Selectmen approve two dozen contracts, extend sludge disposal deal
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of September 15, 2026
New Canaan selectmen extend a $121,085 sludge disposal contract amid a regional capacity crisis, while blasting a state road contractor's conduct. The Board of Selectmen approved the interim Cinegro contract after a competitive bid drew zero responses; account representative Pat said Northeast disposal costs have jumped from roughly $600 to over $1,000 a dry ton amid PFAS-driven facility closures. The board also approved $165,546.78 for three police Tahoes, $71,144 to outfit them, and $78,280.45 for storm-damage trail repairs after the July 21 storm.
Separately, officials suspended Saturday paving work on South Avenue after a contractor for Aquarion Water Company began work nearly two hours before its approved 8 a.m. start. "It has been the most horrendous few years that we've seen ever," one selectman said, calling the project's handling "outrageous." Public Works Director Tiger said the contractor remains a month and a half behind schedule on Route 106.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,519 words
Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of September 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
Agenda and Minutes
The board opened its regularly scheduled Tuesday morning meeting by amending the agenda to add a New Canaan EMS fly car vendor correction and a public works update, both after item 15, and a parks and recreation spirit-wear request after item 12A. Members approved the amended agenda and the August 18 meeting minutes without discussion, both unanimously. No members of the public addressed the board during the public comment period.
Police Department Technology and Fleet Purchases
The Police Department, represented by the police chief and a staffer identified only as Joe, brought three requests. The first replaced a July purchase order with SHI for Microsoft licensing that failed to meet Department of Justice security requirements; the board approved a $26,769.60 contract with Vandis instead, a vendor already used for the department's broader Department of Justice compliance migration. A selectman asked whether the department had coordinated with "Chris," and Joe confirmed it had. The original SHI quote had been roughly $16,000, versus the $10,000 difference cited for the corrected Vandis product, though officials said the full new cost reflects requirements SHI's product did not meet.
The board then approved $165,546.78 with Colonial Municipal Group, at government contract pricing, for three 2026 Chevrolet Tahoes to replace three aging patrol vehicles that Joe said burn excessive oil, unrelated to mileage. The retiring Tahoes will be reassigned to secondary "side job" duty, displacing three high-mileage Ford Explorers being traded in. Joe estimated patrol Tahoes typically remain in front-line service three to four years, with roughly 80,000 miles as a rough end-of-life marker, though engine idling time complicates that estimate given the vehicles' non-civilian duty cycle.
A related $71,144 purchase order with Fleet Auto Supply, a new vendor for the department, covers upfitting: mobile data terminals, ticket printers, radios and light bars. Officials said Fleet Auto's in-stock equipment should cut turnaround to a few weeks rather than several months, and a selectman asked whether other departments had used the vendor; Joe said feedback had been very positive. Combined with previously approved MDT and printer purchases, officials estimated a fully outfitted patrol vehicle now costs $90,000 to $95,000.
"We're just trying to get to what are we spending all in on a vehicle with like fully kitted out." — a member of the Board of Selectmen
Fire Department Purchase Order Increases
Fire Chief Phil — his surname was not confirmed during the meeting — requested two purchase order increases tied to the department's apparatus committee work. The first, with Precision Brake Works Inc., adds $18,240.24 and $9,327.95 in new estimates to $5,532.20 in completed work, plus roughly $2,692.81 in contingency, bringing the total invoice to $33,307.19. The funds outfit the department's "tack unit," a replacement pickup received over the summer that will carry SCBA equipment and serve as a flexible response vehicle when the rescue unit is out of service — an occurrence the chief said now affects roughly 40 percent of the department's simultaneous calls this year.
The second request increases the Fire Tech and Safety purchase order from $20,000 to $40,000, driven primarily by a $10,064 second gear washer for the department's fire station, funded from an existing capital line, plus water-supply valve and equipment purchases the chief said followed a meeting with the Board of Finance. The chief said the current single gear washer creates a bottleneck after live-fire training, when volunteer firefighters without second sets of turnout gear must wait to be redeployed.
