Minot Select Board Chairman Daniel Gilpatric presents a bouquet of flowers Tuesday to Barbara Paiton, 95, the recipient of the town’s Boston Post Cane. Board Vice Chairman Lisa Cesare, right, looks on. Eriks Petersons photo

MINOT — “Ninety-five and still alive!” That’s what Barbara Paiton exclaimed upon receiving the 2024 Boston Post Cane on Tuesday night.

The ebony-and-gold cane honored Paiton as the oldest resident of the town.

Paiton informed the board that she still takes a 25-minute walk every day.

The Boston Post Cane tradition started in 1909 by Edwin Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post newspaper, who sent canes to 700 towns across New England requesting that the cane be given to the oldest male resident in town.

Minot resident Barbara Paiton, the recipient of the Boston Post Cane, gathers Tuesday with members of her family who attended the Minot Select Board meeting to receive the honor.  Eriks Petersons photo

In 1930, women were eligible to be awarded the cane.

Although the number of towns that carry on the tradition has dwindled, Minot officials plan to encase their cane in a custom case to be displayed at the Town Office with names of the recipients.

In other business, interim Fire Chief Dean Campbell spoke about new federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations proposed in February for fire departments.

Campbell strongly intimated that the proposed requirements on training require significant financial and personnel strain on volunteer fire departments.

Last week, Maine U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, together with 41 other members of Congress, sent a letter to OSHA that said, “We have heard from volunteer fire departments and first responders in our districts that the new requirements proposed in the rule would result in their closure, undermining public safety and leaving many communities without essential emergency services.”

The Select Board also approved a new fee schedule for cremation lots at the Center Minot Hill Cemetery: $400 for residents and $600 for nonresidents.