Selectmen approve $2.18 million waste contract, honor lifeguards
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of June 23, 2026
New Canaan selectmen honor two lifeguards, ink $2.18 million waste deal, table school reimbursement over enrollment doubts. First Selectman Deana Carlson read a proclamation honoring lifeguards Katie Quill and Michael Durso after a car breached a fence and crashed into Steve Benko Pool on June 16, saying "we are really blessed here that no one was hurt." The board approved a three-year All American Waste hauling contract worth $2.18 million and more than $1.5 million combined in FY27 fire, highway and public works purchase orders, but pushed back twice on undocumented requests, with Carlson telling police officials "this memo is not sufficient for us to approve any of this." A roughly $270,000 request to reimburse New Canaan Country School and St. Luke's for state-mandated health and transportation costs was tabled after board member Jen questioned enrollment data suggesting 534 New Canaan students attend St.
Luke's, prompting a request for a five-year audit.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 4,266 words
Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of June 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
Employee Recognition: Pool Rescue
Background and stakes: On June 16, 2026, a vehicle left the roadway, breached the perimeter fence and entered the pool area at Steve Benko Pool. First Selectman Deana Carlson said she learned of the incident by phone while attending a high school graduation ceremony that morning.
The question before the body: Whether to formally recognize the lifeguards who responded.
Substantive content: Carlson read a proclamation into the record honoring lifeguards Katie Quill and Michael Durso for what it described as their "exceptional courage, professionalism, and presence of mind" in assessing the situation, assisting those in need, and securing the area during what the proclamation called a "rapidly evolving and potentially life-threatening event." Three other town officials — John Howe, George Bennington and Steve Dayton — were also called up for the recognition, though their specific roles were not stated in the meeting. Board members described watching security footage of the response, saying the lifeguards reacted within seconds of the vehicle entering the pool.
The deliberation: Carlson and other board members praised the lifeguards' instinctive response. One member, addressed as Amy during the ceremony, said she would "mirror exactly what everyone said."
"We are really blessed here that no one was hurt," Carlson said, adding that without regard for their own safety, the lifeguards "sprang into action" to help someone in need.
Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was required. The board paused the meeting for photographs with the honorees and their families before resuming regular business. Officials noted the pool reopened for operation the same morning as the recognition.
Implications and what is next: Gannon Fence, a DPW contractor, repaired the pool's perimeter fence on an emergency basis and returned later for permanent repairs, a point board members raised later in the meeting as an example of local vendor responsiveness.
NORCOM Radio Equipment Purchase
Background and stakes: The New Canaan Police Department sought a blanket purchase order to replace aging batteries, microphones, chargers and portable radios through vendor NORCOM.
The question before the body: Whether to approve $12,368.39 in FY26 funding for the equipment.
Substantive content: Police Deputy Chief Walsh and Capt. Frangia said battery life cycles degrade with repeated charging and draining, causing radios to fail before the end of an officer's shift. The account cited was 28254201-58994-10747. The presenting officers could not say how many units were being replaced or their age when asked.
The deliberation: Carlson repeatedly pressed for a quantity breakdown and a supporting quote or invoice, saying the memo provided "just an amount" with no other detail. She asked whether delaying the purchase two weeks would create a problem; officers said it would only shift the expense into the following fiscal year's budget if delayed past the FY26 close.
"It's not good practice," Carlson said of approving a purchase without backup documentation.
Procedural steps and outcome: No motion was made. Carlson directed officers to return with an itemized quote, either later in the same meeting or at a future meeting.
Implications and what is next: The item remained unresolved as of the meeting's other agenda business; the department was asked to route documentation through the town's iPad-based contract and purchase order system going forward.
Special Response Team Vehicle Purchase
Background and stakes: The police department's special response team currently relies on a roughly 20-year-old ambulance, acquired secondhand years ago, that is used to transport personnel and equipment for callouts and training. Officials said parts for the vehicle are increasingly difficult to find. The purchase is separate from a previously discussed acquisition of a different used ambulance intended for use as a command and drone-operations vehicle.