"This will effectively double our capacity to get people back in service after a fire." — Fire Chief Phil
A selectman asked whether the tack unit would function as a first-response vehicle; the chief said no, but that it would let two firefighters investigate lower-severity calls such as carbon monoxide alarms with SCBA protection, freeing larger apparatus for structure fires. The board approved both increases in a single unanimous motion.
Wastewater Sludge Disposal Contract Extension
New Canaan's five-year sludge hauling and disposal contract with Cinegro expired June 30, and a subsequent public bid drew no responses. Public Works Director Tiger and a Cinegro account representative identified only as Pat, described by Tiger as "the guru" on the subject, told the board the town's contract requires Cinegro to continue interim service while a new agreement is negotiated.
Pat traced the crisis to 2016, when disposal radius requirements began expanding well beyond 100 miles due to compost and landfill closures, and said PFAS-related legislation has more recently pushed dewatered sludge pellets — previously land-applied — into landfills instead. New Canaan's primary disposal outlet, Veolia's Naugatuck incinerator, has cut its daily tanker acceptance from about 30 to 10 or fewer after falling out of compliance with its own phosphorus discharge permit for three years, a violation Veolia links to dewatering New Canaan's liquid sludge. Pat said she has secured initial approval, but not yet a signed contract, from Passaic Valley, a New Jersey facility on the I-95 corridor; any resulting contract would run about three years, the outer limit she said the industry considers financially sustainable.
"Every municipality has this issue. We're not the only ones." — Pat, Cinegro account representative
A selectman asked about rail alternatives; Pat said rail cannot handle liquid sludge but that Cinegro is shifting some Northeast municipalities toward a rail division in Newark, New Jersey, for dewatered material. Asked about emerging disposal technology, Pat cited gasification as promising but unproven, and noted regional dryer technology exists but PFAS rules still route the resulting pellets to landfills.
The board approved a $121,085.49 interim FY27 contract extension covering unpaid July and August balances plus a roughly three-month contingency period, though Pat said she expects a new agreement sooner. Officials noted the extension holds current rates; a future long-term contract is expected to carry a substantial increase, which the town's budgeted contingency may not fully cover.
Police Dispatch Center Air Conditioning
Following the police department building's first full winter in operation, a commissioning process identified that the VRF heating and cooling system could not adequately cool the 24/7 dispatch center on extreme cold days without over-cooling adjacent offices, including records. The project architect, engineer and commissioning agent recommended a dedicated ductless split system for the dispatch center. The town received two quotes: $32,500 from Eastern Mechanical Services, the building's maintenance contractor, and $35,000 from MJ Daily, the HVAC contractor. Staff recommended Eastern Mechanical Services.
A selectman noted the department used a temporary cooling unit last winter because of heat generated by dispatch computer equipment, distinct from the building's separate, adequately functioning IT room. Staff said the issue affects days below roughly 15 degrees and that the new system will run automatically with no external venting required, using a remote condenser. Funding comes from the project's day-two contingency account, which staff said still holds approximately $200,000 and had seen minimal use. The board approved $35,750 — $32,500 plus a $3,250 contingency — with an installation timeline of two to three weeks, to be coordinated with dispatch staffing.
Lapham Community Center Ceiling Replacement
As part of ongoing capital work at the Douglas Room, public works crews already refinished floors and repainted; the next phase replaces a dated, deteriorating hanging ceiling with a design similar to one recently installed elsewhere in town. Central Connecticut Acoustics Inc., an existing town vendor with a state contract, quoted $11,769 against a $10,000 internal estimate. The board approved $13,539, including a $1,770 contingency.
Waveny Park Youth Softball Field
The Parks Department requested $18,515 to purchase 115 tons of DuraEdge Classic infield mix from DuraEdge Products Inc. for a new youth softball field near the former Waveny men's softball field location. Staff said the field will not accommodate a full adult softball layout but will serve younger girls' softball, oriented so play faces away from Kiwanis Field's outfield fence. No contingency was requested because the delivered tonnage will likely fall slightly under 115 tons. The $75,000 capital budget for the project also covers irrigation and a small backstop; parks staff said they are performing the installation in-house. The board approved the purchase unanimously.
