Cheshire Selectmen Pick Interim Coordinator Caufield as COA Director
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen has voted to make interim Council on Aging Coordinator Brenda Caufield the new director.
The board picked Caufield, who was one of four candidates, for the position on Monday. Caufield took over the job after former Director Carole Hilderbrand resigned earlier this year.
"If she had not come forward and done that position, who knows what would have happened," said Town Administrator Jennifer Morse.
Several board members said Caufield's experience working with seniors and familiarity with the COA made her stand out as a candidate.
"There's clearly no other qualified for the position [that applied]. Not even close," said board Chair Michelle Francesconi. "She stepped up and people are comfortable with her.
In other business, the board held a meeting for residents living on the town's lake roads to discuss potentially making them accepted town roads. Many lake roads in town are considered unaccepted roads, meaning Chapter 90 funds cannot be used to repair them.
"This is a discussion that has come up numerous times in the past and in the condition of the road is always in question," Francesconi said.
The town could, if accepted, use Chapter 90 funding for road repairs on the currently unaccepted lake roads.
"The town would adopt the roads, and they would become town owned and maintained roads," Morse said. "Which is, essentially, what we're already doing. We're already down there. We're already maintaining them."
Highway Superintendent Robert Navin said he plans to prioritize repairs for lake roads that need immediate attention, such as Shadowland Cove Road, and Willow Cove Road, to improve conditions in the meantime. He said the department plans to use 100 tons of blacktop to repair Shadowland Cove Road specifically.
The board also approved:
• Two utility poles for installation on Stafford Hill Road and Sand Mill Road. National Grid and Verizon jointly made the requests and will maintain the poles.
• The town's emergency communications services agreement.
• The job description for a highway laborer/truck driver/equipment operator. The board also approved the posting of the cemetery laborer position.
• The board approved an auctioneer license for Jerrold Wood for July 30, 2022.
Tags: COA, unaccepted roads,
