Selectmen approve $440,000 firefighter breathing apparatus purchase
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of February 25, 2026
New Canaan selectmen approve $440,000 for new firefighter breathing gear amid a snowstorm-driven salt scare. The Board of Selectmen unanimously backed a $440,000 purchase order with MEES Fire Equipment for 38 self-contained breathing apparatus units, replacing gear up to 19 years old, plus a $95,000 repair increase for a fire tanker and engine damaged in a June incident. The board also approved shifting the town's Mead Park and pool food concession from Apple Cart Food Company to Apple Cart Pelicano LLC, with operator Immad Aziz saying he has "100 percent faith" in his new partners.
Separately, highway officials warned the town nearly ran out of road salt this week after supplier Morton Salt stopped returning calls, forcing an emergency 200-ton buy from backup vendor Chem Labs at $117 a ton. Three employees, Rose Arduini, Tim Blakeman and Judith Sigund, were promoted or hired, and Mark Stunts was appointed to the Health and Human Services Commission.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,132 words
Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of February 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — February 25, 2026 — The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a $440,000 purchase of new self-contained breathing apparatus for the fire department and a $95,000 increase to a fire apparatus repair order, part of a lengthy special meeting rescheduled a day late by the region's snowstorm.
The board also approved a lease assignment allowing Apple Cart Food Company to hand its Mead Park and town pool concession over to a new entity, Apple Cart Pelicano LLC, and signed off on three internal promotions and a new commission appointment. Separately, highway officials told the board the town nearly exhausted its road salt supply this week after its longtime vendor, Morton Salt, stopped answering calls during the storm.
The Full Story
The board opened the rescheduled meeting by approving its agenda and minutes from the January 27 and February 10 regular meetings, all without discussion. No members of the public addressed the board during the public comment period.
The New Canaan Police Department brought two travel requests. Lieutenant John Milligan was approved to attend the Roger Williams Command Training Series Mid-Management Course in Bristol, Rhode Island, from April 12 through 17, at a cost not to exceed $2,500. Police Chief Steve, Deputy Chief Walsh and Captain Fanga were separately approved to attend the Connecticut Chapter FBI National Academy Associates' fourth annual Regional Command College at Foxwoods Resort from March 23 to 25, at a cost not to exceed $3,900. The chief told the board the course focuses on crisis and incident-command leadership and aligns with the department's push this year to improve coordination with the ambulance and fire departments on treating injured people during critical incidents.
The board spent significant time on a first amendment assigning the town's food concession lease at Mead Park and the town pool from Apple Cart Food Company LLC to a new entity, Apple Cart Pelicano LLC. Immad Aziz, the concession's longtime operator, told the board he is staying on as a consultant during the transition and vouched for his new partners. Board members debated the exact wording of the motion and the length of a lease extension option before voting to approve it unanimously.
Fire Chief Basset requested a $95,000 increase to a purchase order with Gowen and Knight for repairs to a tanker truck and Engine One, which suffered body damage in a June incident. The chief also won approval for a $440,000 purchase order with MEES Fire Equipment for 38 new self-contained breathing apparatus units, replacing gear that is up to 19 years old. The chief said the department tried unsuccessfully for two years to obtain a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant to cover the cost.
The parks department received approval for $92,335.72 to buy a Toro Groundsmaster 4100D mower from Turf Products LLC, $14,219 for an Alamo flail mower, and $12,716 to replace worn stair carpeting at Waveny House ahead of the building's elevator installation, expected to finish by the end of the first quarter.
Human Resources Director Mimi Pit brought three personnel actions: promoting Rose Arduini, a staff accountant since 2022 and a certified public accountant, to senior accountant; moving Tim Blakeman off probation into a full-time assistant building official role; and hiring Judith Sigund as a part-time administrative assistant split between the tax collector and assessor's offices. The board also appointed Mark Stunts, who holds a master's degree in public health, to the Health and Human Services Commission.
The most pressing news came from highway operations, where an official identified as Tiger told the board the town came close to running out of road salt during this week's storm after Morton Salt stopped returning calls. The town turned to a backup supplier, Chem Labs, which agreed to lower its price to $117 a ton from $135 for an emergency 200-ton delivery.
"This is the first year where our order stands back to January 17th. We're a month and a half in, and they haven't fulfilled that order." — Tiger, town highway operations official
"I wouldn't have brought them up as a recommendation if I didn't have 100 percent faith they can continue if not improve on what we've done over the years." — Immad Aziz, operator of Apple Cart Food Company
"This is to me, this is a pretty big deal." — a member of the Board of Selectmen, on the firefighter breathing apparatus purchase
Why It Matters
The town's near-miss on road salt exposes a supply chain gap that could recur: New Canaan can store only 1,600 tons on-site and depends on frequent reorders from Morton Salt, which this week could not guarantee more than 50 tons a day against the town's 80-ton daily need. Officials are now considering a roughly $11,000 secondary salt shed and splitting future contracts between two vendors to avoid another shortage.
The $440,000 breathing apparatus purchase replaces equipment that is up to 19 years old and directly affects firefighter safety on every emergency call. The Apple Cart lease assignment keeps the concessions at Mead Park and the town pool running under new ownership without a service gap, with the new operator, Apple Cart Pelicano LLC, taking over this summer.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approve meeting agenda Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve January 27 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve February 10 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Travel request for Lieutenant John Milligan, not to exceed $2,500 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Travel request for Police Chief Steve, Deputy Chief Walsh and Captain Fanga, not to exceed $3,900 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: First amendment assigning Apple Cart Food Company's concession lease to Apple Cart Pelicano LLC Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Purchase order increase with Gowen and Knight, not to exceed $95,000 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: FY26 purchase order with MEES Fire Equipment, not to exceed $440,000 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Contract with Turf Products LLC for $92,335.72 for a Toro Groundsmaster mower Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Contract for an Alamo flail mower, $14,219 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Contract with Palace Oriental Rug of Wilton, $12,716, for Waveny House carpeting Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve food and beverage vendors for the Juneteenth event at Waveny Park, June 19, 2026 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Promote Rose Arduini to senior accountant Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Promote Tim Blakeman to assistant building official Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Hire Judith Sigund as part-time administrative assistant Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Mark Stunts to the Health and Human Services Commission Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve tax overpayments Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Adjourn meeting Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Board of Selectmen meeting, February 25, 2026