New Canaan Selectmen approve radio contract, delay costly upgrade

Board of Selectmen · Meeting of July 21, 2026

New Canaan selectmen lock in a radio maintenance deal and delay a multimillion-dollar upgrade. The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to enter a $78,658.23 annual service agreement with Northeastern Communications rather than a Motorola contract priced up to $750,000 over four years, with a statewide radio system migration, estimated at $5 million to $6 million, pushed to 2030-2032. The emergency management director said the town would "ride our system out until that time." Selectmen also approved roughly $80,425 in emergency costs to reopen the Steve Beno Pool after a motor vehicle accident, a $158,482 Carriage Barn Arts Center courtyard renovation, a $76,205.76 volunteer tax abatement for 42 fire and EMS members, and sponsorship of the town's application to the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, a project commissioners linked to the legacy of longtime volunteer Jim Liser.

The board also approved two purchase orders totaling roughly $39,320 for the police department's federally mandated email migration.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 4,295 words

Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of July 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Agenda Housekeeping and Public Comment

The meeting opened with routine business: the First Selectman requested several agenda changes, including adding two parks and recreation items and a mileage-rate approval, and pulling a personnel item and a possible executive session. The board approved the amended agenda and the minutes of its July 7 meeting without discussion.

Two members of the public spoke. Barb Aim, chair of the town's Health and Human Services Commission, used public comment to urge the board to support the department's application to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, framing it as a tribute to Jim Liser, a longtime commission member and chair who died the previous fall. Katie Southworth and her fiance, Harry Bennett, who said they are marrying next year at Waveny House, asked when a future selectmen's meeting would address the Waveny construction project so they could comment. The First Selectman told them public comment is limited to items scheduled for board review or vote and that the item was not on that day's agenda.

Public Safety Radio System: A Deferred Upgrade

Background and stakes: New Canaan's public safety radio system was last refreshed roughly a decade ago, around 2018, at a cost the emergency management director estimated in the two-to-three-million-dollar range. With core equipment approaching the end of its supported life between 2030 and 2032, the town needed to decide how to bridge the gap before a larger capital investment.

The question before the board: whether to enter an advanced service agreement with Motorola or a more limited maintenance contract with Northeastern Communications, known as NorCom, the Motorola representative for Connecticut.

Substantive content: The emergency management director, referred to in the meeting only by his first name, Russ, told the board Motorola's proposal would have cost $179,000 for a one-year contract or roughly $750,000 over four years, covering software updates and preemptive replacement of switches and network controllers but not the system's core components. After meeting with NorCom president Julie Ryold and other subject-matter specialists, town staff recommended a lower-cost agreement that forgoes software updates in favor of the town's existing, recently refreshed software. The approved contract totals $78,658.23 for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and includes 24/7 on-call support as well as proactive site inspections and preventive maintenance.

The deliberation: Selectmen pressed on cost comparisons and long-term risk. One member asked what the town had originally paid for the current system and was told "two to three" million dollars, installed around 2018. Russ said the state radio network did not exist, or was prohibitively expensive, when New Canaan last upgraded, and that the town was an early adopter of its own refreshed VHF system as a result. He said a failure of a core repeater or "brain" component before the eventual state-system migration could trigger an unbudgeted special appropriation of up to $100,000, which the town and its peer municipalities judged preferable to paying an additional $200,000 a year for full Motorola software support that still would not prevent that same failure risk.

"We have a decent number of spare parts. Ride our system out until that time, and then that would be the time, in that 2030 to 2032 time frame, to really move to the state radio system." [Russ, emergency management director]

A member noted the radio-equipment market functions close to a monopoly, comparing it to health records software, though Russ noted L3Harris operates as a secondary vendor for a handful of other Connecticut municipalities. He also said the town is testing lower-cost Kenwood handheld radios, roughly half the price of Motorola's, that are compatible with the eventual state system.