The question before the body: Whether to encumber approximately $52,500 in existing budget funds toward a replacement vehicle before the fiscal year closes.
Substantive content: The submitted memo referenced a "Sprinter" van, but officers said that language was meant generically for a van-type vehicle; the department has since identified and intends to purchase a used Ford Transit at a government contract price through the same municipal cooperative purchasing arrangement the town uses for its Tahoe purchases. Officers said mobile radios would transfer from the old ambulance, but the $52,500 figure covers only the vehicle purchase price; upfitting costs, described as "usually under $10,000" and typically drawn from an extra-duty fund, would be additional.
The deliberation: Carlson noted the purchase exceeds the town's $50,000 competitive-bidding threshold and said the memo did not identify the vehicle make, the pricing source, or whether it qualified as a sole-source government contract purchase. "Again, this memo is not sufficient for us to approve any of this," she said. An official identified as Dan confirmed the anticipated upfitting cost would likely stay under $10,000. A separate finance official clarified that because the funds are bonded capital or roll-over extra-duty funds, they would not be lost even if the vote were delayed.
Procedural steps and outcome: No motion was made. Carlson asked the department to resubmit a memo with vendor documentation and said the item would be revisited once that information was available on board members' tablets.
Implications and what is next: As with the NORCOM item, the purchase was not shown to be resolved later in the meeting as recorded.
New Canaan Fire Department FY27 Purchase Orders
Background and stakes: The fire department requested blanket purchase orders across eight vendor categories for fiscal year 2027, covering apparatus repair, dispatch, equipment, physicals, records management and uniforms.
The question before the body: Whether to approve the full slate of FY27 blanket purchase orders.
Substantive content: The approved items were: Gowans and Knight, apparatus repair, not to exceed $60,000; Northeastern Fire Apparatus, in-house repair and Spartan warranty work, not to exceed $30,000; the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, for regional dispatch service (which also covers Westport and Weston), not to exceed $81,250, up from an approximately $78,000 prior-year cost; Fire Tech Safety, nozzles and hand tools, not to exceed $20,000; MES/Holmatro extrication equipment, purchased through a Sourcewell cooperative contract, not to exceed $73,000 against a bid of $70,766.57, to replace roughly 20-year-old battery-powered cutters and spreaders on both engines; Greenwich Hospital occupational physicals, not to exceed $30,000; First Due (a records and scheduling platform, formerly known as Locality), not to exceed $14,000; and New England Uniform, not to exceed $35,000, reflecting each member's contractual $1,100 annual uniform allowance.
The deliberation: An official presenting the items, referred to in the meeting as Bill and joined by Capt. Brian Donohue, said Gowans and Knight is one of few shops in southern New England capable of servicing the department's apparatus. He said the fire tech safety line was revised down to $20,000 from an originally proposed $50,000 because the department has not settled on a single personal protective equipment manufacturer. Carlson asked whether the dispatch contract had alternatives; officials said C-MED and informal discussions with the city of Stamford exist as options but that switching now would be premature given Fairfield's built-out infrastructure. Carlson noted the board would review any single purchase over $10,000 individually even under the blanket order.
Procedural steps and outcome: The board approved the full package by unanimous voice vote. Carlson asked officials to pass along the board's thanks to responders involved in the pool rescue.
Implications and what is next: Officials said a fire sprinkler inspection contract, not yet finalized because of a change in vendor ownership, would be brought back within the next meeting or two; funding is already budgeted.
Highway Department FY27 Purchase Orders
Background and stakes: The Highway Department requested its own slate of FY27 blanket purchase orders for auto parts, signage, paving materials, tires, drainage supplies, fuel and cemetery maintenance.
The question before the body: Whether to approve the FY27 purchase order package as revised during discussion.