Parks and Recreation Truck Replacement
One selectman recused himself from this vote. The Parks and Recreation Department requested approval to purchase a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 double-cab pickup with approximately 10,000 miles from Carl Chevrolet, replacing a 2017 Silverado with 142,000 miles. Staff said the used, low-mileage truck compared favorably in price and condition against five other vehicles reviewed, some located farther away with higher mileage and higher asking prices. The purchase price with accessories is $71,072; an $8,000 trade-in of the existing truck and its plow brings the net cost to $63,072. The town will also trade in the old plow for a new one. The replacement is budgeted in the FY27 capital budget alongside $170,000 set aside for two truck purchases; a second parks truck purchase is expected later. The vehicle carries a warranty through July 2028 or 48,000 miles. The board approved the purchase unanimously among voting members.
Spirit Wear Sale Approval at Waveny House
The Saxe School PTC asked to sell spirit wear at a welcome-back coffee for teachers at Waveny House on September 16, after inquiring about Wi-Fi capacity for point-of-sale needs. Staff said the request prompted a plan to add a standing question about on-site sales to park facility usage forms going forward. The board approved the one-time sales request unanimously.
Storm Damage Trail Repairs
Public works staff, including Tiger and a colleague identified as Ryan, surveyed damage from the July 21 storm across trails at Waveny Park, Kiwanis Park and Bristow Bird Sanctuary and solicited bids from eight contractors, receiving two: Peter Lonnie Inc. at $71,280.45 and a higher bid from HA Landscaping. A selectman asked whether recurring washout locations could receive longer-term drainage fixes; Tiger said some repeat trouble spots already have new drainage installed but that the volume of water in recent storms exceeded capacity regardless. He noted the town's more recent weekend storm caused less damage than July's, avoiding the flooding experienced by neighboring Darien and Westport.
The board approved $78,280.45, including a $7,000 contingency. A selectman asked whether the unbudgeted expense displaced other capital work; Tiger confirmed it consumed the department's entire roughly $25,000 to $30,000 trail-rebuilding allocation for the year, funded partly through a Board of Finance-approved transfer consolidating closed project accounts. Trail rebuilding work will resume in the FY28 budget cycle.
Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon Maintenance
A finance department staffer identified as Dan joined Tiger to explain a procedural cleanup: a fiscal 2026 purchase order for TAPCO beacon maintenance came in at $11,940 against a $15,000 budget, but the invoice arrived after the 60-day window to adjust the open purchase order, requiring after-the-fact approval alongside a new FY27 contract. The board approved a combined $27,140 FY27 purchase order covering all 16 town crosswalk beacon locations — 11 TAPCO units and five from a legacy manufacturer, Carmanah — with TAPCO servicing all 16 regardless of brand, though only TAPCO-manufactured units receive an extended warranty for repairs. Staff said the department has received zero service calls since TAPCO's initial maintenance round last year. A selectman flagged continued resident complaints about a three-way intersection near the Congregational Church on Park Street, St. John's Place and Park Street Extension, where an older LED-edge sign remains in place; staff described it as a candidate for a sign upgrade rather than a new crossing location.
Transfer Station Loader Tire Replacement
The board approved $23,375 with Ballardinelli Tires for replacement foam-filled loader tires at the transfer station. Staff compared the price to a 2019 purchase of $20,059.95 for the same service, noting a roughly 3 percent annual inflation adjustment would put the expected cost near $24,671. A selectman asked about the town's total annual spending with the vendor, estimated at roughly $60,000 combined across departments; staff said Ballardinelli's state contract pricing exempts the purchases from additional competitive-quote requirements.
EMS Fly Car Vendor Correction
Public works staff asked the board to correct a clerical error from a purchase approved several months earlier for a new 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe fly car for New Canaan EMS. The $21,373.24 contract had been written to NORCOM but should have named Motorola. The board approved canceling the NORCOM order and issuing the same amount to Motorola.
