Geer Village Senior Community in North Canaan announced its partnership with the Mass.-based Integritus Healthcare on Aug. 7. Geer will remain the operator of the facility’s programs and services but joins the umbrella of 19 entities at Integritus Healthcare.
“This is the best possible scenario for the future of Geer.” —Shaun Powell, CEO/CFO Geer Village Senior Community
NORTH CANAAN — For the first time in its more than 95-year history, the nonprofit Geer Village Senior Community will soon operate under a new management contract, although it will remain an independent organization.
A joint announcement of a “strategic partnership” between Geer Village and Integritus Healthcare, a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization and post-acute healthcare industry leader based out of Pittsfield, Mass., was made on Aug. 7.
According to Bill Jones, president and CEO of Integritus Healthcare, his organization will become the management company for the Geer Village campus of services and Geer will remain the owner/operator of the programs and services, with Integritus Healthcare providing oversight.
“This is the best possible scenario for the future of Geer,” said Shaun Powell, Geer CEO/CFO.
No layoffs are expected because of the partnership, and it will not impact Geer’s lease with the YMCA’s Canaan Family Branch located there, according to company officials.
In making the announcement, Powell said he anticipates a “bright future through strong collaboration and sharing of expertise as Geer Village aims to strengthen its market position and remain the cornerstone for high-quality care options and employment for consumers and the communities it has been serving for almost 100 years.”
In a joint statement, Powell and Jones noted that the “overarching goal of the partnership is to ensure and protect Geer’s longstanding legacy and commitment to high-quality care in northwestern Connecticut.”
Over the next several months, they noted, Integritus will work alongside the Geer leadership team to “support the goal of a seamless transition for residents, families and staff.”
Both nonprofits’ Board of Directors have unanimously approved a management agreement whereby Integritus Healthcare will become the management company for the Geer Village campus of services, according to a joint announcement to residents, families, friends and community members by Powell and Geer board chair Lance Leifert.
The Covid-19 pandemic, said Geer officials, changed the senior living industry “in ways no one could ever have imagined. As a result, Geer Village and Integritus Healthcare have been talking for a few years to determine how best to navigate these changes ad position the organizations for long-term strategic growth and stability.”
Integritus will be naming Powell, who has held dual roles as Geer’s CEO and CFO for several years, as permanent CFO of Integritus Healthcare.
“Shaun will move into this new role over the course of the next several months, while remaining active as the Geer CEO to ensure a smooth transition… and continue to be intimately involved in the financial operation of Geer,” according to the release.
“The Geer management team will remain essential to the success of the organization and work with the Integritus leaders to ensure a successful integration.”
Geer Village will remain the operator of the programs and services but joins the umbrella of 19 entities at Integritus Healthcare.
The nonprofit Geer Village Senior Community provides care and support to seniors and their families through all stages of aging. It has been serving the Northwest Corner for more than 95 years, first as a hospital then changing to a skilled nursing facility.
In the early 2000s, Geer added low-income senior housing and an assisted living facility to the campus.
Integritus Healthcare, formerly Berkshire Healthcare Systems, is a leading non-profit provider of post-acute care, long-term healthcare and senior housing in Massachusetts.
While the majority of Integritus’ 19 locations are in Berkshire County, it operates as far away as Cape Cod.
“The industry is not getting any easier,” said Powell. “This will ensure the long-term future of Geer. It is going to help us weather the tougher times that exist.”
NORTH CANAAN — After months away from Town Hall amid what she described as a “toxic” work environment, North Canaan Town Clerk Jean Jacquier has returned to the clerk’s office to complete the remainder of her term, which by law runs through Jan. 5 following her victory in the 2023 election.
Asked whether she felt comfortable being back, she was clear. “I certainly am,” Jacquier said. “I have nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of.”
She has worked in the town clerk’s office for more than three decades, beginning as assistant town clerk in 1993 before becoming town clerk in 2017. “I love that job,” Jacquier said. “I know everybody.”
