Charter panel presses parks, library and police boards on structure
Other Committee · Meeting of January 29, 2026
New Canaan's Charter Revision Commission presses parks, library and police leaders on board structure. Parks and Recreation Chairman George Bennington and Commissioner Doug Murphy defended appointed, rather than elected, seats and said the Kuanas Park master plan remains on hold pending a first selectman's office statement on the park's pond. Library representative Ellen Gravado said the town covers roughly 70 to 75 percent of the library's budget through a block grant with no line-item control, and recommended charter language recognizing the library as an independent "association library." Police Commission Chairman James Mclofflin and the police chief defended the three-member commission's independence, citing its exclusive hiring and firing authority under state law.
"I think three works just fine," Mclofflin said. Resident Jean Goodman urged letting the Town Council restore, but not exceed, Board of Finance budget cuts.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 854 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of January 29, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — January 29, 2026 — The New Canaan Charter Revision Commission's Group Three spent Thursday's meeting interviewing leaders of the Parks and Recreation Commission, the library and the Police Commission, probing whether the town charter should change how those bodies are sized, appointed and overseen.
Parks and Recreation Chairman George Bennington and Commissioner Doug Murphy defended the commission's appointed, rather than elected, structure and said the panel's work on a long-term master plan for Kuanas Park remains on hold while the first selectman's office prepares a statement on the future of the park's pond. Library representative Ellen Gravado told commissioners the town covers roughly 70 to 75 percent of the library's budget through an annual block grant with no line-item control. Police Commission Chairman James Mclofflin and the police chief defended the three-member commission's independence from the first selectman's office.
The Full Story
Bennington and Murphy told commissioners they support keeping Parks and Recreation Commission seats appointed rather than elected, arguing the appointment process has produced qualified members without the disruption of a contested election. The charter currently allows seven to 11 members; Bennington said the commission's actual complement is 11, not the 12 he initially cited. The two also discussed the commission's role approving events such as the Caffeine and Carburetors car show and the carriage barn arts festival, and its 2023-era ban on e-bikes in town parks after reports of injuries.
On Kuanas Park, Bennington said the committee formed to develop a master plan for the property, including its pond and its longtime tenant, the YWCA summer camp, has paused work while the first selectman's office consults with the town's legal department on an unspecified issue involving the pond. "It's on hold right now," Bennington said, declining to elaborate further because the meeting was being recorded. Commissioners also raised whether the charter should be updated to give Parks and Recreation more say over park maintenance, which currently falls under the Department of Public Works even though the parks superintendent reports, like the DPW head, to the first selectman's office.
Gravado, appearing on behalf of the library's board of trustees, said the library is mentioned only briefly in the charter, in a 1947 statute clause referring to "library directors" rather than the board of trustees that actually governs the nonprofit, independent institution. She recommended the commission consult town counsel on updating that language and suggested adding a short passage recognizing New Canaan's library as an "association library," distinct from a municipal library, that receives town funding but operates with an independent board. She noted two current trustees, Doug Stewart and Mark Dule, are seated under a memorandum of understanding tied to a town loan facility that gives the town council a role in approving certain board appointments.
Mclofflin and the police chief told commissioners the three-member Police Commission, the minimum allowed under state law, works well and should remain independent of the first selectman's office. The chief said he reports directly to the commission, not to the first selectman, calling it "a good separation of powers." Both noted the commission holds exclusive statutory authority under Connecticut General Statutes Section 7-276 to hire, fire and promote police officers, and discussed succession planning, the commission's role as the town's local traffic authority, and its coordination with the Department of Public Works and the parking authority on traffic and parking matters.
Resident Jean Goodman, who described serving on the Board of Education, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Republican Town Committee, urged the commission to consider letting the Town Council restore, but not exceed, individual budget line items that the Board of Finance has cut, and raised concerns about the charter provision limiting the number of candidates parties can run for Town Council seats.
"They should be able to restore to a million if they want, but not above." — Jean Goodman, resident and multi-board volunteer
"I think three works just fine. I've been there for about 10 years, and I think it works perfectly well." — James Mclofflin, Police Commission chairman
"The town is very generous with their grant, but they've never covered, in my lifetime, 100 percent of our budget." — Ellen Gravado, library representative
Why It Matters
The charter revision commission is gathering input from town boards and residents to decide whether to recommend changes affecting how Parks and Recreation, the library and the Police Commission are structured, funded and overseen before the document goes to a broader public review. Potential changes discussed Thursday include clarifying the library's legal status in the charter, adjusting whether Town Council can restore Board of Finance budget cuts, and revisiting term limits for appointed boards.
None of the proposals discussed Thursday is final. The commission is continuing its round of interviews with town boards and officials as it works toward recommendations for updating a charter that in several sections, panel members noted, has not been revised in roughly a decade.
Key Motions & Votes
No formal votes taken at this meeting.
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Charter Revision Commission (Group Three), January 29, 2026