Substantive content: As approved: auto parts through J&P LoDoco/NAPA, $65,000; Grainger, $14,000; East Coast Signs, road signs and sweeper/plow-blade parts, revised down to $41,000 from an initially proposed $45,000; O&G Industries, asphalt, $40,000; Belardinelli Tires, $18,000; Superior Supply, drainage, $40,000; Passanello Fuels, fleet oil, $12,000; and Rosati Landscaping, cemetery maintenance, $25,000.
The deliberation: Members questioned why a $40,000 asphalt line was separate from other paving spending; a highway official explained the town now performs small asphalt projects in-house after former subcontractor New England Paving went out of business. Public Works Director Tiger noted the crew doing that work is now led by the grandson of New England Paving's former owner, calling the transition a success.
Procedural steps and outcome: Approved unanimously by voice vote after the East Coast Signs figure was corrected.
Implications and what is next: None specified beyond standard FY27 budget execution.
DPW Administration and Engineering FY27 Purchase Orders
Background and stakes: The Department of Public Works requested blanket purchase orders for contractors and consultants used for sidewalk repair, drainage, fencing, surveying and engineering services, funded through the department's administration and engineering account.
The question before the body: Whether to approve the FY27 contractor and consultant slate.
Substantive content: As approved: Hussey Brothers Excavating, $25,000; Peter Lanni Inc., primarily sidewalk repair and drainage, $50,000; Gannon Fence, $15,000; RKW Surveying, $15,000; Keith Simpson Associates, $50,000; McCourt Engineering, $15,000; and Samsara, vehicle-location/GPS devices, $27,500, the third year of that contract.
The deliberation: A board member praised the use of local vendors, prompting an official, addressed as Angela, to explain that sidewalk and drainage work performed by contractors like Peter Lanni Inc. is billed through the administration account because the department "administers" those contracts rather than performing the work with in-house highway crews.
Procedural steps and outcome: Approved unanimously by voice vote.
Implications and what is next: None specified.
DPW Blanket Purchase Orders and Contracts
Background and stakes: A broader DPW request covered annual service contracts across all town buildings, including cleaning, elevator maintenance and mechanical systems, some of which are multiyear contracts the board is asked to re-approve annually as funding is appropriated.
The question before the body: Whether to approve $1,190,890.63 in combined purchase orders and contracts for FY27.
Substantive content: Officials said cleaning services, covering all town buildings including the police department and seasonal buildings such as the pool, account for roughly a third of the total. The package also includes elevator maintenance at the Playhouse, for which the town administers the contract but is reimbursed by the Playhouse/Scene One; a contingency line for unplanned needs, including one cited instance of cleaning a jail cell; and continuation of Eastern Mechanical's HVAC contract, which the board had already approved as a replacement for G&H Mechanical in a prior meeting.
The deliberation: A board member asked whether anything in the package represented a significant surprise relative to the budget process; officials said no, with the sole change being the Eastern Mechanical substitution, which did not affect the dollar total. Fire sprinkler inspection costs, still being finalized after a vendor ownership change, were not yet included but were confirmed to have budgeted funding.
Procedural steps and outcome: Approved unanimously by voice vote, after a board member asked that the motion language explicitly reference "contracts" in addition to purchase orders, reflecting the town's newer contract-management module.
Implications and what is next: The sprinkler inspection cost is expected to come back to the board within the next meeting or two.
Weather Service Purchase Order Increase
Background and stakes: The town holds a blanket purchase order for Weather Sentry, a forecasting and meteorologist-on-call service used by parks, highway, wastewater and emergency services staff.
The question before the body: Whether to increase the existing FY26 purchase order to cover the full annual cost.
Substantive content: The original FY26 purchase order was $10,000; the total annual cost came to $11,385.20, a roughly $1,385 shortfall attributed to the addition of an emergency services user to the system. The prior year's total cost was cited as roughly $9,000.
The deliberation: A board member noted the year-over-year increase was substantial and asked what drove it; officials confirmed it was the addition of a new user rather than a rate increase.
Procedural steps and outcome: Approved unanimously by voice vote, increasing the purchase order by $1,385.20.