Procedural steps and outcome: The board unanimously approved the one-year, $78,658.23 NorCom contract. It separately approved, also unanimously, a $40,000 purchase of four Motorola APX8500 all-band vehicle radios, requested by Interim Fire Chief Bill Parrot, to replace apparatus-mounted radios on the department's most frequent mutual-aid vehicles. Parrot said the radios would let firefighters coordinate directly with Stamford and Norwalk units during highway incidents on the Merritt Parkway without switching between portable radios worn under protective coats, a limitation he said had complicated recent roadside emergencies. The new radios are forward-compatible with the state system.

Implications and what is next: The current VHF system is expected to remain in service until roughly 2030 to 2032, when the town anticipates a capital project of $5 million to $6 million to migrate to the state radio network, a move Russ said nearly all of New Canaan's peer departments except one have already made.

Everbridge Emergency Notification Renewal

Background and stakes: The town's Everbridge-based alert system, branded New Canaan Alerts, is used for emergency notifications as well as newsletters and department updates.

The question before the board: whether to renew for one year or three years.

Substantive content: Russ reported roughly 2,600 subscribers out of an estimated 7,000 households, a participation rate he said outpaces the state's own alert system, which he estimated draws five to six percent participation. The one-year renewal was quoted at $8,700; the three-year term the board approved locks in $8,465.98 annually. Russ said the system allows geolocated, targeted alerts by drawing a boundary on a map but that the town has avoided using that feature broadly because it cannot verify how current residents' address information is in the system.

The deliberation: A selectman asked whether the town had partnered with local Realtors to promote sign-ups; staff said they coordinate with the town's Board of Realtors and "new neighbors" welcome contacts and are considering a student-intern "block captain" program next summer to expand outreach street by street. Another member asked whether the three-year contract could be canceled early; Russ said he did not know and would research the question.

Procedural steps and outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve the three-year, $8,465.98-per-year Everbridge contract.

Police Department Email Migration for Federal Compliance

Background and stakes: A Department of Justice policy update, version 6.1 of the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security policy, requires police email systems to be separated from a municipality's general IT network.

The question before the board: whether to approve two purchase orders to fund the migration.

Substantive content: Police Chief Frederico requested $23,125 for a one-time email and Active Directory migration project with Vandis, and an additional recurring cost, described in the meeting as approximately $16,195.50, for Microsoft licensing through vendor SHI covering 62 user licenses.

The deliberation: A selectman questioned whether Vandis was the only compatible vendor and whether the per-license licensing cost, which appeared close to double the town's existing per-license rate, represented a fair price; Frederico said the department worked directly with IT Director Chris and his team to select the vendor and could not speak to pricing comparisons in detail. Frederico emphasized the new system remains under the IT department's security oversight even though it operates outside the main town network, and stressed that the police department is not sharing data with the federal government as part of the change, only following its security policy. One selectman characterized the requirement as an "unfunded mandate."

Procedural steps and outcome: Both purchase orders passed unanimously: $23,125 to Vandis and roughly $16,195.50 to SHI.

AARP Age-Friendly Community Application

Background and stakes: In October 2024 the New Canaan Behavioral Health Alliance administered a community health and well-being survey. Jim Liser, then a longtime Health and Human Services Commission member, proposed a closer look at senior-specific results, leading to a senior behavioral health subcommittee and multiple focus groups with residents 60 and older. Liser died before the work was complete; Town Council Member Kim Norton, who met him shortly before his death, suggested finishing the AARP application as a tribute.

The question before the board: whether to sponsor the commission's application to the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities and authorize a required commitment letter.

Substantive content: Commissioner Jen Ladic, appearing remotely, told the board the AARP framework evaluates communities across eight domains, including outdoor spaces, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication, and health services. Nine Connecticut communities already belong to the network, including Greenwich, Fairfield, Cheshire, Glastonbury, Groton, Newtown, Simsbury, West Hartford and Woodstock. Membership carries no cost and would grant New Canaan national recognition, access to AARP livable-communities resources and eligibility for the AARP National Community Challenge Grant Program. Town Council Chairman Morrow has agreed to sponsor the application on the council's behalf.

