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Thursday, January 7, 2021 - 1:25 pm
BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week
CANTON The town council has appointed longtime local public radio journalist Martha Foley Smith as a council member for 2021 to fill the vacancy left by former councilwoman Karin Blackburn.
However, prior to naming Foley Smith to the council seat, the board was again criticized for their handling of Blackburn’s appointment to the town clerk’s position last week.
Blackburn resigned from her elected council post Dec. 18 and was appointed as interim town clerk on Dec. 31 to fill out the remaining term of then retiring clerk Lisa Hammond.
Foley Smith was one of four people who expressed interest in serving as an interim council member, said Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley at the board reorganizational meeting Wednesday, Jan. 6 when Foley Smith was named to the council seat.
Thursday, December 31, 2020 - 1:37 pm
BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week
CANTON The Canton town board took a grilling from members of the public over their appointment of former board member Karin Blackburn to the position of interim clerk.
At one point, as many as 72 people attended the Thursday, Dec. 31 meeting where the board made the appointment. That number includes town board members and officials.
Prior to the appointment, town residents in attendance criticized the board’s decision to appoint Blackburn over current Deputy Clerk Heidi Smith, who retiring clerk Lisa Hammond recommended for the post.
Hammond is leaving a year early from her current elected term. The political appointment of an interim clerk to serve out the remainder of a vacant term (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2021) is solely a town board decision. Both Smith and Blackburn interviewed for the position on Dec. 17, said Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley. The supervisor said state law indic
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 - 5:24 pm
BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week
CANTON Attorneys for the town of Canton will be sending a reply letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation notifying the agency that there are no publicly owned sewer systems in the town.
The DEC recently sent a notice to the town to register what it believes is a publicly owned sewer system or face a fine of more than $37,000 per day until it is registered.
Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley told the board at their meeting Dec. 10 that, after conferring with the town codes department and the village department of public works, she had contacted the DEC after receiving the notice to tell them that the town does not operate such a system.
Friday, December 11, 2020 - 10:18 am
BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week
CANTON – The town board has passed a resolution increasing the premium contributions for the supplemental insurance it provides for its retirees and their survivors from the 20-25 percent range to 35 percent for 2021. The amount will go up to 50 percent for 2022 for the 12 people who have the insurance.
The move is in response to the 2017 state audit which leveled several criticisms at the town over how it handled town provided insurance for retirees, employees and officials. The board passed the resolution at its meeting Thursday, Dec. 10, along with a second resolution increasing the contributions of non-contract current employees from 20 to 25 percent. A third resolution modifying the contributions of certain elected officials town clerk and town highway superintendent was tabled. Town highway employees, working under a negotiated contract will continue to pay contributions