dinner audienceMore than 200 community members that serve on Boards and commissions and work for the Town and work on community improvement activities were invited to dinner by Cardigan Mountain School on Wednesday, March 13th to thank them for their efforts over the past five years. During the dinner, slide shows were shown (links to the left) that presented the more than 150 major accomplishments over the past five years and graphically displayed the results of everyone's hard work. Many were surprised by the depth of change and improvement that has occurred in the Town. It's worth a look. Even the people attending were not aware of everything that has happened.

What Canaan has accomplished during the past 5 years.

  • meeting house bell towerTotal Budget – Flat at $3.5 million for SIX YEARS - saved by doing things differently - no service reduction
  • Debt drops by 93%
  • Funded Pay Increases 2009-2013 - 7.9%
  • Fully funded Capital Reserves for Major Equipment, Minor Equipment, Dirt Road Reconstruction, Bridges and Paving
  • Major Building Renovation ($850,000 in Total)
    • Meeting House Pew Boxes, Meeting House Tower, Library Lower Level, Library Main Floor, Highway Salt Sheds
    backhoe
  • New Equipment
    • 3 Dump Trucks, 2 Cruisers, 1 Back Hoe, 1 Fire Truck, 1 Fire Command Vehicle, 1 Bull Dozer
  • Expanded Services
    • Water & Sewer - Capacity Increased - 50%
    • Recreation - Started Swim Instruction, Lifeguards, Crafts, Sports, Day and Vacation camps - 100%
  • Better Services
      • child climbing on playground equipment
    • Water - Chlorine Reduction (75%), Line Cleaning, Water Conservation and Management, Replacement of Hydrants, Fairer Rates and Filtering
    • Sewer – New Aeration and Rebuilt Pump Station
    • Highway – Fully Funded Paving Schedule, Rebuilding Dirt Road Base, New Ditching and Tree removal, Reduced Salt
    • Recreation – New Playground
    • Fire - Minor and Major Equipment Replacement Schedule, Training and Funding
    • Cross Training – Highway – Fire –
      • fire fighters using escape tools
    • Rescue – Police – Transfer – Cemetery - Government Buildings
    • Police Department greater officer efficiency and effectiveness Manage lower payroll with 70% greater caseload - new technology for communications, safety and management of incidents
    • Town improved technology for communications and data processing and data accessibility for public and Departments