CANTON — Town Clerk Carol Buzzell resigned Thursday, telling selectmen she has accepted a job as the new town manager in Greene.

Buzzell handed her resignation letter to selectmen during their meeting, thanking the board for “the professional opportunities provided and the experience I’ve gained over the past 3 and a half years.”

Her last day of work will be April 8, she wrote in her letter.

Earlier in March Buzzell was appointed interim treasurer following the resignation of Vernice Boyce in February. That position was only to last until June 30, the end of the town’s fiscal year.

Selectmen Thursday appointed Deputy Clerk Nicki Girard as interim town clerk, tax collector and treasurer.

Vehicle problems

Selectmen discussed the fire department’s 1989 tanker truck, which Fire Chief Jason Vaughan told selectmen in February needs to be replaced.

“I would really like to get a second opinion as to what is wrong with it,” Selectman Carole Robbins said. “Not the pump issue, I know we know that, but the electrical, whatever is going on with it.”

Board Chairman Russell Adams agreed that getting a second opinion on the tanker’s many problems would be beneficial.

“I understand that with the fire truck it’s a safety issue,” he said. “I think it would be easier to bring to the people (for a vote in June) if we had a second opinion.”

Vaughan did not attend the meeting Thursday, however, Firefighter Jim Martin said the tanker “had electrical issues with lights not flashing” and other related problems.

“We’ve had trouble with starting it and (we) fix it but then something else breaks. It’s not always the same thing, it’s that just continually that truck’s getting older. Things were breaking down over and over again, it seems,” Martin said.

In the highway department, selectmen said they will seek bids for a new body for a Western Star truck bought five years ago.

“We’ve had issues with it since we bought it five years ago,” Selectman Brian Keene said. “It’s not really designed for our roads; it’s designed more for state roads’ set-up or turnpike set-up.”

Keene also said the town has “spent a lot of money trying to fit it to do what we want it to do, drop the salt where we need to drop the salt.”

Public Works Foreman Paul McKenna told the selectmen that a chain on the truck broke this fall and it cost $500 to replace it.

“But it’s just not a good setup for what we use (and) what we need anyways,” McKenna said.

Other business

Deputy Clerk Nicki Girard told the selectmen that nomination papers are available for two three-year positions on the Select Board and a position on the Planning Board.

“Nobody has picked up any (nomination papers) yet,” Girard said. The nomination papers for the positions are due back by April 15, she said.

The terms for Keene and Scotty Kilbreth both expire June 30. Keene said he will not seek reelection and Kilbreth has not commented about his plans.

The town is also looking for applicants for the town’s $2,000 scholarship for high school students. Keene shared a copy of the application form.

Applications for the current school year are available at the guidance office at Dirigo High School, on the town of Canton Facebook page and in the town office.

To be considered for the award students must have been accepted at a post-secondary educational institution, trade school or military academy, or for military service.

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