Cheshire Considers Joining BRPC Pipeline Group
 The Selectmen felt the town would be unable to afford counsel from BRPC on the Kinder Morgan gas pipeline. |
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Cheshire may not be able to afford commitment to a BRPC group that protects and provides information for municipalities about the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Town Administrator Mark Webber told the Selectmen on Tuesday night that he will attend the upcoming Berkshire Regional Planning Committee meeting in regards to the proposed Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline that may pass through Cheshire. BRPC is asking that any of the 12 municipalities effected by the pipeline commit to the group for counsel and legal representation.
Webber said only Pittsfield has committed and that if Cheshire were to join now with so few towns committed, it would have to pay in a much larger sum.
Chairwoman Carol Francesconi said even if more municipalities join, Cheshire may not be able to afford to commit.
"We could not afford to commit if we were one of the two towns," she said. "If it's $20,000 to $30,000 with all 12 towns in, we still don't have that."
Selectman Paul Astorino suggested, either at a special town meeting or annual town meeting, that public opinion on the proposed Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline be gathered.
"I would like to get the opinion whatever comes first," he said.
Francesconi suggested putting the question on the ballot.
Town Administrator Mark Webber said in anticipation of the snowstorm hat hit the county Tuesday, he declared a state of emergency in Cheshire in hopes to receive some Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.
Highway Superintendent Peter LeFebvre said he does not think the town will receive much, if anything at all, because most of the funds will go toward eastern Massachusetts, that was hit harder by the storm.
"Unfortunately, they don't pay you for the first 4 inches or the last 4 inches, but they will pay so much for each inch in between so that sort of leaves us out," he said. "There was nothing extraordinary about it, and we didn't hire extra people or equipment."
LeFebvre said the town has 50 to 60 tons of salt left and even though the town has not yet gone over budget, he suspects it will.
"We are going to go over the budget," LeFebvre said. "As of right now, we are still under, and I wouldn't say that we are good, but we are still under."
He said he has ordered 330 tons of salt and 200 tons of sand. He added the plow trucks are going to try liquid calcium on the roads.
LeFebvre said the new plow truck has arrived and it is being prepared for service.
"It looks nice. I was impressed," Francesconi said. "For me to notice a truck is a plus."
The Selectmen also met with Town Counsel Edmund St. John III to ask if it was possible to ban petitioning on public property. St. John said the town could not ban petitions out right on public property because of First Amendment rights.
Astorino said he was concerned there would be petitions at the transfer station.
"I don't want people in that area because it disrupts everything," Astorino said. "It's town property, but it's going to have to be 100 feet away from that place."
St. John said the town could impose regulations if petitioning interferes with operations.
"If somebody was standing in front of the compacter preventing usage by the public that person could be asked to move to another location on that property," St. John said.
Tags: BRPC, gas pipeline, snow emergencies,
