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New Canaan Man Charged with Animal Cruelty

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Police last week arrested a 47-year-old New Canaan man by warrant and charged him with cruelty to animals. Jack Hawkins, a former Parks & Recreation Commission member who resigned two years ago following a second domestic arrest, was stopped while driving on Route 123 at about 9 p.m. on Feb. 7 “due to the vehicle being associated with an active arrest warrant for New Canaan Police,” according to a police report. Hawkins was arrested and transported to police headquarters to be processed on the charge, the report said. The warrant resulted from “an Animal [Control] investigation that was reported to New Canaan Police in January,” it said.

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.

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Town Council To ‘Reconsider’ Audit Committee Appointment

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Six months after voting against the appointment, the town’s legislative body is scheduled to “reconsider” adding a local man with a unique history in New Canaan to a prominent municipal body. The following agenda item appears on the Town Council’s regular meeting agenda for 7 p.m. Wednesday: “Audit Committee Appointment – Reconsideration of the confirmation of the appointment of Roy Abramowitz as a regular member for a three year term ending December 1, 2025.”

In denying the appointment by a 6-5 vote at its April 5 meeting, Councilmen (as they had weeks earlier) voiced concerns about the process that landed the Abramowitz nomination in front of them. Specifically,  they said that since the Audit Committee is a creation of the Town Council itself, its members should be involved earlier in vetting candidates. Formed in 2014, the volunteer Audit Committee helps oversee financial reporting for the municipal government and school district. The Committee has a vacancy left by founding member George Maranis, who resigned. Abramowitz is a CPA in town.

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.

Affordable Housing Committee

Affordable Housing: Developer Pushes for Historic District Commission Hearing on Main Street Application 

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The owners of a structure in New Canaan’s Historic District where an affordable housing redevelopment is planned are calling for an appointed town body to schedule a hearing on an application or face legal action. An attorney representing the owners of 51 Main St.—known locally as “the Red Cross building” for its former use—on Tuesday noted in a letter to the Historic District Commission that it has 65 days from the date of his client’s application for a “Certificate of Appropriateness” (Aug. 7) to issue a decision. That would put the hearing date, at the latest, at Oct. 11, according to the letter from attorney Tim Hollister, a partner at Hartford-based Hinckley Allen who represents local developer Arnold Karp’s ownership limited liability company. 

“We have had no response setting a date or an explanation about the delay,” Hollister said.