Meeting Highlights:

• Newly elected Town of Canton Board of Selectmen met for the first time on Nov 25, 2019, with Bob Bessel, First Selectman, chairing the meeting. Bill Volovski was elected unanimously as Deputy First Selectman.

• The Board of Selectmen authorized the Chief Administrative Officer, Bob Skinner, to contract with GZA, an Environmental Consulting firm with PFAS expertise, to help address possible environmental and health concerns created by the use of fire retardant foam at Cherry Brook School. The cost of the services will be based on the amount of required testing and test results but is estimated to be $31,250. The services include providing the town with an action plan, water sampling, soil sampling, and state reporting.

• Town of Canton was designated as a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

• The Board of Selectmen approved the Town applying for an EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant to fund an environmental assessment of the Collins Company Axe Factory. The assessment would assist in promoting the development of the property by identifying areas of environmental concern and thereby reducing unknowns and could lead to future grant funds to assist with actual cleanup.