By Peter Barhydt
The Board of Selectmen opened an early round of fiscal year 2026–27 budget reviews Tuesday morning with a familiar balancing act: departments described steady or growing service demands while trying to restrain costs, lean on outside funding and avoid the kind of “budget shock” that can follow big capital purchases and recurring service contracts.
After First Selectman Dionna Carlson called the meeting to order the board moved into department presentations that ranged from public health inspections and social services to EMS equipment planning, police overtime controls and the rising price of technology. By the end of the session, the discussion had shifted to the Fire Department’s capital pressures, the Library’s “boring” budget proposal and a unanimous vote to purchase 11 new AEDs for town athletic fields and parks.
Across the morning, selectmen repeatedly returned to a single theme: lifecycle costs — what the town buys today, what it costs to maintain, and how quickly “one-time” purchases become ongoing operating obligations.
Health Department: inspections, outreach — and a proposed budget decrease
Health Director Amy Lehaney, presenting to the board for the first time, outlined a department with a wide span of responsibilities: environmental health regulation, community wellness programming, emergency preparedness and public communication in an era of rapidly circulating misinformation.
Lehaney said the department oversees 106 food service establishments in town, inspected one to four times annually depending on the type of food served. The number drew a quick reaction from Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll: “Did you say 100 and … OK, wow,” she said.
The Health Department also regulates drinking water systems, including five public water systems, and issues roughly 60 well permits each year. Another major workload is subsurface sewage disposal, with about 90 permits issued annually and building permits reviewed for properties on septic systems. Murphy Carroll asked whether that number reflected new construction. Lehaney said it includes repairs and replacements as well as new work — and can involve multiple permits, including soil tests.
Lehaney said the department also licenses and inspects 43 salons and 22 “public” pools, explaining that in public health terms, pools in condo complexes count as public because they serve multiple households. Selectman Stephen Karl questioned how the town reached 22 pools; Lehaney clarified the definition and oversight requirements.
Beyond regulation, Lehaney detailed monthly community health programming — including Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training at the library — plus workshops at Lapham Center and Schoolhouse, panel discussions, and tick testing and education offered at the health office. The department’s nurse conducts screenings at Lapham Center and Vine Cottage, and the department participates in the state’s child vaccine program to provide free vaccines for children who need them for school.
Lehaney said the proposed FY2026–27 budget is down about 6% overall, largely driven by salaries. She described several line changes, including an increase in part-time salary because a grant supporting public health nurse hours is ending; added funding for a staff training certification; and a vehicle repair line. She cited savings through lower salary and overtime lines, reduced service contracts and cuts to office and medical supplies — including reducing Bluebeam software subscriptions from three to one because the tool is rarely used.
Murphy Carroll praised the department’s efficiency and the value of consistent, credible public health messaging. Carlson also highlighted the department’s role in employee wellness screenings coordinated through town HR, noting that early screening can identify issues before they become larger health problems.
Human Services: rising pantry demand, stable staffing — and using outside funds to relieve taxpayers
Human Services Director Marcy Rand presented a snapshot of steady caseloads and a department increasingly focused on aligning limited town dollars with outside grants — particularly Youth Services Bureau (YSB) funding and opioid settlement funds.
Rand reported serving 228 adult and senior clients year-to-date. Youth and family work covers 169 families with 178 youth. She highlighted programming at Lapham Center, including “Life Reimagined” for newly retired residents seeking purpose, and a grief support group focused on spousal loss. Planned spring programs include Parkinson’s and caregiver support groups.
Food insecurity remained a central point. Rand said New Canaan Food Pantry participation is rising: the pantry served 945 household individuals year-to-date and could approach 2,000 individuals by year’s end. Murphy Carroll and Carlson clarified that “household individuals” measures the number of people served, while “shoppers” tracks the number of people physically coming in — a number that can fluctuate because relatives may shop for someone who is sick.
A major focus was outside agency grants and how funding sources are being blended to reduce the direct impact on the town budget. Rand outlined examples including:
• Getabout: requested $65,000, expected $50,000 split between town support and a state DOT grant.
• New Canaan Cares: a multi-source structure using a small-town contribution plus YSB and opioid settlement funds.
• Urgent Assessment Behavioral Health program: requested $40,000, with Rand proposing $15,000 from the town and $25,000 from opioid settlement funds.
Murphy Carroll pressed on the durability of those outside funding streams, cautioning against creating a future cliff. Rand said YSB funding is expected to continue unless the state changes it, and opioid settlement funding is projected to last many years. Carlson noted the town has roughly $90,000 in opioid settlement funds currently available and emphasized that restricted grants require careful planning: “If you don’t [use it] you lose it.”
