Town Hires Health Sanitarian Certified in Contact Tracing

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.

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Le Boudoir

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?

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Hoyt Funeral Home

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.