Her return follows an extended period of conflict at Town Hall that began in early 2024, when then–First Selectman Brian Ohler filed a complaint with the state attorney general alleging misconduct. The investigation found evidence of misconduct but did not result in disciplinary action. It did recommend procedural changes.
In February 2025, Jacquier walked out of her office, citing ongoing conflicts with Ohler and an employee in the town’s Building Office. Her departure came within a week after a judge ruled she was not eligible for reimbursement of legal fees accrued in the investigation.
Jacquier said she attempted to return over the summer and fall. She arrived to find the locks had been changed and she was ordered out of Town Hall by state troopers.
Jacquier said her return was made possible after newly elected First Selectman Jesse Bunce and the Board of Finance reinstated her pay and asked whether she would like to finish her term.
“They reached out to me,” Jacquier said. “They asked me if I would like to finish my term. And I said, absolutely.”
Jacquier is now working alongside Krysti Segalla, who recently began serving as assistant town clerk and will assume the role of town clerk on Jan. 6, following her election victory in November.
Jacquier said the two share a long-standing personal connection and work well together.
“I’ve known her since she was a baby,” Jacquier said. “We get along wonderfully. It’s been great.”
During her remaining weeks in office, Jacquier said her focus is on completing the daily work of the clerk’s office and assisting with the transition.
“Whatever comes through that office that needs to be done, between Krysti and I, we do it,” she said. “Hopefully, it’s helping her learn a little bit more about the job. It takes years to learn.”
Jacquier said she is not seeking another town position after her term ends. Asked what she hopes to accomplish in her final weeks in office, Jacquier said her goal is simple.
“Nothing, in particular,” she said. “Just finishing my term.”
Brian Ohler, left, and Jesse Bunce await the results of the Nov. 10 recount for first selectman in North Canaan. Bunce won by two votes.
NORTH CANAAN — About 100 residents attended North Canaan’s Board of Selectmen meeting Monday night — with more than 40 joining remotely and roughly 60 filling the meeting room — marking Jesse Bunce’s first such meeting since being elected first selectman.
Bunce, who took office from Brian Ohler following last month’s close election, acknowledged that the transition has included some early bumps and thanked town officials and staff for their work during a period he said has not been without challenges. “I’d like to thank Brian for all the efforts that he’s put in in this transition,” Bunce said at the meeting. “This process has not been perfect. We are working through it all.”
Among the challenges cited in recent weeks was a disruption in town communications after Bunce was unable to gain access to the town’s official government Facebook page during the transition. Ohler said technical issues prevented him from transferring administrative control of the page– and it was deleted. A new Facebook page was launched on Dec. 10, which has about 350 followers.
Ohler, who was seated beside Bunce at the meeting, continues to serve as a selectman. Bunce said newly elected officials have been settling into their roles and highlighted several town employees for their work during the transition. He thanked Krysti Segalla, the incoming town clerk, noting that her office has seen significant turnover in recent months.
“She’s been working really hard on her certifications and updating her office and cleaning up things,” Bunce said. “There’s been a lot of people in and out of that office over the last six or seven months, so there’s lots of loose ends. She’s doing a great job.”
Segalla will assume the role of town clerk on Jan. 6, having been elected to the position in November. She is currently serving as assistant town clerk under Jean Jacquier, whose term ends Jan. 5.
Bunce also praised Tax Collector Rebecca Mochak, saying residents have taken note of her professionalism, and Treasurer Melanie Neely for her efforts to build the framework needed to pursue additional grants for the town. He thanked Teri Aitken and Christian Allyn for helping during the transition period. Ohler later addressed attendees and offered public support for Bunce.
“It’s great to see everyone,” Ohler said. “I think we all need to commend Jesse on his first month taking over the reins of this town.”
Ohler acknowledged that political transitions can be difficult but said the board’s shared goal remains unchanged.