The deliberation: One selectman said the town's survey results showed New Canaan already performing well across the eight domains. Another selectman raised a process concern: that any future grant applications tied to the designation, including AARP challenge grants, must first come back to the selectmen's office for sign-off, since such grants can carry conditions the town has not vetted. Ladic said the commission understood that and would bring any grant opportunity to the board before pursuing it.

"I don't see any downside. And of the eight points that you listed, I think we hit the ball out of the park." [an unidentified selectman]

Procedural steps and outcome: The board unanimously authorized the application and commitment letter.

Human Services Nonprofit Purchase Orders

Human Services Director Marcy Ran requested five fiscal year 2027 purchase orders reflecting funds already designated in the budget cycle: $10,000 for the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, $5,000 for Meals on Wheels, $50,000 for GetAbout, $18,000 for New Canaan Cares and $40,000 for the town's assessment program. A selectman noted GetAbout's funding is matched by the state. The board approved all five, totaling $123,000, unanimously.

Tax Collector Software Contract

The tax collector's office requested a $44,000 contract with Quality Data Service and Equality for software services, maintenance and printing, funded within the existing budget. The board approved it unanimously with no substantive discussion.

Mead Park Playground and Steve Beno Pool: Recovery From Wear and an Accident

Background and stakes: Two unrelated facility issues came before the board in succession. At Mead Park, two spinning play structures installed around 2018 and 2019 had become unsafe through ordinary wear, no longer covered by a manufacturer's warranty that expired after three years. Separately, a motor vehicle accident at the Steve Beno Pool this spring required emergency draining and refilling to reopen the facility for the season, with the town planning to seek reimbursement through an insurance claim against the driver.

The question before the board: whether to approve four related purchase orders.

Substantive content: The parks department requested $15,945, including a 10 percent, $1,450 contingency, for certified contractor Pat Corsetti, Inc. to disable, repair and reassemble the damaged Mead Park equipment; Corsetti originally installed the playground roughly six years ago. Separately, the department requested $73,500 for Mermaid Pool Water to drain and refill the Steve Beno Pool after the accident, a process that required Public Works and sewer department crews to haul and treat the water because the pool could not be drained through the sanitary system fast enough. Two related increases followed: $2,300 to an existing Heritage Pool Supply order for chemicals needed to rebalance the refilled water, and $4,625 to a J&J Pool and Concrete order covering the pool's seasonal reopening services, an increase that pushed that contract above the $10,000 threshold requiring board sign-off.

The deliberation: Selectmen asked whether the original 2019 playground installation, roughly $500,000 including significant site work and safe-fall surfacing, had included any ongoing maintenance reserve; parks staff confirmed the town has no sinking fund for playground equipment and said it would raise the issue with the nonprofit Friends of Mead Park, which has previously helped fund improvements. On the pool items, a selectman asked whether the town could simply open a drain rather than pay for hauling; staff explained the pool could not drain quickly enough on its own and that water had to be dechlorinated before release. A selectman also asked about unresolved damage beyond water and chemicals, including the lawn, fencing and irrigation system; staff said a running list of related repairs is being compiled while a department colleague is away.

Procedural steps and outcome: All four purchase orders passed unanimously.

Implications and what is next: The playground and pool items illustrate a recurring budget pressure identified by selectmen: outside-funded capital assets, once built, still require town-funded maintenance years later. One selectman urged the parks department to build more contingency for aging equipment into future budget requests.

Talmage Hill Non-Resident Parking Fee Increase

Background and stakes: The board asked the parking commission in May to review non-resident commuter rates at the Talmage Hill lot, the only commuter lot in town open to non-residents.

The question before the board: whether to adopt the commission's recommended fee increase.

