Cheshire Town Cleanup Deemed Success
 The Selectmen were updated on the town cleanup and Dollar General's progress. |
CHESHIRE, Mass. – Volunteers with Saturday's town cleanup reported to the Selectmen that the day was a great success.
Barry Emery and Eileen Quinn said Tuesday night that nearly 40 residents helped in the cleanup.
"We had enough to cover all the areas we had designated and eventually we were able to pick up enough trash where we pretty much filled a dump truck," Emery said. "I am going to estimate maybe 40 bags."
Emery said the project was spearheaded by resident John Tremblay and the group cleaned areas such as Wells Road, Town Hall, Stafford Hill, the Community Center and the elementary school.
Quinn said she would like to see the event become a regular occurrence in Cheshire.
"It was a really uplifting and positive and we got a lot of trash," Quinn said. "People had a really good time, and I think this is the beginning of something."
Selectman Robert Ciskowski also attended the event and said many local business donated to the project and although Cheshire looks clean, there was still a lot of trash to clean up.
"A lot of businesses in town came forth and donated things so we had a long list of things donated which was great so it went very well," he said. "Driving through Cheshire you don't see the stuff we picked up; a lot of it we found in the gutters."
Emery said people who participated enjoyed lunch after with live music.
Emery said state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi made a stop in Cheshire to help with some of the work.
"She did a phenomenal job," he said. "In fact a couple of times she had wandered off, and she was still picking down near the reservoir. We had to yell at her it's time to get lunch."
 Town Administrator Mark Webber said he's been hearing warnings about road salt shortages and suggesting buying as much as possible now. |
Highway Superintendent Peter LeFebvre said the town has to order salt for the winter roads soon, but at a much higher price. He said salt prices went up 50 percent.
"Prices went up quite a bit so if we use as much as last year we will be over budget by about $80,000," LeFebvre said "So we will see what we can do."
Town Administrator Mark Webber said salt has to be imported into the country because of a shortage.
"I am hearing warnings about shortages again this year ... so buy early and buy often," Webber said. "The suggestion is fill up the shed as soon as you can because it won't last long anyways."
The selectmen also expressed confusion over recent dealings with Dollar General.
The discount store wants to build at 12 South St. and is in the process of knocking down a 19th-century mansion. Although most townspeople are against the construction, there is little the town can do to halt construction.
Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said the Dollar General architects came to all of the town's departments to get the proper permitting before they apply for a building permit.
But she said the architects left Town Hall without meeting with the building inspector.
"It makes no sense whatsoever," she said. "They didn't apply for a building permit; they got all of their papers signed and went home."
Tags: cleanup, dollar store, winter roads,