Department of Public Works Update
Tiger delivered an extended update on road and building projects, dominated by problems on South Avenue and Route 106. A contractor working on behalf of Aquarion Water Company had been approved to work four to five consecutive Saturdays on permanent trench restoration and paving on South Avenue between Harrison Street and Farm Road, with agreed hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Instead, the crew mobilized at 6:50 a.m. and continued working despite repeated requests from the town to stop, finally leaving the site between 8:25 and 8:30 a.m. Tiger said he contacted the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which held a Monday conference call and suspended all Saturday work for that contractor at that location.
The same crew is roughly a month and a half behind schedule on a related stretch of Route 106 between Wilton and New Canaan, and Saturday work in New Canaan had been intended to help it catch up before the DOT's typical October 15 and November 15 paving-season cutoffs. With Saturdays no longer available, officials said a new timeline for both South Avenue and Route 106 completion is uncertain pending a meeting this week among the DOT, Aquarion and the contractor.
"How incompetent can a company be? I mean, it's crazy." — Public Works Director Tiger
Tiger said Aquarion's transition amid an ownership sale may explain the contractor's aggressive, poorly sequenced work across multiple road segments simultaneously. One option under discussion is a two-inch mill-and-pave of South Avenue's southbound lane this fall, followed by full trench restoration next summer once existing repairs settle — a sequence Tiger said the DOT itself proposed, though he stressed no plan is finalized. He estimated a mill-and-pave operation, limited to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. work hours to avoid rush-hour truck-plant conflicts, would take several days once scheduled. Separately, a natural gas line extension into Wilton is being pressure-tested this week, with a roughly 20-hour disruption expected near Clapboard Hill Road as the line is purged and filled.
On Main Street, milling work in front of the police and fire departments was completed, with milling continuing to the intersection of South Avenue and Cherry Street. Four consecutive nights of repaving were scheduled beginning Thursday, running 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., with overnight parking restrictions on Main Street between Locust Street and Cherry Street.
At Lapham Community Center and Waveny House, recent storms caused renewed water intrusion into basement areas, less severe than a prior flood but persistent enough that officials have paused replacing damaged carpeting until an outside engineering firm can assess drainage issues behind Lapham. Public works crews jetted drainage lines and planned to use a vactor truck to televise them for blockages; a 20-foot storage container was delivered to empty the Lapham basement this week. At Irwin Park, excavation work is complete and machinery removal was expected by the following week. At Waveny House, an elevator contractor requested additional wheels and track hardware to stabilize a cantilevered cab design before final tile flooring and inspection; the work was expected to begin the following Monday with no additional cost identified.
Tree Warden Contract
The town's tree warden, referred to only as Bob, solicited quotes from six or seven contractors for 16 separate tree-work locations, including work in Bristow Bird Sanctuary, but received only one bid, from Olmsted Tree and Landscape Company, totaling $44,032. A selectman raised concerns ahead of an upcoming town audit about documenting sufficient competitive solicitation under the town's purchasing policy, which requires quotes from at least four vendors. Staff said solicitation emails sent to all vendors would be retained as backup documentation, and discussed increasing the standard number of solicitations from four to six going forward given wide variation in tree-work pricing. The board approved the $44,032 contract unanimously.
GFOA Conference Travel Request
The finance department requested approval for one staff member to attend the New England States Government Finance Officers Association conference in Providence, Rhode Island, September 27 to 30, at a cost not to exceed $1,400 — reduced from an original $1,600 quote due to a GFOA board-member discount. Staff cited the conference's relevance given New Canaan's frequent interaction with Connecticut peer municipalities, and noted the town's auditors, actuary, bond counsel and a bond-rating agency representative would be present. The board approved the request unanimously.
Kevin O'Connor Removed From Probation
The Human Resources Department, represented by a staffer identified as Mimi, requested that Parking Manager Kevin O'Connor be moved from probationary to permanent full-time status. O'Connor previously worked five years in the town clerk's office before joining the parking department in February 2026. Board members praised his performance in a role Mimi described as often difficult, given public frustration at the parking counter. The board approved the change unanimously.
