News

Putnam Road Sidewalks To Be Replaced This Summer

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Town officials on Tuesday approved the replacement of sidewalks on Putnam Road, following a discussion regarding the use of a “new” company for the municipality versus a longtime partner. Ultimately, First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of awarding the $488,543.75 contract to Stumpers LLC. The Shelton-based company bid $10,000 below Peter Lanni Inc., a New Canaan business with a long and successful track record of work here, according to Tiger Mann, director of the Department of Public Works. “Stumper is new,” Mann told the selectmen at their regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “I did reach out to the community to find out about them.

Government

NCPD Purchases Six Ballistic Vests for $10,000

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The Board of Selectmen during its most recent meeting approved a $10,000 purchase from a Fort Collins, Col.-based company for new ballistic vests for New Canaan Police officers. The protective vests are replaced every five years, according to Capt. Joe Farenga. Referring to the vendor, Angel Armor, Farenga told the selectmen that five years is “the longest they’re willing to put their name on something being effective.”

“Over the years, we definitely at the range with our Special Response Team, have taken really old vests, and tried them and they still offer ballistic protection on a tree,” Farenga said at the March 4 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “But because they say that, they will absolutely step back if there’s a problem and it’s past that five years and an officer’s injured because they’re still wearing a vest beyond the recommended time. So we just replace them every five years per their recommendation.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the purchase.

Board of Selectmen

New Canaan Softball Funding $40,000 in Improvements at Orchard, Water Tower Fields

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New Canaan Softball is making key improvements to its two playing fields at Waveny ahead of this spring season. Following approval this week from the Board of Selectmen, the nonprofit organization is funding the estimated $40,250 cost of extending the left and right field foul ball fences on both the Orchard and Water Tower Fields, as well as improving the pitcher’s warmup area at Orchard. “They want to replace existing worn-out fencing and posts as needed and then add approximately two sections on each field of 35 feet long on the back fence of the bench area,” Parks & Recreation Director John Howe told the selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. He continued: “What this will allow is the young kids when they overthrow first or third, the ball goes out of play. And that’s it.

Board of Selectmen

Town To Seek $300,000 State Grant To Help Fund New Playground at Waveny

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The town is seeking a $300,000 state grant to help fund the widely anticipated new playground at Waveny. As it is, there’s no playground in New Canaan’s largest and most-visited park. For years, the siblings of those playing sports on the fields there used an all-abilities adult fitness area as though it were a playground. 

Now, the town has replaced the fitness equipment in that area, and an accessible new playground is on the horizon, with a Poured-In-Place rubberized surface. A nonprofit group, the Friends of Waveny Playground, is fundraising for the project. On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 to allow the town to apply for a Small Town Economic Assistance Program or “STEAP” grant, administered by the state Office of Policy and Management.

Dionna Carlson

Town Approves ‘Third Annual Waveny Arts Festival’ for Sept. 28

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Town officials have approved use of Waveny for a hugely popular arts festival organized by a nonprofit organization. The 3rd Annual Waveny Park Arts Festival will be held Sunday, Sept. 28 following unanimous votes by the Parks & Recreation Commission and Board of Selectmen at their most recent meetings. The first year of the festival was a test to see how it would go “and it was a huge success,” according to Hilary Wittmann, executive director of the Carriage Barn Arts Center. 

“We did grow quite a bit last year, and everything went really smoothly,” Wittmann told the selectmen at their Feb. 25 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.