Substantive content: The parking commission voted unanimously on July 8 to recommend a 10 percent increase to the non-resident commuter fee, effective September 1, 2026, raising the fee to $554.51 including Connecticut's 6.35 percent sales tax, an increase of about $50 annually. There are currently 56 non-resident commuter permits at the lot, which the town's parking director said is the only commuter lot without a waitlist.

The deliberation: A selectman asked whether the town caps the number of non-resident spaces; staff said there is no formal cap, only a review of lot capacity, and confirmed the town would revisit non-resident allocations if resident demand ever exceeded supply.

Procedural steps and outcome: The board approved the increase unanimously.

Carriage Barn Arts Center Courtyard Renovation

Background and stakes: The New Canaan Society for the Arts, which operates the Carriage Barn, received a Good to Great grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. Because the town owns the property, it serves as subrecipient under an existing pastor agreement with the arts organization.

The question before the board: whether to authorize a construction contract for a courtyard renovation designed by Keith Simpson Associates.

Substantive content: The project replaces an existing stone courtyard with a mortared blue stone surface set on a stabilized, cementitious "polymeric sand" underlayment rather than loose stone dust, along with drainage improvements, new lighting and landscaping. The Department of Public Works solicited five plan holders and received two bids; the low bidder's contract totals $141,807 plus a $16,675 contingency, for $158,482. The underlying DECD grant totals $128,000, matched by $12,800 from the Carriage Barn and a required $12,800 town match; additional town-funded drainage and irrigation work, tied to a separate town drainage initiative addressing existing basement leaks at the Carriage Barn, accounts for the balance above the grant amount.

The deliberation: A selectman who had previously raised concerns about a loose blue stone surface said he visited a comparable installation at the new Waveny House walkway, in place roughly three to four years, and found it holding up well. Public Works staff confirmed the same polymeric sand technique would be used and that the work would be installed in compacted layers with quality control. Another selectman asked whether a new irrigation system would be installed; staff confirmed it would be new, sized for planters inside the renovated courtyard, with a sleeve left in place for future expansion. A selectman asked whether the project had gone before the Planning Commission; staff said the Planning Department's Sarah reviewed it and determined commission review was not required because existing lighting is being replaced in place, with the exception of minimal new accent uplighting in planter beds.

Procedural steps and outcome: The board unanimously approved the $158,482 contract.

Implications and what is next: Maintenance of the courtyard, building exterior and mechanical systems will remain a town responsibility going forward, consistent with the town's ownership of the property under its agreement with the Carriage Barn's operators.

Public Works: Fire Protection, Flagging and Tree Services

Background and stakes: Three related Department of Public Works contracts covered recurring life-safety and maintenance services across town properties.

Substantive content: For fire protection services, the department requested a contract with Blackwater Service Group, totaling $28,960 plus a $1,448 contingency for $30,408 (the total was stated in the meeting as "$30,48," apparently a transcription shorthand for $30,408). The contract consolidates inspection of more than 211 fire extinguishers, quarterly fire sprinkler inspections, twice-yearly kitchen hood inspections and annual backflow-preventer testing under a single local vendor, rather than splitting the work among subcontractors, which staff said should reduce markup costs. Staff noted town employees still perform monthly visual checks of extinguishers between the contractor's annual service visits. For flagging services, the department requested $50,000 to continue its contract with Precise Traffic Control, which staff said was the lowest-cost of three vendors that responded to six solicitations and, unlike competitors, keeps a flagger available in Fairfield County on short notice. Non-prevailing-wage flagging costs $42 an hour; prevailing-wage jobs cost $63 an hour.