Rand said the overall result is that while outside agencies would receive $123,000 in total support, the direct town portion would be about $57,000 — a reduction achieved by shifting eligible costs to outside sources.
Operationally, Rand said the department is moving from Virtual Case Manager to CharityTracker, describing the current system as outdated and difficult for reporting. The move, she said, will improve data visibility on service demand while also lowering cost. Rand said the department’s budget request is down roughly 8.9%. Karl asked whether the department remains adequately staffed after reducing a part-time line; Rand said staffing is stable and workflows are strong.
EMS: the hidden cost of “free” transport — and preventing capital surprises
New Canaan EMS Treasurer John Knight reminded selectmen that the town is unusual: the ambulance service is volunteer-run and provides free emergency transport — something Carlson and others emphasized is rare in many communities where residents routinely receive ambulance bills.
Knight also stressed that the town budget does not reflect the full cost of EMS operations, which are supported heavily through fundraising and EMS revenue.
He said the paramedic contract is a five-year agreement entering year four, fixed at $465,000 annually with no cost-of-living adjustment. A newer issue is reimbursement for paramedic supplies, averaging about $712 per month from October 2024 through December 2025. While the contract cost is stable, EMS leaders said the clarity around supply reimbursement will matter when negotiations resume in about two years.
Vehicle maintenance is another pressure point. Knight said EMS spent about $54,000 on maintenance in FY2024–25, budgeting $40,000 for the current year. He noted the town’s line item is $10,000 because EMS covers the remainder.
Dispatching and tracking costs through the Southwest Regional Communications Center were also updated. Knight said the FY2026–27 cost came in at $64,875 — a 0.6% increase, notably less than the 3% assumption in preliminary budgeting. He broke it into a CMED charge and dispatching charge and said a formal letter would confirm the figures.
EMS proposed a 5% increase in medical supplies — 3% inflation and 2% to help offset paramedic supply reimbursements. Knight cited the reality of large equipment replacement costs, such as cardiac monitors and power loaders.
Murphy Carroll urged EMS to continue communicating how much the service is supported by volunteers and donations, noting many residents would be surprised at the degree to which EMS self-funds.
Capital planning remained central. A new ambulance is expected in late February or early March. Knight said the purchase ran about $14,000 above the town’s budgeted amount, which EMS covered, hoping to recoup funds when an older ambulance is sold. EMS also flagged replacement of a paramedic SUV budgeted at $85,000 and said updated quotes will be necessary to avoid unexpected increases.
Knight reported improving membership after pandemic lows: EMS now has about 54 members, up from roughly 26 at the low point. A new EMT training class has about 20 prospective members, including firefighters and high school students. Karl praised EMS culture and asked about recruiting; EMS said word-of-mouth remains key but outreach is increasing through community presentations.
Police: overtime controls — and the rising cost of technology
Police Chief John DiFederico’s presentation included overtime management and a deep dive into technology costs that selectmen described as emblematic of a “new world” of public safety budgeting.
Overtime trends downward — with software helping isolate drivers
DiFederico said FY25 overtime hours fell 2.9%, aided by full staffing and scheduling software that tracks overtime drivers. A prior spike in “second supervisor” overtime is trending downward this year because more officers are now eligible to fill acting supervisor roles on duty — seven this year versus one in FY24 — reducing the need to hire back personnel on overtime.
He also said the department plans to refine overtime categories so “administrative” overtime is not a catch-all, including carving out training instructor time and workers’ compensation medical appointments, which may be eligible for reimbursement.
Karl asked whether school resource officers (SROs) help reduce overtime during summer vacation coverage. DiFederico said yes: SROs return to patrol shifts during summer months and school vacations, though the department cannot prohibit them from taking time off during the school year. He said expectations are made clear in interviews, and the unit is closely supervised. When an SRO is out, coverage is typically handled within the unit by “floating” another SRO, rather than backfilling from patrol.
Service contracts and cameras: a recurring operating cost
DiFederico said utilities are uncertain as the new police building’s operational patterns become clear, but he anticipates some energy efficiencies.
The larger discussion centered on service contracts, jumping from a revised $129,850 to a proposed $250,000. DiFederico said about $75,000 reflects licensing and cybersecurity costs moving from Town Hall IT into the police budget — including Microsoft licensing, email accounts, antivirus protection and data storage used for body and in-car camera footage.
Beyond that, police technology contracts include fingerprint systems, body-worn and in-car camera vendors, vehicle modems supporting mobile data terminals, and the department’s records management system.
