Board of Selectmen

New Canaan’s Health Director Resigns

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New Canaan’s longtime health director, widely credited for her work in seeing the town through the COVID-19 pandemic, has resigned, officials say. Jenn Eielson’s 11-plus-year career with the municipality ended April 13 with her resignation, according to the New Canaan Department of Human Resources. Town officials disclosed the resignation publicly during Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. 

There, Selectman Steve Karl said, “I think it’s important to recognize what Jenn did while she was here. She got us through COVID. Very well-respected in town.

Government

Town Appoints Local Internist as New Medical Director

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The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a New Canaan resident who already has been lending her expertise to the community as the town’s medical director. Dr. Jamie Ruszkowski, who also has worked for the past 18 months as an internist in New Canaan, succeeds Dr. David Reed in the appointed role. 

Jenn Eielson, the town’s health director, told the selectmen at their regular meeting that the Health Department had been introduced to Ruszkowski by Dr. Harrison Pierce, chair of the Health & Human Services Commission. “She’s been volunteering her time working with my staff and she works closely with my nurse Ellen [Samai] and [Sanitarian I/Health Program Planner] Shannon [Vallerie] and I think she’s going to be a natural fit to this role,” Eielson said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. She continued: “We’re looking forward to having her aboard as the medical director.”

According to Ruszkowski’s resume, she earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology from the University of Connecticut, a medical degree from Albany Medical College, and completed her internship at Yale. After working as an internist in New Canaan, Trumbull and Westport, she returned to town in April 2023 as principal of Comprehensive Care of New Canaan P.C., located in The New Canaan Medical Groups on East Avenue.

Board of Selectmen

Health Director: Department’s Permit Revenues Up 30% in Early Months of Online Platform

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The online permitting system that the town put in place just a few months ago appears to already be paying dividends, officials say. Revenues taken in by the New Canaan Health Department since the town began switching to the OpenGov platform in November are up 30%, according to Health Director Jenn Eielson. The reasons for the increase include that “I’m collecting the money right off the bat” and “nothing’s sneaking by anymore,” Eielson told members of the Board of Selectmen during a regular meeting Tuesday that was dedicated to the municipal budget. “You see everything,” she said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “And again, collecting the fee up front is huge because you’re doing the work, where before they were collecting on the back end.

Government

‘We’re Excited To Finally Leap into the ‘90s’: Town Switching to Digital Permitting Platform

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Addressing problems that Town Hall has had for years as New Canaan has fallen behind surrounding towns, officials said last week that the municipality is finally switching over to a system where residents and business owners can apply for, purchase and receive various permits online. New Canaan Health Director Jenn Eielson for about six months has served as co-project manager to phase in a new platform that’s expected to start a test phase Nov. 1, she said at Thursday’s regular meeting of the Health & Human Services Commission. “We’re excited about that,” Eielson said of the OpenGov Permitting & Licensing platform during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “That’s for all the various different health permits—restaurants, salons, wells, septic, pools,” she continued.

Government

Town To Purchase Third EV for Municipal Use

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Town officials last week approved funds to purchase an electric vehicle from a New Canaan-based dealership. The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV for the New Canaan Health Department will be the third EV in the municipal fleet, officials say. Health Director Jenn Eielson told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting Aug. 15 that it’s very difficult to get such a vehicle in the town’s price range. “You can’t find them,” Eielson said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference.