Board of Selectmen

Board of Selectmen Members Bid Farewell at Final Meeting

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Setting aside past differences and occasional acrimony, the three members of the Board of Selectmen during their last meeting Wednesday thanked each other, municipal workers, fellow officials and residents for their support in helping make New Canaan a special place. Three-term First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said toward the end of the Board’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall, that “it’s been a true honor and privilege to serve our wonderful town of New Canaan for the last six years as first selectman.”

“Six years ago as a sitting member of the Town Council, I challenged the incumbent Republican first selectman because I was frustrated with the progress that was being made with improving cell service and bringing natural gas to town,” he said. “After retiring in 2009 from a very gratifying 35-year career as a Wall Street attorney, I never dreamed of running for public office or being first selectman. I did not expect to win in 2017 because Rob [Mallozzi] was such a popular and engaging friend to nearly everyone. And as you know, I barely won both the Caucus and the general election that first year.

Board of Selectmen

Selectmen Seek Input from Successor Board on Vine Cottage

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Municipal officials say they’ll wait for input from members of the next Board of Selectmen prior to soliciting offers from prospective buyers of an historic town-owned building on Main Street. The sitting selectmen also said at their most recent meeting that they need to consider additional updates to a 2021 version of an RFP for Vine Cottage—a ca. 1860-built Victorian gothic revival that currently serves as home of the New Canaan Health Department—before reissuing it. 

Earlier this month, Selectman Nick Williams raised the prospect of issuing an updated RFP because he discovered there could be a credible buyer. “I don’t want the town to lose the opportunity…for a credible bidder who, for whatever reason, wants to move quickly,” Williams said at the selectmen’s Oct. 17 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Affordable Housing Committee

‘There’s Too Many People Making a Political Storm’: Selectmen Unable To Appoint Affordable Housing Committee 

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Though more than one dozen residents raised their hands to serve on a committee that’s expected to guide New Canaan’s affordable housing strategy, town officials said this week that they still can’t agree on which volunteers to appoint. Under a newly written Section 4B of the Town Code, the Affordable Housing Committee is to include one member each from the Planning & Zoning Commission, Housing Authority, Town Council and Board of Finance, as well as five members of the public. 

It would be appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The following people have expressed interest in joining, according to the town’s response to a public records request filed by NewCanaanite.com: 

John Goodwin [Note: Goodwin withdrew his name in early October.]
Dave Harvey
Christine Hussey
Gail Lavielle
Krista Neilson (P&Z member)
Hilary Ormond (Town Council member)
Julia Portale
Robert Strong
Michael Sweeney (Housing Authority member)
Maria Weingarten (Board of Finance member)
Jeff Stein
Jane Stoddard Williams
Jeff Williams
Christopher Wilson

During Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectman Kathleen Corbet asked when the Committee would be appointed. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said, “From what I understand, we don’t have consensus aroniud nominees, so I’m not sure how we’re going to move this forward. And for the same reasons we’re talking about, it’s probably better that the new team decide.”

He appeared to refer to the Board of Selectmen that will take office following the local election on Nov.

Board of Selectmen

With a Prospective Buyer Interested, Town To Solicit New Offers for Vine Cottage

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Two members of the Board of Selectmen voted this week to solicit offers from potential purchasers of a town-owned, ca. 1860-built Victorian gothic revival building downtown. The turreted, yellow Vine Cottage next to Town Hall on Main Street currently is used for the offices of the New Canaan Health Department. 

The historic building had been put out for RFP four years ago and the town has not accepted any offers, including one made in December 2021. Shortly thereafter, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan suggested that the town may seek to retain the space for the Health Department. On Tuesday, Selectman Nick Williams raised the prospect of reissuing an RFP to solicit offers again.

Government

Affordable Housing: Town Objects to Developer’s Motion; Committee Appointments Coming in Two Weeks

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Saying affordable housing projects already submitted to Planning & Zoning wouldn’t be affected by the outcome of the case, lawyers representing the town last week objected to the developer’s attempt to be named as co-defendant in a lawsuit versus the state. The town in December sued the Connecticut Department of Housing, appealing the state’s decision last fall to deny the town’s application for a “moratorium,” or four years of relief from the state statute that facilitated the affordable housing applications. In June, the town sued again, objecting to a “declaratory ruling” from the state agency that bolstered its earlier denial. 

A state Superior Court judge in July dismissed the first complaint for reasons of “subject matter jurisdiction.” The second one is still active. Last month, attorneys representing developer Arnold Karp filed a motion for four property ownership entities—namely, 751 Weed Street LLC, W.E. Partners, LLC, 51 Main Street, LLC and Hill Street-72 LLC—to become co-defendants in active lawsuit. Under the state law known by its statute number, 8-30g, in towns where less than 10% of all housing stock qualifies as affordable (New Canaan is at 2.94%), developers who propose projects where a certain number of units are set aside to rent at affordable rates may appeal to the state after a local P&Z Commission denies their applications.