Implications and what is next: None specified.
Transfer Station: Three-Year Waste Hauling Contract
Background and stakes: The town's contract for municipal solid waste hauling and disposal was due for renewal, prompting a competitive bid process for fiscal years 2027 through 2029.
The question before the body: Whether to award a new three-year hauling contract.
Substantive content: The town solicited bids from four contractors and received two: incumbent hauler All American Waste and competitor Enviro. All American Waste's bid came in lower across all three years — $110 per ton in FY27, $112 in FY28 and $114 in FY29 — compared with Enviro's flat $115-per-ton bid across all three years. The current rate is $111 per ton, meaning the new contract represents a one-dollar reduction in year one. Based on an estimated 6,500 tons annually, reduced from a historical estimate of 7,000 tons due to declining volume at the transfer station, the contract totals $2,184,000 over three years: $715,000 in FY27, $728,000 in FY28 and $741,000 in FY29.
The deliberation: A board member asked whether the town is bound to a minimum tonnage; officials said pricing is based on an estimate with no contractual minimum or maximum. Officials noted Enviro had separately expressed interest in expanding into town and had submitted the low bid on recycling, brush and construction debris hauling in a prior meeting, but for MSW hauling, All American Waste — the incumbent — won on price while facing real competition for the first time in years.
Procedural steps and outcome: Approved unanimously by voice vote, effective July 1, 2026.
Implications and what is next: The contract locks in disposal pricing through mid-2029, providing budget certainty even as per-ton costs rise roughly 1.8 percent annually under the new terms.
New Canaan Country School and St. Luke's School Health, Wellness and Transportation Purchase Orders — Tabled
Background and stakes: State statute requires the town to reimburse New Canaan Country School and St. Luke's School for health and wellness services, and separately for New Canaan Country School student transportation, based on a per-student cost calculation applied to the number of New Canaan residents enrolled at each school.
The question before the body: Whether to approve a package of five purchase orders — two remaining FY26 items and three new FY27 items — covering these state-mandated reimbursements.
Substantive content: The FY26 per-student health and wellness cost was $249.86. Officials cited a New Canaan Country School FY26 total of $136,925.38. Working through the St. Luke's FY26 figure, board members calculated that a total near $133,427 divided by the per-student rate implied 534 New Canaan residents enrolled at St. Luke's — a number officials said came from state-submitted enrollment data as of October 1, 2024, showing 599 total students at St. Luke's, of which 65 were non-New Canaan residents.
The deliberation: Multiple board members said the resulting 534-student, roughly 80-percent New Canaan enrollment figure seemed implausibly high for a school members described as having a broader regional draw, historically closer to 50 percent. "I thought St. Luke's had a broader regional reach," a board member identified as Jen said. A finance official, addressed as Sean, said the largest driver of year-over-year cost changes in the per-student calculation is nurse salary and payroll tax growth, typically around 3 percent annually, but that the FY27 budget figure had been set before FY26 actuals were finalized, meaning the town may need to seek a contingency transfer from the Board of Finance once final numbers are known. Officials, including one identified as Pat, said the state-submitted enrollment figures could be independently verified by requesting a roster directly from St. Luke's, similar to the process already used for New Canaan Country School transportation, where addresses are verified against a school-provided roster each fall. A board member raised the closure of St. Aloysius School as a possible factor in shifting enrollment patterns, though officials cautioned against speculating, noting differing grade ranges between the schools. Board members also requested a five-year historical review of the reimbursement figures to check whether the town had overpaid in past years using inflated enrollment ratios.
Procedural steps and outcome: The board tabled all five purchase orders. Officials said tabling would not create an accounting problem, since any FY26 costs could still be processed against a FY27 purchase order and charged back if needed. The New Canaan Country School transportation portion, which officials said is separately verified each year using a school-provided roster, was treated with more confidence, though the board asked for its per-pupil transportation figure to be provided at the next meeting for verification.
Implications and what is next: The item returns to the board once verified enrollment figures from St. Luke's, a per-pupil transportation cost figure, and a five-year historical reimbursement review are available.