Murphy Carroll pressed on the year-over-year change and asked what drives additional increases beyond the re-bundled costs. DiFederico pointed to Flock, the license-plate reader and downtown camera network. Initial costs were packaged in capital, but because the service operates as an annual subscription, the ongoing expense now appears as operating. He said the town does not own the cameras outright; the vendor provides maintenance and replacement under the contract.
The selectmen also revisited privacy safeguards and data retention, with DiFederico saying images are retained for 30 days unless flagged for investigation, and that the system does not store personal owner information — only plate images. He argued Flock’s value increases because so many jurisdictions use it, enabling fast inter-town information sharing.
DiFederico also described capital drivers — three new vehicles, routine equipment replacement, and the need to upgrade tasers because Axon is sunsetting support for older models. He said the department prefers a one-time purchase of about $150,000 over a lease plan that would total roughly $250,000 over five years. Carlson also flagged an emerging “first responder drone” concept in the five-year plan, listed as a placeholder, which DiFederico said would be an automated dispatch-integrated system potentially shared by police, fire and EMS.
Fire Department: aging apparatus, capital pressure — and a “sobering topic”
Fire officials followed with FY27 budget details and a candid description of capital risk. They reported training gains — including volunteer recruitment, instructor certifications and specialty rescue training — and said calls for service totaled 1,239 for the calendar year, with 55% classified as fire alarms. Cooking was cited as a major driver, along with construction dust and some malfunctions. Officials estimated about 30% of alarms may be system failures requiring servicing.
Fire officials reported just under $400,000 in property and contents loss for the year using a standardized fire marshal schedule, noting the number was down from the previous year, which included a significant Oak Street loss. They also cited 95 simultaneous incidents and mutual aid activity in and out of town.
The operating budget request was about $4.852 million, a 1.3% increase. A major operating increase is fleet maintenance, proposed at $145,000, as unscheduled repairs rise with an aging apparatus fleet.
Carlson pressed for fleet age detail. Fire officials said the department has seven heavy apparatus: the newest is a 2021 rescue truck, followed by a 2017 pumper and 2013 engine, plus a 2008 tanker, a 2003 ladder truck, and two pumpers from 1999 and 1997. They said industry standards suggest 20–25 years service life, and New Canaan’s average age is about 17 years.
The most sobering topic: the ladder truck. Fire officials said there is currently no ladder on the market that fits the existing firehouse due to height and weight constraints, meaning the town may have to refurbish the current 2003 ladder for roughly a decade of additional service while planning for a future station capable of housing a replacement. Officials said mutual aid would cover ladder needs during refurbishment.
Library: “boring” budget, heavy use — and the next big question: the 1913 building
The New Canaan Library presented what leadership called a “boring” budget — intentionally restrained after last year’s significant increases. Officials said prior town support allowed them to hire a full-time custodian and stabilize staffing, improving operations amid heavy room turnover.
The library reported more than one million visitors since reopening in 2023, with traffic up roughly 5% year over year and an average of 1,500 visitors daily. Officials highlighted high-profile programming, Maker Lab activity, and major community events, while emphasizing that meeting and study rooms turn over seven to eight times per day and are used predominantly by nonprofits and community groups.
The town grant request is $3.119 million, a 3.5% increase. Selectmen urged clearer presentation of “fully loaded” costs — including health insurance and pension obligations carried in the town budget — so year-over-year comparisons reflect the true cost of library operations. Library officials said planning is underway for the future use of the 1913 building, with committees formed and an expectation of bringing options forward soon to stay within the budget cycle.
AEDs: Parks & Rec wins unanimous approval for 11 new units — and a push for a public map
The meeting closed with a unanimous vote to purchase 11 new automated external defibrillators through Parks & Recreation. Director John Howe said the devices will replace grant-funded units from Norwalk Hospital that are reaching end-of-life, and noted at least one of the older units was used successfully.
The contract, with Chris Gardner and Associates, LLC, totals $25,121 plus a $1,250 contingency for cabinets for a total cost of $26,300. Howe outlined placements across Dunning Stadium, school and park locations, and turf fields. The units will be housed in marked exterior cabinets and deployed seasonally because cold temperatures affect performance.
Carlson urged the town to create a public-facing map of AED locations, noting that even if 911 can direct callers, emergencies change how people process information. Murphy Carroll agreed, emphasizing that coaches and field users should know locations in advance. Howe said a map could be created easily.
The Board of Selectmen’s budget meetings continued this week after the Sentinel went to press and will continue next week. We will report on those meetings next week.
