BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON - The search for a new police chief in the Village of Canton has begun.

The Canton Village Board acknowledged the pending retirement of Canton Police Chief James Santimaw at its monthly meeting on Wednesday night. Santimaw is expected to retire in January 2025.

Village trustees gave Mayor Michael Dalton permission to pull the test list for his replacement and an accompanying list to hire an additional police officer if the police chief’s position is filled within the department.

Dalton did note that one sergeant currently on the police force has passed the police chief test.

Santimaw was sworn in as police chief in July 2016. At that time, the Canton native welcomed the challenge and the opportunity to serve his hometown community.

“I grew up in Canton and I always aspired to do this job. I always wanted to give back to the community I grew up in. That was very important to me,” he stated.

Santimaw joined the Canton Police Department as a patrol officer in 1998. He was promoted to sergeant in 2003. 

The retirement of long-time village clerk Sally Noble was also announced Wednesday night. Noble plans to retire in the end of May or early June 2025.

In other village matters, the board is looking for two people to serve on the Canton Housing Authority board of directors, two people for the Village Planning Board and one person for the Village’s Zoning Board of Appeals.