Cheshire Considering Selling Kitchen Brook Reservoir Area

The Selectmen are considering removing the Kitchen Brook Reservoir as a water source, which would allow the town to sell the property.

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Cheshire may look into removing Kitchen Brook as a secondary water source and sell it.

Town Administrator Mark Webber brought forth some corrections he would like to make to correspond with the sanitary report from the state Department of Environment Protection.

The board received the 35-page report two weeks ago that contained many demands on the water system and infrastructure that the Water Department plans to abate. One of the items in the report was the criticism of using Kitchen Brook, near West Mountain Road, as a secondary water source.

Webber advocated taking the brook off the DEP books because the town already has wells that meet DEP requirements for a two-day secondary water source.

"It shows up on the report and links it to the Office of Dam Safety and I rather not have that link," Webber said. "To me it would make life far less complicated if the reservoir was removed from the DEP's radar,"

Webber said the town could turn the brook into a purely emergency source of water, which is a lower standard.

He said the town could also seek legislation to take the brook completely out of the books and possibly sell it.

"The Legislature grants these watersheds and the Legislature has to un-grant so that is a whole other step," Webber said. "It's redundant today to have that when we already have what DEP requires."

Selectman Paul Astorino said he thinks the town should go forward with this option.

"Going forward I think that is the logical thing that we should do," Astorino said. "Once that is off the books we have land to sell up there and we clearly need some money."

Chairwoman Carol Francesconi said this could be put on the next annual town meeting.

In other business, Pine Valley Mobile Home Park resident Ronald Lancia told the board he thinks park owner Morgan Management has committed violations of the manufacturing housing community laws.

He said he feels that the sewer system construction project that was declared finished is not actually finished. He said the roads have not yet been paved and the DEP has yet to clear the project.

"I haven't seen any black top, I haven't seen any grading, and I have not seen potholes filled and it has been a year," Lancia said.

He said the operator of the park has this responsibility, according to the law. A utility pole was also knocked down during a wind storm in the park and although the pole was replaced, part of it still is hanging from the tree, he said.

"The pole is just hanging there with one strap and there are kids playing there all of the time so I feel that it is a safety hazard," Lancia said.

Francesconi said the selectmen will contact town counsel.

The board approved the transfer of ownership from Green Acres Package & Variety from Christopher C. Gian to Baba Liquor Corp.

The attorney representing Baba Liquor said the new owners plan to move to Cheshire and want to keep the store the same. The company lists Amish M. Patel of Tyngsborough as president, and Mahendra J. Patel, as manager of record.

Astorino welcomed the new owners to Cheshire.

"I welcome you folks to Cheshire and you guys have a great business down there and hopefully you can make it grow," he said. 

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