News

‘Let’s All Pull Together As a Community’: Town Council Public Hearing on Saxe

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One seventh-grader and two grandparents on Wednesday night joined dozens of fellow New Canaanites, most of whom identified themselves as tax-paying parents, in voicing support for a proposed renovation and expansion of Saxe Middle School during a public hearing at Town Hall. More than 200 residents packed into a standing-room-only meeting room to address the Town Council, applauding fellow supporters who took to the podium (see a list of sound bites below) to urge the legislative body to approve a proposed $18.6 million project. During a regular meeting that followed the hearing, the Town Council received an updated presentation from the Saxe Building Committee—including enrollment projections that are driving a space crunch at the middle school, and reasons for doing the full project now rather than in pieces—and four councilmen came out publicly in favor of it. Councilmen asked just how much the full project would cost individual taxpayers annually (a $148-per-taxable-account figure, based on a bond issuance at 3 percent interest over 20 years, is different from figures released earlier this year), whether the proposed build-out addresses future Special Ed space needs (yes, though a compromise will need to be found elsewhere within Saxe), whether long-term enrollment is expected to dip again (enrollment in grades 5 to 8 is expected to exceed 1,300 even 10 years from now) and how a request for plans on phased-in building project would affect the agreement with the architects (there will be additional costs) as well as the overall project’s cost. Building Committee Chairman Penny Rashin said if just the auditorium was renovated now, it would cost $2.1 million more in the short term to finish the other pieces, and $3.5 million more if the town waited three years (though the second figure could qualify New Canaan for higher state reimbursement).

Government

Saxe Building Proposal: Where Candidates Stand

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What follows are candidates’ responses to a public call from dozens of taxpayers to answer this question: Will you support the full project to renovate and expand Saxe Middle School? See PDF at the bottom of this article for details on the proposed $18.6 million building project. We will update this article with new responses as they come in from candidates for the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education and Town Council. Board of Selectmen

Rob Mallozzi, Republican incumbent seeking re-election for first selectman: “It didn’t take an email that I saw [Monday] to get my position out there. I think it’s very important, as a leader of this town, to telegraph my feelings and I appreciate the fact that there is a group that wanted to know people’s positions before the election.

Government

‘There’s a Fine Line Between Charming and Outdated’: Playhouse Committee Convenes First Meeting

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Town residents should be polled on a range of options for future operations of the New Canaan Playhouse, where details such as costs to maintain or more substantially repair the aging structure are spelled out in detail, officials say. During their first meeting, members of the New Canaan Playhouse Committee on Tuesday said the town may opt to keep up the 1923-built structure as-is, mending it as needed, raising rent, cutting costs and operating at a loss, or else going to market to find a private owner interested in getting into the movie business, or even partnering with a newly created nonprofit organization that may run it as a more diversified entertainment venue. It’s important to find out just what those options would mean for New Canaan property owners, committee member Neil Budnick said during the meeting, held at Town Hall. “Our job is always to minimize debt and taxpayer cost,” he said. The best way to accomplish that may be through what committee members called a “white knight” scenario, whereby a generous supporter simply offers to give money to support the Playhouse.

Government

‘It’s a Phenomenal Group’: New Canaan Democrats Endorse Candidates for Local Offices at Caucus

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An estimated 30 to 40 registered Democrats in New Canaan on Tuesday night gathered for a caucus at Lapham Community Center to endorse party candidates seeking local offices this coming Election Day. Those in attendance by voice vote endorsed incumbent Beth Jones for selectman, Joe Paladino (incumbent) and Jim Kucharcyzk for Town Council, Brendan Hayes for Board of Education, Gerry Harrington (incumbent) for Board of Assessment Appeals and Cindy Franco, Arnold Karp and Ed Vollmer for constable (all incumbents). “It’s a phenomenal group of people,” Democratic Town Committee Chair Jane Himmel told NewCanaanite.com in a phone interview following the caucus. “Beth works so hard and has the biggest heart and is as much the soul of the town as anybody. We’re thrilled Joe is returning to the Town Council and Jim has so much experience and done so many different things.

Business

New Canaan Playhouse Committee Established to Identify Funding, Uses

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What’s the best way to operate the town-owned New Canaan Playhouse? That’s the heart of the question that the New Canaan Playhouse Committee is charged with addressing, members the Board of Selectmen said Tuesday as they formally appointed a panel of locals from the Town Council, selectmen and Board of Finance to make recommendations concerning future of the Elm Street fixture. While officials have said New Canaan is not in danger of losing the building, the committee will consider funding mechanisms to raise the estimated $3 to $4 million to bring the 1923-built structure up to code, as well as additional uses for the space. “The Playhouse Committee is tasked with the exploration of the public and private options leading to the funding of capital improvements, as noted in the 2015 budget review,” First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said during the meeting, held in the training room of the New Canaan Police Department. The committee is composed of John Engel, Steve Karl, and Joe Paladino of the Town Council, Neil Budnick of the Board of Finance and Beth Jones of the Board of Selectmen.