Just months after a staff realignment meant to free up then-Town Manager Nick Scheuer to focus on recovery and resiliency efforts in the wake of twin tragedies, Scheuer has submitted his resignation to Canton’s town attorney and governing board. 

The Town of Canton, still beset with myriad issues related to both natural and human-caused disasters, took an unprecedented step by shuffling one administrator into a newly created position and promoting another — saving taxpayer money and making history at the same time.

When Pactiv Evergreen announced it would close its 115-year-old paper mill in Canton earlier this year, local leaders had to deal with a host of issues: the plight of the workers and their families, their health care coverage, declining school enrollment, pollution and the future of the site itself.

Officials on both the local and the state level have been adamant in demanding Pactiv Evergreen be held accountable for a number of unresolved issues since shortly after the company announced it would halt operations in Canton. But now, a week after the mill’s final whistle blew, they’re adopting a more forceful tone.

The Town of Canton has made another big move toward recovery from Tropical Storm Fred by accepting advanced planning documents from the architects who will help build, rehab or restore municipal buildings damaged almost two years ago.

Administrators from the Town of Canton’s various departments met with Mayor Zeb Smathers and members of the town board March 23 to begin to prepare for the financial impact of the closing of Pactiv Evergreen’s paper mill, estimated by Town Manager Nick Scheuer at roughly $3 million.

Jason Burrell, an integral part of the town of Canton’s administration for the past 12 years and town manager for the past four, has resigned.

Effective immediately Canton Town Manager Jason Burrell has been suspended indefinitely without pay pending further board action, Mayor Zeb Smathers told a meeting of town employees earlier this afternoon while accompanied by Mayor Pro Temp Gail Mull.