For tree work, the town's tree warden requested $17,264 for Almstead Tree and Landscape Company to remove and grind two dead purple leaf plum trees at the Richmond Hill parking lot, along with other roadside tree work across 13 sites, the only bid received after four vendors on the town's list submitted proposals for the fiscal year. Separately, the board approved blanket emergency tree work purchase orders of up to $70,000 each for six on-call vendors: Almstead Tree and Shrub, Darien Tree Care, Davey Tree, Hutchinson Tree, Mill River Tree and Quality Tree Care, up from a $30,000 starting cap last year that was raised to $70,000 as storm damage required. A selectman asked whether emergency call-out rates differ for off-hours or weekend storm response; staff confirmed vendors bill differently depending on whether crews are already on duty.

Procedural steps and outcome: All three items, the fire protection contract, the flagging contract and the tree warden and emergency tree work purchase orders, passed unanimously.

School Health and Transportation Reimbursements

Background and stakes: Connecticut statute requires the town to reimburse New Canaan Country School and St. Luke's School for health and wellness services provided to all Connecticut resident students who attend those schools, not only New Canaan residents, based on a formula built from each district's health insurance costs and eligible nursing salaries.

Substantive content: The finance department presented blanket purchase orders of $136,925.38 for New Canaan Country School and $133,427.29 for St. Luke's for fiscal year 2026 health and wellness services, plus placeholder purchase orders of $125,000 each for fiscal year 2027, pending final calculations. A separate, state-mandated transportation reimbursement purchase order of $310,000 for New Canaan Country School was also requested for fiscal year 2027. A finance official, addressing a selectman's question, explained the reimbursement is calculated by dividing total eligible nursing-related costs by an October 1, 2023 enrollment count of roughly 4,950 students, yielding a per-student cost of $249.86.

Procedural steps and outcome: The board approved all five purchase orders in a single unanimous vote.

Volunteer Tax Abatement

The finance department presented the annual property tax abatement for volunteer fire and EMS members: 42 recipients in total, 33 residents and nine non-residents, totaling $76,205.76, of which $57,394.01 covers resident abatements paid directly to the New Canaan tax collector and $18,811.75 covers non-resident abatements remitted to other towns' tax offices, including Norwalk and Stamford. Staff said one non-resident applicant's address was under review to confirm it matches the property for which the abatement is claimed. The board approved the full $76,205.76 abatement, authorized under a town ordinance adopted by the town council on June 17, 2020, unanimously.

Personnel Actions

Human Resources Director Cheryl presented two personnel items requiring board approval under town ordinance. The first authorized a part-time Saturday assignment for an employee, transcribed in the meeting as Anna, who works full-time at the Lapham Community Center, to also work Saturdays at a library identified inconsistently in the meeting as the Weston or Western public library. The second approved hiring Judith Sigman, a current part-time employee since March 16, 2026, as a new full-time assessment and taxation clerk splitting duties between the tax assessor's and tax collector's departments, effective August 10, 2026. Both items passed unanimously without extended discussion.

Mileage Reimbursement Rate Adjustment

The board approved a mid-year adjustment to the town's mileage reimbursement rate, from 72.5 cents to 76 cents per mile, effective July 1, 2026, after the Internal Revenue Service made an unusual mid-year change citing rising fuel costs. The rate is typically set annually each January.

Legal Bills and Charter Revision Costs

The board approved June legal bills after a selectman flagged that charter revision work has driven legal costs to roughly $46,000 for the period, an expense not budgeted in the current cycle and covered instead from contingency funds. A selectman emphasized the overage reflects the charter revision process specifically, not town department operations. The board also approved routine tax overpayment refunds unanimously.

Zoning Board of Appeals Appointment

The board unanimously appointed Ian Rasmussen, currently an alternate member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, to a regular seat filling a resignation, with a term ending December 1, 2027.

Selectmen's Comments

Closing comments touched on the town's weather-shortened sidewalk sale, which selectmen said drew heavy Friday foot traffic despite disruptions later in the weekend, and reminded residents of a referendum tied to the town's charter revision process, scheduled for Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at New Canaan High School. Selectmen noted Connecticut allows no-excuse absentee voting and that the town clerk's office, with hours Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., can issue absentee ballots through the Friday before the vote. One selectman noted the charter revision measure had cleared the town council on an 8-4 vote, calling it, without taking a position on the outcome, an unusually divided margin for the council since 1970, while another cautioned against editorializing given the pending referendum.

