said. 

First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Nick Williams and Kathleen Corbet voted 3-0 to approve the hire. Vallerie has been working since March of this year on a number of COVID-related tasks, according to her resume, obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a public records request.

Business

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Le Boudoir

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For today’s Q&A with a local business owner, we hear from El Mamoune Tazi of Le Boudoir. The blow dry bar opened five years ago on Main Street. Here’s our exchange. New Canaanite: The past several months have been very difficult for many businesses. How are you doing at Le Boudoir?

Black Creek Designs

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Black Creek Designs

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For today’s Q&A with a local business owner, we hear from Tom Throop of Black Creek Designs. The Grove Street furniture designer and maker, a 1982 New Canaan High School graduate, has a number of pieces available. Here’s our exchange. 

New Canaanite: Tom as far as I know, except for Primo your handsome Vizsla, you work alone there in the shop on Grove Street, so I don’t expect your day-to-day has changed too much in terms of the schedule. Even so, you have to be able to meet with those commissioning work from you or to show them what you’re doing. What has this experience of the COVID-19 public health emergency been like for you? Tom Throop: You are correct, it has been pretty much business as usual for Primo and I. We are at the shop every day, I’m working on commissions and Primo is sleeping soundly.

Around Town

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Hoyt Funeral Home

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For today’s Q&A with a local business owner, we hear from Tom Cicalese of Hoyt Funeral Home. He has owned the Main Street business for 46 years. 

Here’s our exchange. New Canaanite: The state categorized funeral homes as an “essential business,” so Hoyt Funeral Home along with grocery stores, pharmacies and some others has been able to operate through the COVID-19 public health emergency. What has this been like for you? Tom Cicalese: The pandemic has been especially challenging for us here at Hoyt Funeral Home.