Ex-commissioners tell charter panel to keep fire board at three
Other Committee · Meeting of February 5, 2026
New Canaan charter panel hears pitch to protect volunteer firefighter seat, keep fire board at three. Former Fire Commission member Beth Jones and a second ex-commissioner identified only as Jack, who served more than two decades starting in 2005, told the Charter Revision Committee's Group Two on February 5 that expanding the three-member fire board would "water down" its expertise. Jones said she'll "be banging on the front door of town hall all day long" to preserve the charter's requirement that one commissioner be an inactive volunteer firefighter, citing Wilton's collapse to zero volunteers.
Jack said elected officials serving ex officio on commissions "never works," arguing "if they don't have the confidence in us to do that job, then excuse me." Committee members Katherine Corbin and Jennifer Mo also discussed tightening Section C4's discipline process to require consultation with the town's HR office, and noted 5,681 unaffiliated voters now outnumber both major parties.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 771 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of February 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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