Contract Approval Threshold Increase
Citing prior board discussion and the effects of inflation since the threshold was last set, the board approved raising its contract approval threshold from $10,000 to $15,000, meaning future purchases in that range will no longer require a board vote. Staff noted all purchases below the new threshold remain within already-approved department budgets.
Legal Fees and Tax Overpayments
The board approved routine legal fee payments, including a matter involving Cody Real Estate versus the town's Planning and Zoning Commission, and approved a routine batch of tax overpayment refunds, both unanimously and without extended discussion.
Selectman's Comments
A selectman urged residents to rely on official town communications rather than social media or unofficial mailers regarding a preliminary Waveny LifeCare proposal, noting no vote or discussion on the matter is scheduled for the Town Council's Wednesday evening meeting and that the proposal remains in early stages. Board members also reflected on a September 11 commemoration ceremony and a Friday night football game honoring emergency services, noting the high school football coach's 400th career win.
Board of Selectmen members present: at least four members participated in discussion, including selectmen identified in the transcript only by the first names Amy, John and Diana; the presiding officer was not named in the transcript. One selectman recused himself from the Parks and Recreation truck purchase vote. No absences were noted.
Staff in attendance: Public Works Director Tiger; a Public Works staffer identified as Ryan; New Canaan Police Chief (name not given) and staffer Joe; Fire Chief Phil (surname unconfirmed); Fire Department Lieutenant Sasser and Firefighter Pat Moley (spellings unconfirmed); a Public Works/facilities staffer identified as Bill; a Finance Department staffer identified as Dan; Human Resources staffer Mimi; Tree Warden Bob; Parking Manager Kevin O'Connor.
Outside parties: Pat, an account representative for Cinegro, representing the town's sludge hauling and disposal vendor.
Public commenters: none during the public comment period.
Cinegro — the town's sludge hauling and disposal contractor for 25-plus years; subject of the interim contract extension.
Veolia (Naugatuck) — operates the incinerator that is New Canaan's primary sludge disposal outlet; cited as constrained by its own phosphorus permit violations.
Passaic Valley (New Jersey) — prospective new disposal facility under negotiation by Cinegro on the town's behalf.
Vandis — Microsoft licensing vendor approved to replace a noncompliant SHI purchase order.
Colonial Municipal Group and Fleet Auto Supply — vendors for the three new police Tahoes and their upfitting.
Precision Brake Works Inc. and Fire Tech and Safety — vendors for fire apparatus and gear-washer purchase order increases.
Eastern Mechanical Services and MJ Daily — competing bidders for the police dispatch center AC installation; Eastern Mechanical Services was selected.
Central Connecticut Acoustics Inc. — selected for the Lapham Community Center ceiling replacement.
DuraEdge Products Inc. — infield mix supplier for the new Waveny Park youth softball field.
Carl Chevrolet — vendor for the Parks and Recreation truck replacement.
Peter Lonnie Inc. and HA Landscaping — bidders for storm-damage trail repair; Peter Lonnie Inc. was selected.
TAPCO and Carmanah — manufacturers of the town's rapid rectangular flashing beacons; TAPCO holds the FY27 maintenance contract.
Ballardinelli Tires — longtime town vendor for replacement vehicle and equipment tires, cited under state contract pricing.
NORCOM and Motorola — vendors involved in the EMS fly car purchase order correction.
Olmsted Tree and Landscape Company — sole bidder and selected contractor for town tree work.
Aquarion Water Company — cited as the entity overseeing the South Avenue/Route 106 contractor whose scheduling violations prompted a DOT work suspension.
Connecticut Department of Transportation — suspended Saturday work on South Avenue after the contractor violated agreed hours; involved in ongoing scheduling negotiations for both South Avenue and Route 106.
Board of Finance — granted a transfer request consolidating capital accounts to help fund storm damage trail repairs; reviewing the FY26 purchase order adjustments related to the RRFB contract.
Waveny LifeCare proposal — referenced by a selectman as an early-stage matter not on the Town Council's Wednesday agenda; residents urged to rely on official town communications.