Mediator Helping Cheshire, Adams Officials With Communication
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Cheshire and Adams officials are trying to work out their issues after a tension-filled year.
Selectmen Chairman Robert Ciskowski told his colleagues on Tuesday that the initial "Community Paradigm Working Group" meeting between several select, finance and school officials of the two towns was productive.
"I really think we can make some progress because we have not communicated well in the past and Adams isn't going anywhere, and neither are we," he said. "I went into the meeting feeling a certain way and I came out with a different perspective ... it was really easy just to sit down and talk about some of the issues."
Discussions leading up to the closing of Cheshire Elementary School last year created an obvious rift between the two communities.
The town of Adams secured state funding to hire a mediator, Bernie Lynch of Community Paradigm Inc., to hold a series of meetings to improve relationships and communication between the two towns regarding their regional school district.
Ciskowski was surprised to find most of the animosity was on Cheshire's end and he said he did not notice any hostility from Adams.
"I didn't pick up any issues from Adams," he said. "Some good ideas were passed back and forth, and I don't think Adams is angry at us."
Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said she did not feel Adams had a reason to be upset with Cheshire.
Ciskowski said he was also made privy to some of the issues Adams faces that aren't necessarily concerns in Cheshire.
"It was a really good meeting and no voices were raised. It was nice to be able to talk with them and hear about what they are up against," he said. "They have different sets of problems and we do have some things in common, but they have some unique problems they are working on."
Ciskowski said the two towns went over some of their inner processes and he was impressed by how official Adams' planning practices were. He added that they also talked about sharing services in the future.
Adams representatives felt they needed to maintain the level of services they currently have, he siad, but were impressed by how far Cheshire could "stretch a dollar."
The next meeting will be in mid-December. Ciskowski asked that the entire board attend the second meeting in December. There was not a quorum of any board at the first meeting but the second will be posted.
"I think if the next meeting is like the first one I think you will be glad you went," he said. "It was a good dialogue."
In other business, Highway Department Superintendent Blair Crane hoped to have Windsor Road open by Friday afternoon.
"We are in the homestretch we just had a few hiccups," he said. "
During a storm last month, a portion of the road was washed out. The town has been aggressively trying to make the difficult repair before the road deteriorates more.
Crane said they were placing boulders in the ledge, building up back to the road to strengthen it. He said because of the difficulty of the terrain, he will use flowable fill to reinforce the road's structure.
"It will take about 40 yards of concrete and we will have a pump truck up there with a pump over the side and we will literally take concrete and put it between all of the rocks and try to anchor it all together and form one big slab," he said.
He said the plan is to change to change the pitch of the road and make other improvements that he hopes will deter the problem in the future.
Crane said if the weather holds, paving could take place Thursday. If the weather is an issue, the opening may be delayed until early next week.
"I think it is a good fix and I am glad we will be in and out of this in three weeks," he said.
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