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Selectboard Public Hearing/Regular Meeting Agenda (minutes)

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Canaan Select Board Meeting  
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 
EOC, Canaan, NH 
 
Select Board: Stephen Freese, Scott Johnston, Jack Wozmak, Monica Rowe, Cariann Zandell, 
Corey Clark of the NH Dept. of Environmental Services, Hue Wetherbee, Cindy Neily, Stella 
Butterfield, Bob Souza, Ellie Davis, George and Kerry Lazarus, Rick and Linda Paulsen, Russell 
Weder, Michael Riese, Lynette Barna, John Sheehan, Tom Duplinsky, Dean Leid, Norm Milkie, 
Bob Hargraves; Recorded by Roger Lohr 
 
DRAFT MINUTES 
 
1. Call to Order of the Canaan Select Board Meeting  
Stephen Freese called the town meeting to order at 6:00 PM.  
 
2. Minutes Approval 
A motion was made and seconded (Johnston, Freese) to approve the Select Board meeting 
minutes of the public meeting held on September 1, 2026 as submitted. The motion was 
approved. 
 
3. Goose Pond Dam Project  
On behalf of the state Environmental Services, Corey Clark an engineer with the NH Dept. of 
Environmental Services gave an overview of the state’s Goose Pond dam project in Canaan. An 
overview of the project timeline was outlined and the failure of the two faulty gates that were 
installed was explained. The gate manufacturer is responsible for the problem and the project to 
replace the gates will begin in October with the pond draining to commence on October 1st. The 
new gates are expected to be installed by mid-December. Refilling the pond would begin on 
January 1st. Testing of the new gates would be done in the spring and equipment should be 
removed by February. Questions were asked and discussion ensued referring to the specifics of 
the project, the impact on wildlife and flora, water quality degradation, and the impact on Goose 
Pond Road associated with the use of heavy equipment. 
 
4. Truck Lease 
A motion was made and seconded (Freese, Johnston) to the resolution to authorize 
$266,173 Lease Purchase Financing of Equipment be approved in form presented to the 
meeting and that attested copy of said resolution be included with the minutes of this 
meeting. The motion was approved.  
 
A motion was made and seconded (Freese, Johnston) to authorize the Canaan Town 
Administrator to sign the truck lease agreement. The motion was approved. 
 
5. Nonprofit Organization’s Tax Status 

 
 
A motion was made and seconded (Johnston, Freese) to grant tax exempt status for the 
Cardigan Fish & Game organization. The motion was approved.  
 
6. Freight Shed Proposal  
The proposal by the Mascoma Valley Preservation Alliance for purchasing the town’s Freight 
Shed at $10,000 was brought to the Select Board. The plans are for a renovation valued at 
$540,000 and then it would become a business or facility with a useful purpose with a historical 
element. The Select Board questioned the parking situation and the adjacent Log Cabin property 
has also had an offer. The town administrator will look into the two lots and the parking issue. 
 
7. Halloween Hours 
A motion was made and seconded (Johnston, Freese) to approve the Halloween hours on 
Saturday, October 31 from 5-7:00 PM. The motion was approved. 
 
8. Abatement Request 
A resident requested that the assessment of her home be reviewed and she will be given the name 
of the town assessor to apply for an abatement. 
 
9. Water Ordinance  
The Canaan town water ordinance was last reviewed in 1998 and it is currently being reviewed. 
A public meeting will be held when any proposed changes are made to the water ordinance in 
town. 
 
10. Upper Valley Humane Society contract 
The Select Board signed the annual agreement with the Upper Valley Humane Society. 
 
11. Job Description Files 
The job descriptions for town employees will be reviewed and there are some missing positions 
to add. 
 
12. Cemetery Tree Removal 
The Cemetery Trustees developed a list of trees that need to be removed or addressed at four 
different cemeteries in town. The details were reviewed and the amount requested was $8,600 
which was above the cemetery budget. Some trees were to be trimmed, removed, or cabled. 
 
A motion was made and seconded (Johnston, Freese) to approve the amount of $8,600 for a 
tree removal project at town cemeteries. Discussion: The amount would be taken from the 
town contingency fund. The motion was approved.  
 
13. Property Sale Auction 
The town property sale auction will be held on Saturday, October 24th at 10:00 AM at the EOC 
and a Select Board member needs to be on hand to sign documents. 
 

 
 
14. Town Administrator Update 
14A. Town Administrator Jack Wozmak spoke about generators at town facilities and reviewed 
the status of recent investigations. A service contract for the town’s generators has been signed. 
The Water Plant generator is running. The Depot Street pumping station generator is not 
repairable and engineers are considering what is needed there. The Waste Water Treatment Plant 
generator needs to be replaced and the town administrator is looking into state emergency grants. 
The fire and police station generator needs about $3,800 of work. 
 
14B. The water lines in town are being flushed on a schedule and this should help with 
discolored water in homes. The flushing process will become routine for the town. 
 
14C. The Potato Road Bridge project is going to bid this fall with work slated for 2027 at $3.4 
million. The construction is 100% covered by the Federal government. The bridge design work 
was covered 80% so the town costs were about $80,000. The Grist Mill Hill Bridge project to be 
done in 2028 is $6 million with all but $20,000 covered. The Transfer Station Bridge estimate is 
about $3 million and is to be done in 2029 on a 80-20% split so the town cost would be about 
$700,000. The total amount for the three bridges in $12 million with the town responsible for 
about $800,000. New Warrant Articles may be necessary to update the numbers on the bridge 
projects. 
 
14D. Some Town Hall work projects have been accomplished with volunteer support.  
 
15. Other Business 
15. Select Board member Freese stated that the new fire chief Jeremy Thibeau has started this 
week. 
15B. The fire hydrants in town are being reviewed and some have problems or have failed 
testing. Select Board member Freese expressed appreciation to the town DPW and water 
department for addressing the hydrant system.  
15C. Stearns has been hired to pump septic systems at houses in town. 
15D. The items in the town property auction will be posted on line. 
 
8. Adjournment  
A motion was made and seconded (Freese, Johnston) to adjourn the public meeting at 7:25 
PM. The motion was approved.  
 
The next Select Board meeting is scheduled for a special select board meeting on Tuesday, 
September 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the EOC for a meeting.   
 
APPROVED BY SELECT BOARD: 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Stephen Freese (Chair) 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Sadie Wells 
____________________________________________________________________________ 
Scott Johnston