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North Canaan board down to two selectmen, likely to remain short-handed

North Canaan board down to two selectmen, likely to remain short-handed

Jesse Bunce and Melissa Pinardi at the North Canaan Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, April 14, as the board continues to operate with two members. Brian Ohler remains absent on medical leave.

By Madi Long

NORTH CANAAN —The Board of Selectmen is operating with just two members — both relatively new to their roles — and could remain that way through the end of next year following Selectman Brian Ohler’s announcement last month that he was going on medical leave.

North Canaan is governed by a three-member Board of Selectmen, meaning Ohler’s absence leaves the town with only two active officials. The town is still able to conduct business, however, as two members constitute a legal quorum, according to town officials.

That leaves First Selectman Jesse Bunce and Melissa Pinardi, who was elected to her first term in November. Bunce, elected as first selectman in November, has served on the Board of Selectmen for about 2½ years.

Bunce said Ohler formally notified the town on March 12 that he would be stepping aside “until further notice” based on medical advice after an apparent stroke.

There is no defined timeline for his return, and under the town charter, no replacement can be appointed. Bunce said town counsel has indicated the seat could remain vacant for the remainder of Ohler’s term, which is scheduled to finish at the end of 2027.

“There’s no defined period,” Bunce said.

Ohler did not respond for comment as to a likely return date.

As a result, Bunce and Pinardi — who gave birth last month—have taken over during a critical stretch that has included the budget process.

The board was forced to cancel its regular meeting early last month after both Ohler and Pinardi faced personal circumstances. Pinardi gave birth the day of the meeting, and Ohler had his medical emergency just days prior.

“I had no choice but to cancel it; we didn’t have a quorum,” Bunce said, whose wife gave birth to their third child at the end of January.

Despite the reduced board, town business has continued.

Bunce and Pinardi held multiple meetings in late March — including a special meeting on March 23 — to develop a proposed budget, which they agreed upon and then presented it to the Board of Finance on April 8.

The budget is now headed to a public hearing scheduled for April 20, with copies now available on the town’s website.

Bunce said working with a two-member board during budget season has been challenging but manageable.

“It went well,” he said of the process, noting that collaboration was key despite the circumstances.

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