An attorney representing a New Canaan homeowner last week filed an appeal in state Superior Court of the town’s decision in March to uphold a property valuation from October. The property, 1248 Oenoke Ridge Road, was valued at $7,961,300 and assessed at $5,572,910, according to the appeal, filed May 11 by attorney Amy Zabetakis of Darien-based Rucci Law Group. The New Canaan Board of Assessment Appeals on March 20 notified the plaintiffs, Helene and George Pyne, that it would not change that valuation, which “did not reflect the true fair market value of the property, but rather it was grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful,” according to the complaint.
Sandra Dennies, CFO for the town. Credit: Michael Dinan
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Sandra Dennies, New Canaan’s finance director, received a standing ovation from the Town Council on Wednesday night when First Selectman Kevin Moynihan closed the meeting by announcing that she has been made permanent in the job. The former Wilton CFO had been working in New Canaan on an interim basis since last May. “She has done a very good job with the budget and the public offering,” Moynihan told NewCanaanite.com during a press briefing Thursday.
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The Building Department on Tuesday issued a demolition permit for a 1952-built Cape Cod-style home at 122 Weed St. The 1.97-acre property is in the one-acre zone.
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“We dodged a bullet yesterday,” Public Works Director Tiger Mann told the Town Council during its meeting Wednesday, referring to the storms that on Tuesday had devastated much of northern Fairfield County and other parts of the state and beyond. During Mann’s time before the legislative body, where he was requesting funds to cover accounts related to winter storm work, Councilman Steve Karl thanked the DPW, saying, “Without you guys, the town stops.”
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The Town Council during that same meeting voted 12-0 to reappoint Timothy Welch for a five-year term to the New Canaan Housing Authority’s board.
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Here’s a snapshot of three great, free community events to be held on Sunday:
- Tour Lee Memorial Garden (1:30 to 4 p.m., 89 Chichester Road)
- Staying Put in New Canaan’s 10th Anniversary Celebration (2 to 4 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church)
- Genealogist Nora Galvin to Speak at the Historical Society (3 p.m.)
Summer Theatre of New Canaan Artistic Director Melody Libonati with Rob Mallozzi, Director of Business Development at Bankwell
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Bankwell donated $3,000 to Summer Theatre of New Canaan to help support their outreach program. This includes providing access to performances for organizations like Horizons and seniors in the Schoolhouse Apartments, and helps to underwrite support to LiveGirl and Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s educational program, DramaRamas, for children with special needs. (Bankwell on Monday also launched online account opening.)
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A new Richmond Hill Road resident was fined $167 after his German Shepherd dog on May 7 got loose from his house and aggressively approached a woman leash-walking her own dog, knocking her over, according to a report from the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section. The German Shepherd’s owner was cited for nuisance dog and allowing a dog to roam. The animal had got loose in Mead Park through an open door of his house and was secured without further incident.
Margaret Carratu. Contributed
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Congratulations to New Canaan resident Margaret Carratu on earning her Certified Fraud Examiner credential from the world’s largest anti-fraud organization. Vice president of LJ18 Properties LLC, developers of the New Canaan Post Office, Carratu in the past has worked as a senior auditor for Price Waterhouse Coopers and as an internal auditor at JC Penny corporate. Future plans include more work in private fraud-related cases or risk management. Senior partners at PwC, partners from a local law firm and Sgt. Peter Condos of the New Canaan Police Department submitted recommendations on her behalf to earn the ACFE certification.
Event attendees were inspired by a Hadley Pollet fashion show, which featured a preview of Hadley’s 2019 designs modeled by Women Who Inspire and local celebrities on the runway. The event also included a diverse expression of female talent, including music by Hope In Harmony, spoken word by Lytasha Blackwell, and artwork that celebrated “the powerful essence of the feminine.”
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This past weekend, LiveGirl and Hadley Pollet hosted a “FemPowered benefit” at the Carriage Barn Arts Center, with food prepared by Simply Delicious and event planning by Events by Megan Rose. The event brought together 150 people in support of LiveGirl’s year-round free of charge leadership programs and summer camp scholarships.
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Moynihan said during a press briefing Thursday that municipal officials are consulting with the town attorney about how New Canaan may acquire the antique home as well as the 4-acre parcel at 1124 Valley Road that’s owned by the First Taxing District of Norwalk. Here’s the latest on that.
Kinsey Ferguson, Vineyard Vines store manager and Linda Haney, Meals on Wheels Community Coordinator.
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The Meals on Wheels of New Canaan Board is thanking Kinsey Ferguson, store manager, and others at Vineyard Vines on Elm Street for a recent donation to their nonprofit volunteer organization. The shop donated 10 percent of its sales on April 18.
Thirty French students came to New Canaan last week, hosted by 26 local families, as part of an exchange program that sent 15 New Canaan High School students to France in April. Contributed
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During April break, 14 New Canaan High School students participated in a French exchange program with Le collège Henri Guillaumet, a school located in Blagnac, France (a suburb of Toulouse). Students lived with French families, shadowed French students at school, and toured Blagnac, Toulouse, and Carcassonne. They were warmly received at a reception hosted by school officials and Blagnac government officials at their Town Hall. In reciprocation, last week New Canaan hosted 30 French students from Le collège Henri Guillaumet. They enjoyed staying with 26 New Canaan families for eight days, shadowing New Canaan High School Students, touring New York City and Yale University, and learning about our community with guided tours of the New Canaan Historical Society and Waveny House. New Canaan High School French teacher Dr. Mark Foster organized, supervised and managed the exchange program with the help of parent volunteers and his French counterparts.
Pictured are ENCORE’s Joanne Santulli, Sandy Siegel, Liz Orteig, leader, Frankie Stevens, Tonya Gwynn and Martine Brophy, all of New Canaan.
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The Encore Hiking Group of New Canaan on May 11 visited the orchard overlook of the Trout Brook Valley Preserve, owned by the Aspetuck Land Trust.
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Finally, here are some election-related photos:
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From Saturday's GOP Convention, New Canaan delegates (L-R): John Engel, Tucker Murphy and Steve Karl. Contributed
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On Monday, May 14th, during the 4th District Congressional Convention in Bridgeport, delegates from New Canaan — along with other towns in the district — unanimously nominated Jim Himes as the Democratic Candidate for US Congress.