Legal Bills and Contracts Under $10,000
Background and stakes: The board had already approved legal retainer bills at a prior meeting, but the backup documentation attached to that approval mistakenly reflected April billing rather than May.
The question before the body: No new approval was required; the item was presented for informational correction only.
Substantive content: Officials confirmed the retainer amount itself had not changed, only the attached backup documentation. A separate list of contracts under $10,000 was presented for informational review, with officials noting a police department contract had not yet been finalized. Officials also noted that Suffield/CRC-related costs were being removed as they were not budgeted.
Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken on either item.
Implications and what is next: None specified.
Public Works Projects Update
Background and stakes: The Department of Public Works provided a status update on several active infrastructure projects, most prominently a major utility and roadway project on South Avenue that began the day before the meeting.
The question before the body: Informational update; no board action required.
Substantive content: Work on South Avenue, from Douglas Road near Harrison to Farm Road including the Farm Road intersection, began the prior morning with a 6:50 a.m. complaint despite a 7 a.m. authorized start time. The road will close daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for roughly three months through the end of August, with contractor Burns instructed to clear the road for the town's 250th anniversary parade on Saturday, and Sunday if a rain date is needed. Officials said local traffic, emergency vehicles and school buses retain priority access within the work zone, with police officers stationed to admit residents who identify their address. Paving is expected to follow from early September through November, running 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily to minimize school-related traffic impact. Separately, the town's routine paving program, delayed by rain, is finishing work in the Carter and Silvermine area, with chip sealing expected by the end of next week and a micro-thin overlay after July 4. Sidewalk work on Danvers, Butler and Wiffletree streets continues, with roughly five to six concrete pours completed. At Irwin Park, officials are seeking a lower-cost disposal site for material rather than defaulting to the current contract's unit price, a process expected to take about three weeks once finalized. The Playhouse elevator installation is largely complete but not yet operational; the contractor is revising an upper railing design based on prior board discussion and coordinating around Recreation Department rain dates, with completion targeted by late summer pending state inspection.
The deliberation: A board member asked about the status of a separate sidewalk repair that had reportedly already been completed but had not been; officials said the contractor was recontacted and completed the fix within three days. A board member also asked about the ownership transition of Aquarian Water, which is being acquired by the Regional Water Authority (RWA), and whether it could delay the South Avenue project; officials said the utility's on-site representatives described it as "just another day in the office" with no indication of a pause, noting the town's position as the final connection point makes delay costly for all parties, including the state of Connecticut, which is also involved in the project.
Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken; informational update only.
Implications and what is next: South Avenue closures continue through late August, with paving through November. Board members emphasized that residents living along the closed section, not just commuters, bear the greatest inconvenience, and pressed officials to ensure flaggers and officers accommodate residents' access.
Selectmen's Comments and Executive Session
Background and stakes: Closing announcements covered the town's 250th anniversary parade and a pending petition deadline.
Substantive content: The parade steps off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday from the lumber yard, proceeding down Elm Street and South Ebony Street to Sax Middle School. A rain-delay decision will be posted by 7 p.m. Friday on the town website, with a Sunday 1 p.m. rain date if needed. Fireworks passes are available online and at Stewart's. A board member noted a pending petition related to a leaf blower measure has a submission deadline of June 26, after which the town will need clarification on next steps if the petition falls short of required signatures.
Procedural steps and outcome: The board entered executive session, calling in Sheryl Jones, Tucker Murphy, and officials identified as Lou, Jimmy and Tiger. The board exited executive session after roughly 40 minutes with no vote taken, then adjourned by unanimous voice vote.
Implications and what is next: The board does not plan to meet again before the July 4 fireworks.
First Selectman Deana Carlson, presiding.
Board members referred to in the meeting only as Amy, Jen and Don — surnames not given in the source transcript; their formal titles were not stated.
Town Administrator Tucker Murphy (name given during the executive session roll call).