“The common denominator is we just want what is best for the town, and that’s it,” Ohler said. “It’s pretty black and white.”
He urged residents to focus on constructive dialogue and move past divisive or unproductive commentary. Ohler pledged his support for Bunce.
“You have my assurance. I will give you my full support when it is of benefit to the town,” he said. “We can have hard conversations. It will be professional. It will be based on substance, not rhetoric.”
Newly elected Selectman Melissa Pinardi, attending her first meeting since taking office, also addressed residents and reflected on her first month in the role.
“I’m honored to have been elected for the next two years,” Pinardi said. “I’m really excited to see what we all can do together.”
She thanked both Bunce and Ohler for their guidance as she learns the responsibilities of the position and echoed calls for a collaborative and forward-looking approach.
Housatonic Valley Regional High School, where the price of school lunch will increase to $4.00 beginning Jan. 5.
FALLS VILLAGE -- School lunch prices will increase at select schools in Regional School District No. 1 beginning Jan. 5, 2026, following a deficit in the district’s food service account and rising food costs tied to federal meal compliance requirements.
District officials announced the changes in a letter to families dated Monday, Dec. 15, signed by Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley and Business Manager Samuel J. Herrick
Under the new pricing, lunches at Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School will increase by 25 cents to $3.75, while lunches at Housatonic Valley Regional High School will rise by 50 cents to $4.00.
According to the district, the food service program depends on revenue from lunch sales as well as federal reimbursement. Increased food costs and compliance requirements contributed to the shortfall during the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
School lunch prices have remained unchanged since the 2019–2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the years that followed, the district used COVID-19 relief funds to allow students to receive lunches at no cost.
Families who believe they may qualify for free or reduced-price lunch may apply at any time during the school year. Applications are available online for Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School.
The lunch price increase applies only to these three District No. 1 schools, as Housatonic Valley Regional High School oversees the food service programs at Lee H. Kellogg School and Cornwall Consolidated School. Other schools in the district operate independent food service programs and are not affected.
Runners line up at the starting line alongside Santa before the start of the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K on Saturday, Dec. 13.
NORTH CANAAN — Forty-eight runners braved frigid temperatures to participate in the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K Road Race on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Michael Mills, 45, of Goshen, led the pack with a time of 19 minutes, 15-seconds, averaging a 6:12-per-mile pace. Mills won the race for the third time and said he stays in shape by running with his daughter, a freshman at Lakeview High School in Litchfield.
Michael Mills of Goshen crosses the finish line to win the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K on Saturday, Dec. 13, ByJohn Coston
Don Green, 64, of Red Hook, New York, was second among male runners with a time of 21:17 and a 6:52-per-mile pace. Becky Wilkinson, 47, of Southfield, Massachusetts, was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 22:16, averaging a 7:11-per-mile pace. Wilkinson finished fourth overall.
Margaret Banker, 52, of Lakeville, finished second among women runners with a time of 23:59 and a 7:44-per-mile pace.
Runners came from all over Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. One runner listed home as London, England. Many were members of the Run 169 Towns Society, a group that is dedicated to completing races in every one of Connecticut’s 169 towns. Elizabeth Smith, 32, of Manchester, a member of Run 169, said this was her 162nd town.
“I started 10 years ago,” Smith said. Her husband, Daniel, 33, has run races in 73 Connecticut towns, now including North Canaan. He was eager to know where to get a good cup of coffee after the race.
Santa, who got a head start on the group of runners but finished next to last with a time of 44:14, has been a feature in the North Canaan race since it started five years ago.
The 5K proceeds from a start in front of the North Canaan Elementary School on Pease Street to course around the Town Hall parking lot, up West Main Street past the transfer station to the state line and back. Cheryl Ambrosi, 45, of Danbury, was the last to cross the finish line with her dog Benji. “It was so much fun,” she said as she ended, even though she didn’t catch Santa.
Santa crosses the finish line at the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K By John Coston
