By Dionna Carlson
The energy and excitement of summer can be felt throughout our beautiful town, and the past month has been incredibly busy. First, congratulations to the high school Class of 2025! Your hard work and achievements have made us all proud, and we wish you the very best as you begin this next chapter.
On June 4th, after four-and-a-half years of planning and construction, we officially opened our newly renovated Police headquarters on South Avenue. This milestone was achieved on time and under budget, and I extend my deepest thanks to everyone involved in making this project a success.
One of our favorite summer traditions – the Waveny Summer Concert Series – kicked off this week and it runs through September 3rd. Join us Wednesday nights for great music and picnicking under the stars. You will find the schedule at the blue tab at the top of the newcanaan.info homepage.
At its June 10th meeting, the Board of Finance approved a 16.691 mill rate for the upcoming fiscal year, a 3.39% increase, which will apply to property tax bills issued on July 1, 2025. Setting the mill rate marks the final action of the fiscal year 2026 Budget process. Many thanks to all who participated in the process and were committed to funding our departments to meet the needs of our community while being sensitive to the inflationary environment we face.
We are excited to welcome Bill Perritt as our new Assistant Fire Chief. With 28 years of experience and dedication to firefighting and public safety, Bill will focus on the department’s training, health and safety, and operations. He’s a wonderful addition to our community.
Don’t forget: June is the month to “Make your beagle legal”! Please renew your dog license or register your new pup by visiting: Dog License Info on the Town Clerk’s page on newcanaan.info.
Speak Up to State Leaders on Two Issues
There are two areas of state government where I encourage New Canaan residents to engage and speak up at this time. First is to speak up against HB 5002 that was unfortunately passed by the State legislature on its final day in session and which undermines local zoning authority. On June 6th I sent a letter, co-signed by 22 local board and commission members, urging the governor to veto the bill. He is now pausing, as he is hearing opposition from across the state.
Add your voice to those opposing the bill by contacting the governor’s office before June 24th when the bill, if not vetoed by the governor, automatically becomes law. Read the bill here. The governor’s office may be reached via telephone at: 860.566.4840 or via email here.
Second, as the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) considers whether or not to approve of the proposed change in ownership of Aquarion Water Company from Eversource to a new quasi-public Regional Water Authority, I urge you to sign up to attend and speak at a virtual Public Hearing (via Zoom) on the matter scheduled for June 25th at 12:30 p.m.
Many members of the public in our region have already expressed great concern about a potential loss of future tax revenue for municipalities where Aquarion owns property, including New Canaan; a potential increase in water rates charged to customers; and an expected change in regulatory oversight with New Canaan having a diminished voice. Register for the Public Hearing here . Then go to Calendar of Events and scroll to June 25th. You will then receive a Zoom link to join the meeting.