An official identified as Sheryl Jones, called into executive session; role not specified in the transcript.
Public Works Director, referred to as Tiger, presenting highway, engineering and paving updates.
DPW staff identified as Angela (administration/engineering accounts) and Joe (Irwin Park disposal site).
Finance/administrative staff identified as Chuck (presented school health and transportation purchase orders), Sean (per-pupil cost calculations) and Pat (enrollment data); Mimi was cited as processing the Country School transportation purchase order.
A fire department official identified as Bill, joined by Capt. Brian Donohue, presenting fire department purchase orders and building/facilities contracts.
A highway department official identified as Steve, presenting highway purchase orders.
Police Deputy Chief Walsh and Capt. Frangia, presenting the NORCOM equipment request; an official identified as Dan discussed special response team upfitting costs.
Lifeguards Katie Quill and Michael Durso, honored for their response to the June 16 pool incident; also recognized were John Howe, George Bennington and Steve Dayton, whose specific roles were not stated in the meeting.
Executive session attendees identified as Lou and Jimmy; roles not specified.
No members of the public spoke during the public comment period.
NORCOM — regional radio/dispatch equipment vendor for police replacement batteries, microphones, chargers and portable radios; purchase deferred for lack of documentation.
Gowans and Knight; Northeastern Fire Apparatus — fire apparatus repair vendors approved for FY27 blanket purchase orders.
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut (Fairfield Regional Dispatch) — provides dispatch services to New Canaan, Westport, Fairfield and Weston; approved for $81,250 in FY27. C-MED and the city of Stamford were mentioned as potential future alternatives.
Sourcewell — cooperative purchasing contract used to secure pricing on Holmatro extrication equipment for the fire department.
Greenwich Hospital — occupational health physical provider for fire department members; Bridgeport was mentioned as an alternate location depending on member residence.
First Due (formerly Locality) — fire department training, scheduling and records management platform.
New England Uniform — fire department uniform vendor.
J&P LoDoco/NAPA, Grainger, East Coast Signs, O&G Industries, Belardinelli Tires, Superior Supply, Passanello Fuels, Rosati Landscaping — Highway Department FY27 vendors for parts, signage, asphalt, tires, drainage, fuel and cemetery maintenance.
New England Paving — former paving subcontractor, now defunct; the town has since brought small asphalt projects in-house.
Hussey Brothers Excavating, Peter Lanni Inc., Gannon Fence, RKW Surveying, Keith Simpson Associates, McCourt Engineering, Samsara — DPW administration and engineering FY27 contractors and consultants; Gannon Fence also performed emergency and permanent repairs to the pool perimeter fence after the June 16 incident.
Eastern Mechanical; G&H Mechanical — HVAC contract vendors; Eastern Mechanical replaced G&H Mechanical under a change previously approved by the board.
SA Playhouse / Scene One — reimburses the town for an elevator maintenance contract the town administers on the Playhouse's behalf.
Weather Sentry (DTN) — weather forecasting and meteorologist-on-call service used by parks, highway, wastewater and emergency services.
All American Waste — incumbent and newly awarded municipal solid waste hauler for FY27-FY29.
Enviro — competing bidder for waste hauling; previously the low bidder for recycling, brush and construction debris hauling.
Aquarian Water Company; Regional Water Authority (RWA) — utility involved in the South Avenue project, currently being acquired by RWA; officials said the acquisition has not affected project timelines.
Burns — general contractor for the South Avenue roadway and utility project.
New Canaan Country School; St. Luke's School; St. Aloysius School — subjects of the tabled state-mandated health, wellness and transportation reimbursement item; St. Aloysius's closure was raised as a possible, unconfirmed factor in enrollment shifts.
New Canaan Board of Education — represented in the meeting to answer questions on the school reimbursement item.
June 15, 2026 Board of Selectmen meeting minutes — approved without changes.
Transfer station bid tabulation — memo comparing All American Waste and Enviro bids for FY27-29 MSW hauling, cited during deliberation.