Selectmen approve agenda additions, confirm appointments and review department budgets; parking software extended month to month

The New Canaan Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Jan. 24 approved several routine motions, confirmed two volunteer appointments and heard budget presentations from multiple town departments, including Human Services, the Health Department, Police, Fire and Emergency Management.

Why it matters: The hearing reviewed staffing levels, capital requests and grant strategies that will feed into the town’s FY26 budget planning. Departments described increasing service demand in 2024 that may change how the town funds programs and uses grant revenue.

The board approved two appointments: Alan Badanes as an alternate member (term to 12/01/2025) and Danica Landers to the Utilities Commission (three‑year term ending 07/01/2025). Both motions passed unanimously. The board also voted to add a new agenda item—approval of a month‑to‑month renewal with Passport Labs Inc. for the town’s parking management system—and then approved the amended agenda.

Human Services: staff, caseloads and grants Human Services Director (referred to in the meeting as Marcy) told selectmen the department’s caseloads and program use rose in 2024. Marcy said the department is serving 227 adult/senior clients year‑to‑date (individual clients), and 154 families (about 60 children) through youth and family services. The grief support group showed 288 total attendee contacts in 2024 (about 12–14 weekly participants), and the food pantry recorded roughly 1,400 visits in 2024 (counting repeat visits), with 892 visits already year‑to‑date.

To reduce pressure on the town operating budget, Marcy described reallocating grant funds. Examples cited for FY26 planning: a $50,000 “Getabout” line (split $25,000 town / $25,000 CTDOT), Kids in Crisis at $96,000 (noted as $70,000 town / $16,000 Youth Services Bureau grant / $10,000 opioid settlement), New Canaan Cares $18,000 (mix of town, Youth Services and opioid settlement funds), and a Meals on Wheels allocation ($5,000). Marcy said the department uses a special project fund for many donations and grant pass‑throughs; she reported a current special project balance of about $36,000 that is expected to fall to roughly $15,000 after planned expenditures, and requested a $15,000 general assistance allocation for FY26 to replenish the operating line.

Health Department: OpenGov and permitting efficiency Director of Health Jenna Eilson highlighted the town’s rollout of OpenGov permit software (went live 11/01/2023) and said cross‑department, simultaneous permit review has reduced building‑permit turnaround from “six to eight weeks” down to about a week in many cases. Eilson said OpenGov improved transparency for applicants and contributed to higher permit counts and related revenue flows (noting that some revenue lines include state and affordable housing fees). The department also described public health programs (blood‑lead follow up, inspections, pools and salon licensing), public health preparedness grant funding of $11,393 to support a part‑time regional coordinator, and community health offerings (skin‑cancer screening, suicide‑prevention QPR, blood‑pressure/blood‑sugar screenings and a walking club).

Emergency Medical Services and vehicles Representatives of the volunteer New Canaan Emergency Medical Service said the paramedic contract is a five‑year fixed amount (noted at $465,000 per year under the current contract). The EMS outlined vehicle replacement timing and supply delays: ambulance orders now take several years, and recent vendor quotes for ambulances approach the $390,000 range (the unit already on order was budgeted near $280,000). EMS leaders said purchases are placed well ahead of delivery and that the service covers repair and medical‑supply gaps with donations when town contributions do not fully cover costs.

Police: staffing, SROs and training Police leadership reported the department is at a 50‑officer complement after hiring three officers in 2024, and that school resource officers (SROs) are now assigned full time to elementary schools (South, East and West). The department discussed overtime driven primarily by shift‑shortage callback requirements (the single largest driver of overtime) and flagged training needs for a new duty‑firearm system that will require substantial hands‑on hours per officer. Chief and deputy staff also described a regional effort (WestCOG / Fairfield County chiefs) to develop a shared firearms training center in Newtown; selectmen were urged to consider early participation if the town wishes to access a regional facility and potentially reduce travel/training costs.

Fire Department: volunteers, hiring and capital Fire Department leadership reported growth in volunteer recruitment (nine new volunteers in FY25 and higher retention) and a high volume of training hours across career and volunteer members. The board approved two personnel items introduced by the fire chief: hiring Hamilton “Mike” Stewart as a firefighter (start Feb. 3, academy Feb. 10) and appointing William Parrott as Assistant Fire Chief; both motions passed unanimously. On capital, the department requested replacement of self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) across the fleet (estimated at $450,000) and said the department will reapply for a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant to offset costs. Fire leaders also moved a utility pickup purchase earlier in the plan because an aging vehicle has structural deterioration.

Emergency management and public information Emergency Management Director Russ said the town has expanded use of Everbridge for town alerts and newsletters; since launch the town recorded about 1,900 subscribers. Russ described exercises and training hosted or supported during the past year, including school reunification drills, a Metro‑North derailment exercise with regional partners, tactical emergency casualty care training and coordination during the August 2024 flooding. He said the department is replacing aging EOC computers and will use operating funds for those replacements this year.

Parking contract and routine motions Stacy from Parking asked the board to approve a month‑to‑month renewal with Passport Labs Inc. for the town’s parking management system while staff complete a competitive review of alternative vendors; the board approved the month‑to‑month arrangement unanimously. The board also approved meeting minutes, tax refund payments, legal bills and other routine items without recorded opposition.

Votes at a glance - Add parking contract item to agenda — approved (unanimous). - Approve amended agenda (parking moved after fire department) — approved (unanimous). - Approve minutes of Jan. 7 regular meeting — approved (unanimous). - Appoint Alan Badanes, alternate (term to 12/01/2025) — approved (unanimous). - Appoint Danica Landers, Utilities Commission (term to 07/01/2025) — approved (unanimous). - Approve hiring Hamilton “Mike” Stewart, firefighter — approved (unanimous). - Approve hiring/appointment of William Parrott, Assistant Fire Chief — approved (unanimous). - Approve month‑to‑month renewal with Passport Labs Inc. for parking management — approved (unanimous). - Approve tax overpayment refunds and legal invoices — approved (unanimous). - Adjourn — approved (unanimous).

What’s next: Departments will fold the FY26 requests, grant plans and capital timing into the town budget process. Staff said they will return with more detailed schedules of special‑project fund balances, the proposed donation button revenue line for Human Services, and updated five‑year capital timing for vehicles and radios.

Ending: The board concluded the session after the presentations and the set of unanimous routine votes; selectmen encouraged departments to produce clearer fund schedules for next round of budget hearings.