‘I didn’t want to get stale’: Why councilman is stepping down
NEW CANAAN — John Engel said he wants to “go out on top” and surprised some when he announced he will not seek reelection in November on the Town Council.
The Republican has been a member of the Town Council for 10 years, including the last four as chairman. He was previously a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The real estate agent now plans to focus on helping local nonprofits.
“I didn’t want to get stale” and rather “go out on top, before people get tired of me,” Engel said. “I didn’t want to get complacent.”
Four years ago when Kevin Moynihan was first running for first selectman, Engel said he asked him to run for chairman of the Town Council to help him run the town. This November, Moynihan is running for first selectman uncontested.
But now, “I don’t think Kevin needs me. He has gotten a lot done,” Engel said.
He is proud of the Town Council under his leadership, and believes the members were “careful not to overreach” regarding some of the hotly debated issues like the New Canaan Library project and school start times.
He said “it was time to make a change,” though he does not feel “dissatisfied.”
Engel is not the only Republican councilman stepping down. One-term Republican Rich Townsend has also said he will not seek reelection. Democrats Liz Donovan and Sven Townsend are also stepping down.
The Republican caucus chose incumbents Penny Young and Tom Butterworth, along with Luke Kaufman and Kimberly Norton to run on the Republican ticket in November. The Democrats will announce their slate Monday.
“The town would profit from new voices,” Engel said.
He sees a new attitude in town. “People are again talking out about things,” he said.
After the Republican caucus, he sees changes in the attitudes of the new candidates.
“The town has always been conservative,” but this local election year, they are “no longer stifled to speak out,” instead, “they are emboldened to speak out.”
“I am excited for new ideas, new faces on Town Council. I think its very healthy,” he said.
At the caucus, new Republican hopefuls defeated Board of Education incumbents, Chairman Katrina Parkhill and Secretary Jennifer Richardson, saying they wanted the school board to have more say on curriculum.
In the past, Engel said there was a sense to not make changes to the school system since it’s been regarded as among the best in the state.
Now he expects changes in the school governance, including on such issues as “where to draw the line” between “where does the school’s role stop and parenting begin.”
“Critical race theory was on the ballot,” Engel said regarding the caucus.
Critical race theory is a controversial academic framework through which to view systems of racism and oppression in America. While some have said few Connecticut school districts are teaching critical race theory, education leaders have denied those claims and there has been no evidence of it in classrooms.
“Maybe that is why we saw such a turnout,” Engel said. Nearly 1,000 cast ballots — considered a big turnout when the first selectman is not on the ballot.
While new governance takes over, Engel plans to support nonprofits because “they make this town what it is.”
“Nonprofits are the glue that holds the town together. This town would not be as special if the nonprofits did not do as much as they do,” Engel said.
In particular, he plans to help the Waveny Conservancy and the New Canaan Land Trust.