The First Selectman, chairing the meeting, was not named in the recording. At least two additional selectmen participated based on distinct speaking voices; neither was named in the recording. Human Services Director Marcy Ran, also referred to as Mercy Ran, presented nonprofit purchase orders. Police Chief Frederico presented CJIS-compliance purchase orders. Interim Fire Chief Bill Parrot presented vehicle radio and fire protection service requests. Emergency Management Director, identified only as Russ, presented the public safety radio system and Everbridge items. IT Director Chris was referenced but did not personally address the board. Parks Department staff member Ryan presented the Mead Park playground and Steve Beno Pool items. A parking department presenter, named inconsistently as Kevin and Joe in the meeting, presented the Talmage Hill parking fee increase. A Department of Public Works official referred to as Tiger (also addressed once as Tucker) presented the Carriage Barn courtyard renovation, fire protection services, flagging services, tree warden and emergency tree work items. Finance staff member Ann and a remote participant identified as Pat presented school health and transportation reimbursement items. Human Resources Director Cheryl presented two personnel actions. Health and Human Services Commissioner Jen Ladic, appearing remotely, presented the AARP age-friendly application.

Public commenters: Barb Aim, chair of the Health and Human Services Commission, of 855 Weed Street, spoke in support of the AARP application. Katie Southworth and Harry Bennett, engaged to marry at Waveny House next year, asked about a future meeting on the Waveny construction project; their comment was not accepted because the topic was not on the agenda.

Outside parties: Pat Corsetti, of Pat Corsetti, Inc., attended in connection with the Mead Park playground repair contract.

Northeastern Communications (NorCom) — Motorola's Connecticut representative, contracted for public safety radio system maintenance; its president, Julie Ryold, consulted with town staff on the service approach. Motorola — original vendor of the town's radio infrastructure and vehicle radios; its advanced service proposal was declined in favor of the NorCom agreement. Connecticut's statewide public safety radio network — the eventual planned destination for New Canaan's radio system, cited throughout the radio system discussion as a 2030-2032 target. Vandis and SHI — vendors for the police department's CJIS-compliant email migration and Microsoft licensing. U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Information Services policy version 6.1 — the federal compliance requirement cited as the basis for the police email migration. Everbridge — vendor of the town's New Canaan Alerts emergency notification system, renewed for three years. AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities — the national designation program New Canaan applied to join, cited in the Health and Human Services Commission's presentation. New Canaan Behavioral Health Alliance — conducted the October 2024 community health survey that prompted the senior behavioral health subcommittee's work. Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development — issued the Good to Great grant funding the Carriage Barn courtyard renovation. New Canaan Society for the Arts (Carriage Barn) — grant recipient and courtyard project stakeholder, represented by Executive Director Hillary Whitman. Keith Simpson Associates — designed the Carriage Barn courtyard renovation. Friends of Mead Park — nonprofit group cited as a potential funding partner for further Mead Park playground repairs. Pat Corsetti, Inc. — original installer and repair contractor for the Mead Park playground equipment. Mermaid Pool Water, Heritage Pool Supply and J&J Pool and Concrete — vendors for Steve Beno Pool accident-recovery work, to be recouped through an insurance claim. Precise Traffic Control — flagging services contractor for town construction and drainage projects. Almstead Tree and Landscape Company and five other tree vendors — provide scheduled and emergency tree removal services under blanket purchase orders. New Canaan Country School and St. Luke's School — recipients of state-mandated health, wellness and transportation reimbursements. Town ordinance approved June 17, 2020 — governs the property tax abatement for volunteer fire and EMS members cited in the abatement vote. Charter revision referendum, scheduled July 25, 2026 — referenced in both the legal bills discussion and selectmen's closing comments.