Business

VIDEO: First Selectman Thanks Main Street Businesses

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First Selectman Rob Mallozzi on Main Street
New Canaan’s highest elected official is thanking town residents, motorists and particularly business owners and workers along Main Street for their patience in dealing with the roadworks that have disrupted the main drag at and around Town Hall. The town has seen plenty of roadworks this summer, with re-paving of Ponus Ridge and other town roads by municipal workers, and a planned re-paving of Route 106 by the state, starting Sept. 15.

Government

Town Hall Renovation: ‘Anything That Would Have Been Discovered, Has Been Discovered’

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The renovation of Town Hall remains on time and budget, with the Main Street structure’s floors poured, walls up and interior finishes underway, New Canaan’s highest elected official said. Officials expect municipal services to move into the renovated space next May, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said Tuesday at a special meeting of New Canaan’s Board of Finance. “Anything that would have been discovered, has been discovered, so that is really good,” Mallozzi said at the meeting, held in the Douglas Room at Lapham Community Center. The comments came as the finance board approved 9-0 about $275,000 from a contingency fund for construction spending. About $150,000 to $200,000 remains in that fund, Mallozzi said.

Government

State To Repave 106 above the Merritt

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Connecticut Department of Transportation officials have agreed to pave Route 106—a state road—between the Merritt Parkway and South Avenue, addressing a stretch of road that New Canaan’s highest elected official ranks among our very worst. The work will start Monday Sept. 15 and wrap up within about four or five days, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said, citing information from the state. “This is certainly a road that we have flagged to the Department of Transportation in the last number of years, as one in serious need of attention,” Mallozzi said. The news comes as the town re-paves its own roads and works, as it does each summer, on crack-sealing newer roads to help them live longer.

Government

Re-Paving Coming to Stretches of Ponus Ridge, Valley Road

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Town officials say they’re prioritizing the re-paving of two local roads, the conditions of which New Canaan motorists steadily complain. Ponus Ridge from Greenley Road to Clearview Lane, and Valley between Ferris Hill and Mariomi will see milling, reclaiming and re-paving following approval of the Department of Public Works’ request for funds at the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting. The town is getting “multiple complaints” on both of the popular north-south arteries, Tiger Mann, the DPW’s assistant director, said at the Wednesday meeting, held in the Lapham Community Center’s Douglas Room. “Since we have received a substantial number of complaints on Valley and Ponus, we wanted to get out early and get them done,” Mann said. Part of the approximately $2.25 million that New Canaan will spend on road maintenance and repair this year, the board unanimously approved of $485,939.60 for the project (that includes a contingency of $63,500).

News

First Selectman on Benjamin Olmstead, 37-Year Town Employee: ‘He Was a Friend to All’

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The town public works employee struck by a motor vehicle late Wednesday morning in New Canaan has succumbed to his injuries, officials say. Benjamin Olmstaed, 71, of Norwalk, had worked for the town for 37 years and he passed Thursday at Norwalk Hospital, according to First Selectman Rob Mallozzi and Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. “Ben was truly a friend to all,” Mallozzi said in a letter sent by email Friday morning to municipal employees. “This is a tremendous loss and my deepest sympathy is extended to the entire Olmstead family as well as our Town Hall family who worked with, and loved, Ben so very much.”

He was struck by a motor vehicle at about 11:20 a.m. while spray painting on Route 123, Krolikowski has said. A Norwalk man, 60, driving north on 123 struck Olmstead as he turned left onto East Avenue.