FAIRFIELD — The Town Council has a opening after Ernest Canelli III resigned this week because of health reasons.

Canelli, who was elected to a three-year term in 2010, served as the council’s vice chairman in 2011.

Fairfield’s charter requires the council appoint a resident to fill the vacancy within 30 days; Town Manager Josh Reny invited citizens interested in the post to contact Town Clerk Tracey Stevens.

Reny said the council could appoint a resident at its regular meeting Jan. 11 or do so at another meeting prior to Feb. 4.

Canelli said he has complications from cardiomyopathy, or deterioration of the function of the heart muscle, and his doctor had advised him to take it easy.

“I have to do what the doctors tell me to do,” he said. “It’s really painful for me to step down because I really enjoyed it. Conservative or liberal, it was amazing, we all came together. People in this town are wonderful; it’s a great little community.”

In his resignation letter, Canelli said he was “proud and blessed to have had an opportunity to work with the council” as it sought to secure the interests of Fairfield’s residents.

“I would like to say my year of working with the council and town manager could not have been more rewarding and enjoyable,” he wrote.

Canelli said he ran for the council in 2010 because he wanted to protect core municipal services.

“Our focus was making sure everyone was accountable,” he said. “It wasn’t cut, cut, cut because if groups needed money, they got it.”

Canelli said he was proud that adopting a philosophy of accountability enabled the council to reduce the town’s portion of last year’s tax bill.

He said he was also pleased the council successfully secured two additional miles of a proposed natural gas pipeline through town so that schools and municipal buildings would be able to access it.

Reny described Canelli as a natural leader who quickly gained the respect of his fellow councilors.

Canelli had a good base of knowledge, asked intelligent questions, and had a fresh perspective, said Reny.

“He was a very committed town councilor,” Reny said. “He cares very deeply about the community.”

The person appointed by the council will join Edward Finch, chairman; Harold Murray, vice chairman; Donald Giroux, secretary; and Robert Sezak, councilor. In November, Sezak defeated incumbent Andrew York.

For the next couple of months, the council will be consumed with working on the 2013 budget, Reny said.

Councilors’ important roles include providing oversight, asking difficult questions, and guiding the community in a proper direction, he said.

“And they need to be willing to put in the necessary time for an almost-volunteer position,” he said. Councilors receive an annual stipend of $210.

Beth Staples — 861-9252

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