Eric Thunem

Town Council Approves 2.75% Salary Increase for First Selectman, Calls for Explanation on Town Clerk, Treasurer [CORRECTED]

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New Canaan’s legislative body last week voted in favor of increasing the first selectman’s salary while also calling for an explanation as to why the Board of Finance didn’t also recommend a cost-of-living adjustment or ‘CoLA’ for two other elected officials. The Town Council during its regular meeting, held Sept. 17 in Town Hall and via videoconference, voted in favor of a 2.75% increase for the first selectman’s position for fiscal years 2026 and ‘27. Typically baked into the municipal budget, the increase must be approved by both funding bodies prior to the election on Nov. 4.

Eric Thunem

Town Council Committee Discusses Next Steps Regarding Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

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Town officials say they need time to evaluate the merits of a citizen-led campaign to reduce the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in New Canaan. After receiving dozens of letters themselves and seeing similar ones in local news—calling for a reduction for reasons of noise, public health and environmental issues—members of New Canaan’s legislative body are calling for a comprehensive analysis before recommending any change to local ordinances. During a meeting last week of the Town Council’s Bylaws and Ordinance Committee, member Eric Thunem said: “I think we need to hear from a lot more people before we vote on an ordinance that could impact so many more things than just the noise in my backyard. There are a lot of implications that would restrict and change the economics of landscaping.”

Committee members during a June 4 meeting spent nearly one hour discussing the issue. One Committee member, Kimberly Norton, said she was “on board with moving ahead with [restrictions].”

“I think we’ve had an outpouring of letters from the public…there’s lots of interest in the issue, and I think it behooves us to take it forward,” Norton said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Government

Town Council Honors the Late Keith Richey

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New Canaan’s legislative body held a moment of silence Wednesday night for a longtime community volunteer who died this week. The Town Council remembered Keith Richey, who spent more than two decades on the Parking Commission, most of them as its chair, volunteered with the New Canaan Exchange Club, a service organization, and helped organize the annual “Mich-Rich Softball Game,” providing colorful roundups of the summer contest. Councilman Eric Thunem offered condolences to Marina Richey and the entire family at the start of the elected body’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Keith Richey was a member of the New Can Exchange Club for 33 years,” Thunem said. “I think that’s about as long as the Exchange Club has been in New Canaan.

Eric Thunem

Editorial: My First May Fair ‘Date’ [PHOTOS]

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It was Eric Rehnberg who crossed over most successfully in third grade, our first year at East School. They’d closed Center School after the 1982-83 academic year, and our friend group got separated in the redistricting, never to fully re-form. Eric and I ended up at East, along with Alex Carles, Kristen Gannalo, David Palmer, Linda Pierson, Christina Mullin and Jenny Rubinfeld. Somehow that first year at East, Eric found the courage to ask the cutest girl in our class, a new face to us Center Schoolers—Joanna Avgerinos—to May Fair, and she said yes. I was in awe.

Around Town

‘Gridiron Show’ Honoring Tom Stadler Set for April 25-26 [Q&A]

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The annual Gridiron Show is coming up April 25 and 26 at Country Club of New Canaan, and this year’s honoree—or “Fall Guy”—is Tom Stadler. 

We put some questions to Gridiron Club member Eric Thunem about the upcoming organization, its history and this year’s show. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: Before we talk about this year’s Gridiron Show, please tell our readers a little bit about the organization. How and when did Gridiron Club begin? Eric Thunem: The first event, held on February 2, 1961, was initially organized as a testimonial dinner for departing local newspaper editor, Carlton Hill. State Senator Bob Bliss decided, however, that the dinner should be a roast, modeled after the tradition of the Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C. and he thought it would be a great way to bring people together and have a few laughs at the expense of the designated “Fall Guy”.