Cheshire Continues Storm Clean Up
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Public Works Director Peter LeFebvre said the DPW will be busy cleaning up after Monday's storm for some time.
LeFebvre updated the Selectmen on Tuesday about the tree limbs, brush and damage caused by the storm that left most of the town without power.
"It's going ... we will put it that way," he said. "We will be chipping brush for quite a while now."
The storm system swept through the town early Monday afternoon bringing high winds and heavy rain. It knocked down trees and branches and snapped utility poles. It took National Grid hours to restore power to some 1,400 customers.
LeFebvre said 90 percent of the damage was near the town shed, Meadow Brook Lane, East Main Street and Furnace Hill. There was minor damage at Willow Cove Lane and Shadowland Cove Road.
Town Administrator Mark Webber said he contacted the state Emergency Management Agency, which will send someone to survey the damage. If the damage is significant enough, the town may be eligible for disaster funds.
"Whether or not MEMA hits a critical mass on this is questionable," Webber said. "I kind of doubt it but they will at least come out and take a peek."
He added that there are some downed trees that have to be pulled out of the river.
In other business, the town will not buy a replacement police cruiser this year after the failing debt exclusion vote last week. The town slimly voted down the $40,000 police cruiser, 84-90.
Police Chief Tim Garner said he would make do with the two vehicles the department currently has. However, one of the cruisers needs immediate attention.
He requested that the fiscal 2016 police operating funds be carried forward to make these repairs.
Although rejecting the cruiser, the town did approve the purchase of a $125,000 DPW truck, 99-70.
Because of a shortfall in the budget, the town needed to borrow to buy the two new vehicles. Both warrant articles that approved the borrowing sailed through town meeting last month, but did not fare so well at the subsequent debt-exclusion vote.
Out of the 2,318 registered voters in Cheshire, 176 made it out to vote.
Tags: MEMA, power outage, storm damage,
