CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Selectmen voted 2-1 to allow the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District to use Cheshire Elementary School for summer programming and its central office.

 

After an at times contentious discussion Tuesday, the board voted to allow a summer day-care program and a special education summer camp with Selectman Robert Ciskowski holding a hard line against the district.

 

"It is too soon and we are being steered and manipulated," Ciskowski said. "I think we are going into this way too fast and blind ... we are not ready to be doing this."

 

The board last week had decided to take time to think about the proposed use after Superintendent Robert Putnam made the request. With the School Committee vote to close Cheshire Elementary and move pre-K through Grade 3 to C.T. Plunkett  in Adams and the rest of the grades to Hoosac Valley High School, there has been animosity between Cheshire, Adams and the district.

 

Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said the summer programs benefit Cheshire students and she felt OK allowing the use. 

 

"You [Ciskowski] may be still ticked off about the school district but I am thinking about the kids and the parents," she said. "It is worth what minimal costs it is and ... it is only for eight weeks."

 

Chairman Paul Astorino agreed and said he received multiple calls from concerned parents.

 

"I got I think 11 calls from parents wanting to know what is happening and they realize the school may be closed forever but they are worried about what is going to happen in the next month and a half," he said. "I think it is the right thing to do." 

 

Ciskowski said he felt as though the decision was made before the meeting by his fellow selectmen and that he still had concerns about the use.

 

Putnam, who attended the meeting, said the programs are parent-funded and that the "footprint" of the programs are small. He said district custodians hired during the summer will take care of any clean up.

 

He added that any utility costs will be covered by the district and he is currently undergoing a survey with parents to see where and when they would want to see the day care in future years.

 

Ciskowski still wasn't comfortable with the use.

 

"Well thank you Dr. Putnam, you have changed Cheshire forever by helping close a school and now that you closed a school you still want to use it," Ciskowski said. "So welcome to Cheshire."

 

The town will still have to negotiate the central office lease but the board did vote to allow the district to continue using the building.

 

The Selectmen also turned down an invitation from the school district to bring in a facilitator to mediate a discussion between the district and the two towns.

 

Francesconi felt the session was too expensive and the district would be better off using the money for something else.

 

"I think it is to early $8,500 could be spent in other ways," she said. "I am sorry I don’t agree."

 

In other business, the Department of Public Works Director Blair Crane said the new DPW truck has arrived and is soon to be lettered.

 

"Essentially, it's three trucks in one and the bodies are interchangeable," he said. "I think it is money well spent and we will put it to good use."

 

The draft master plan will be placed on the town's website so the Master Plan Committee can gather public input. The committee hopes to finalize the plan by the end of the fiscal year.

 

Before closing, Astorino, who will not seek re-election, thanked his fellow selectmen and other town leaders for their service.

 

"We had a few good years and ... I think I am leaving at a time that is probably a good time to get out because I don't have the patience to put up with this anymore," Astorino joked. 

 

Tuesday night marked Astorino's last meeting and the selectmen held a small party for him afterward.