New Canaan Conservation Panel Unveils Five-Part Outreach Strategy
Conservation · Meeting of January 22, 2026
New Canaan Conservation Commission maps five-point outreach plan, debates hiring a grant writer. Commissioner Ann proposed reviving a printed tax-bill insert alongside a new social media presence, estimating a town-wide mailing to New Canaan's roughly 7,000 to 8,000 households at $2,200 to $2,500 and a full year of flyers and posters near $5,000. Member Tom Cronin volunteered to become the town's Sustainable CT representative, saying New Canaan needs "only 20 more points" to reach silver certification, and will present a proposed committee structure January 29.
Commissioner Susan said a mobile lab operator has proposed a spring well-water testing event, calling it "an incredible service to everyone in town with well water." The commission approved only its corrected December 11 minutes and a motion to adjourn, both unanimous voice votes; no other formal action was taken.
In the full story:
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Source: the Conservation meeting of January 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — January 22, 2026 — The New Canaan Conservation Commission spent its Thursday meeting mapping a five-part communications strategy, debating whether the town needs a dedicated conservation grant writer, and lining up a spring mobile well-water testing event for residents.
The commission took no substantive votes beyond approving its December 11 minutes, as corrected, and a motion to adjourn, both unanimous voice votes. Much of the roughly hour-long meeting was devoted to planning: a revived tax-bill insert and social media push estimated to cost as much as $5,000 a year, a possible high school intern to help build out the commission's website and social channels, and an upcoming interview with the town official coordinating a review of the New Canaan charter's conservation-related language.
The Full Story
Commission members said the panel's operating budget has historically been modest, ranging from roughly $11,000 to $20,000 in recent years, and does not fund capital projects such as a proposed overhaul of the town transfer station. Members debated whether New Canaan's shared municipal grant writer is pursuing enough conservation-related funding compared with neighboring Ridgefield, but agreed to first research available grants themselves before deciding whether to push for a dedicated hire. Because the commission cannot legally accept grant awards directly, members said any funding would continue to be routed through partner organizations such as the New Canaan Land Trust or the Friends of Bristo, which manage the intake and reporting.
Commission member Ann outlined a five-point communications plan: reviving a printed tax-bill insert, launching a commission social media presence, coordinating messaging with other town groups already active online, submitting monthly items to the town's newsletter, and redesigning the commission's website. Based on 2023 and 2024 invoices from Minute Man Press in Norwalk, members estimated a single town-wide mailing to New Canaan's roughly 7,000 to 8,000 households would cost about $2,200 to $2,500, and a full year of two flyers plus posters could run close to $5,000. For the website, members floated hiring the same developer who runs Planet New Canaan's site, identified only as Michael, for about $150 a month, and using an unpaid high school intern through the district's senior internship program to help produce content.
"I think we could be creating a centralized point for information about conservation in New Canaan" on the commission's website, Ann said.
Commission member Tom Cronin agreed to present a proposed committee structure for member approval at the commission's next meeting. He also raised New Canaan's standing in the statewide Sustainable CT certification program, saying the town needs only about 20 more points to reach the "silver" level, aided by recent South Avenue tree plantings and the transfer station's food scrap and multi-stream recycling programs. Because Robin, the town's prior Sustainable CT representative, is no longer serving in that role, Cronin volunteered to take it over.
"We are so close to being silver. I believe there's only 20 points required," Cronin said.
The commission also discussed the town's ongoing municipal charter revision process. Kathleen Corbett is coordinating interviews with town boards and commissions on proposed changes, and members agreed they want to arrive with specific draft language on conservation-related charter sections rather than leave the drafting to others. Separately, the panel's public works liaison, referred to throughout the meeting only as Tiger, reported that two of six South Avenue street trees planted under warranty are confirmed dead and will be replaced, with the remaining four assessed at spring bud break. The town's household hazardous waste collection day is set for September 12, 2026. Members also asked Tiger to look into separating coaxial cable from other e-waste at the transfer station's swap shop for recycling value, and into pushing local schools to add weight-based tracking to their waste hauling contracts.
Commissioner Susan reported that a mobile lab operator, identified as Usman, has proposed running a well-water testing event for residents in late April or May, potentially timed to coincide with the Saturday farmers market to draw foot traffic. An exact date and vendor fee were still pending as of the meeting.
"This is an incredible service to everyone in town with well water," Susan said.
Why It Matters
New Canaan's Conservation Commission is heading into town budget season with an unusually active planning agenda: a possible new printed-mailing line item of up to $5,000, a debate over hiring outside grant-writing help, and a push toward a statewide sustainability certification. None of it is decided yet, but the committee structure Tom Cronin is due to present January 29 will determine how those projects, along with charter-language recommendations and a spring well-water testing event, actually move forward. Residents on private wells and those who rely on the transfer station's swap shop are the most directly affected by the operational items discussed.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approval of the December 11, 2025 meeting minutes, corrected to fix the town's recorded transfer-station fee figures ($111 paid by the town, $115 charged) Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Conservation Commission meeting, January 22, 2026