New Canaan Pension Committee approves five employee retirement benefits
Other Committee · Meeting of September 8, 2026
New Canaan Pension Committee approves five retirement benefits, tables a sixth pending medical records. The committee unanimously approved pension and contribution-return calculations for five terminating or retiring town employees, including a $6,887.08 monthly vested benefit for police employee Brian Mitchell and a $33,852.58 return of contributions for fire department employee Richard Garbus. A disability pension request from Victor Girage was continued to the October meeting after the committee said it needed additional medical information, with the chair telling Girage to "get all your medical records to Cheryl before our October meeting." The committee reported the town's pension fund at $204,920,784.02 as of September 7, up "about a million in a month, two months." Public works employees Dennis Barron and Hugh Court and Board of Education employee Peter Phillips also had benefits approved, with Phillips receiving a $17,768.98 return of contributions after three years of service.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 1,235 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
Call to Order and Minutes Approval
The New Canaan Pension Committee, which administers the town's funded retirement plan, convened its regularly scheduled meeting at 11:01 a.m. on September 8. The chair called roll and confirmed a quorum with five members present: Michael Jackson, a member identified in the recording only as Ann, Bob Hamill, Sebastian Abando, and the chair, whose name was not stated in the meeting audio. A motion to approve the minutes of the committee's July 14 meeting passed unanimously with no discussion.
Disability Pension Request: Victor Girage
Background and stakes: The committee's published agenda apparently listed a possible executive session on a disability pension request from Victor Girage as a later item, but the chair moved it up early in the meeting. Disability pension determinations typically require the committee to review confidential medical evidence supporting an applicant's claim, which is why the item carried the option of a closed session.
The question before the body: Whether to take up Girage's disability pension application in open or executive session, and whether the committee had sufficient information to act.
Substantive content: The chair asked Girage directly whether he wanted the discussion handled in executive session. The committee then moved into a closed session to discuss the medical basis for the claim. On returning to open session, the chair indicated the committee needed additional medical documentation before it could reach a decision on the application.
The deliberation: The exchange was brief and procedural. The chair told Girage the committee needed more medical information and proposed continuing the item rather than ruling on it that day.
"I'd like to make a motion to move this agenda item to our October Pension Committee. And I would encourage you to get all your medical records to Cheryl before our October meeting." [00:01:55] — The chair, New Canaan Pension Committee
A member seconded the motion and it passed on a unanimous voice vote. Girage responded that he would provide the outstanding records, telling the committee the request for additional documentation had only reached him the prior week and that a holiday had compressed his turnaround time.
Procedural steps and outcome: Motion to continue the Girage disability pension item to the committee's October regularly scheduled meeting, made from the floor, seconded, approved unanimously by voice vote. No benefit determination was made at this meeting.
Implications and what is next: Girage's disability pension status remains undetermined. The committee's next scheduled action on the case is its October meeting, contingent on Girage supplying complete medical records to staff member Cheryl beforehand.
Pension and Retirement Benefit Approvals
Background and stakes: Town personnel who terminate employment or retire become eligible for a pension, a vested monthly benefit, or a return of their own contributions, depending on years of service and normal retirement eligibility under the plan. The committee reviews and formally approves each calculation before payouts begin.
The question before the body: Whether to approve the benefit calculations as presented for five employees who separated from town service between June 2024 and July 2026.
Substantive content: The chair read each case from a prepared chart. Dennis Barron, a Department of Public Works employee, terminated July 31, 2026, with a normal retirement date that would have been July 1, 2028. He had 16.5 years of service and will receive a monthly pension of $2,909.26. Hugh Court, also of public works, terminated July 31, 2026, with a normal retirement date of September 1, 2023; he had 44.75 years of service and will receive $5,542.29 monthly. Brian Mitchell of the Police Department had a normal retirement date of September 1, 2025, and 25.66 years of service; he will receive a monthly vested benefit of $6,887.08. The chair explicitly corrected the record mid-presentation, instructing the committee to disregard the termination date and an additional line initially read for Mitchell's case, though the corrected termination date itself was not restated for the record. Peter Phillips of the Board of Education was termed June 10, 2026, with a normal retirement date of September 1, 2054; with only three years of service, he will receive a return of his own contributions totaling $17,768.98. Richard Garbus, who worked for the fire department, terminated June 1, 2024, with a normal retirement date that would have been December 1, 2060; with 4.75 years of service, he will receive a return of contributions totaling $33,852.58.
The deliberation: The chair asked whether any member had questions after reading all five cases. None raised objections or sought clarification.
"Any questions? If not, if I could get a motion to approve the pension benefits as outlined." [00:04:10] — The chair, New Canaan Pension Committee
Procedural steps and outcome: A member moved to approve the five pension benefit calculations as outlined; a second member seconded; the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote covering all five cases together rather than as separate votes.
Implications and what is next: The approvals formally authorize the plan to begin issuing the stated monthly pensions to Barron, Court and Mitchell and the lump-sum contribution returns to Phillips and Garbus. No further committee action is required on these five cases.
New and Deceased Members
The chair asked for a report on new and deceased plan members. None were reported. The item consumed under a minute and produced no discussion or vote.
Plan Expenses and Fund Value
Background and stakes: The committee is responsible for overseeing the funded retirement plan's investments and periodically reviews plan expenses and the fund's total market value as part of its fiduciary oversight.
The question before the body: Whether to review and approve plan expenses, and to note the fund's current market value.
Substantive content: The chair reported the fund's market value as $204,920,784.02 as of September 7, 2026, and characterized the fund as having grown by approximately $1 million over the preceding month or two.
"So, I think it's gone up about a million in a month, two months." [00:05:15] — The chair, New Canaan Pension Committee
The deliberation: No member raised questions about the expense report or the fund value.
Procedural steps and outcome: The report was accepted with no formal vote recorded on plan expenses specifically; the meeting moved directly to adjournment.
Implications and what is next: The reported fund balance underlies the plan's capacity to pay the benefits approved earlier in the meeting, including the five newly authorized pensions and contribution returns.
Adjournment
A member moved to adjourn; a second member seconded; the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote, closing the meeting.
Michael Jackson, committee member, present. Ann (surname not given in transcript), committee member, present. Bob Hamill, committee member, present. Sebastian Abando (spelling as transcribed), committee member, present. The chair, presiding officer, present; name not stated in the meeting audio. Pam, staff, mentioned in connection with entering the committee into executive session; role and surname not stated. Cheryl, staff, identified as the person to whom Victor Girage should submit medical records; role and surname not stated. Victor Girage, applicant for a disability pension, present and addressed directly by the chair.
July 14, 2026 Pension Committee meeting minutes — approved without discussion at the start of this meeting. Committee benefit-calculation chart — the prepared schedule the chair read from when presenting the five terminating and retiring employees' pension figures.