Parent Michele Whitney said Cheshire has a larger playground than Plunkett that was partially funded by the PTG. She was one of several parents to stand up in support of the school.
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Residents and officials from Cheshire and Adams sparred over the probable closure of an elementary school on Monday night.
Superintendent Robert Putnam had been expected to make recommendations to the Audit & Evaluation subcommittee prior to the forum but instead reiterated the pros and cons.
The auditorium at Cheshire Elementary was packed on Monday night for the second of two public forums scheduled by the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee to gather public input to help inform their decision on which school to close. It was far cry from the much sparser crowd in Adams last week.
As in Adams, Cheshire officials made it clear that they, too, need an elementary school.
"In Cheshire, this school is part of the heart and soul of this community," Cheshire Selectman Robert Ciskowski said. "We don't have a Commercial Street or Howland Avenue with all of the industry. We don't have all those clubs, restaurants and bars."
"This school is integral to this community and if it closes, it will leave a gap in our town. ... If the Cheshire School closes it is going to gut us."
Cheshire Principal Peter Bachli said the school is in better condition than Adams town officials let on and said if it remains open, there will be more transportation reimbursement revenue that can be used to fund needed programs.
Also, he said he was discouraged that during the last forum Adams officials barely mentioned education.
"They lacked the terms students, education, academics and all the vocabulary you would expect to hear when talking about the future of a school district," Bachli said. "I heard a lot about the town's survival, the town's businesses and loss of jobs ... when do we talk about the kids? The solvency of any town should not be placed on the back of an elementary school."
Bachli ended by saying he felt the town of Adams took on a threatening tone at the last forum and that "the School Committee should not be threatened into a decision."
Adams Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco took to the microphone and said he was not trying to be threatening but realistic. With Adams nearing its levy ceiling, it will not be able to fund education.
"The money is just not there. … In less than 10 years we are tapped out. That means by law we cannot raise any more taxes," he said. "Once we are there we are done: no more money for school, close the Council on Aging, close the library. All that will happen so if we were talking about business not mattering if we had the economy we wanted, we would not be in this situation."
Mazzucco agreed with an earlier statement that Cheshire pays more per pupil than Adams because it is relatively more wealthy than Adams, but Adams brings in more state revenue because it has more low-income families and is the poorer community.
He said he did not think it was fair that in a regional agreement, Adams is left with no public schools in its borders while Cheshire has two.
"That is not parochial. We are just trying to look at the reality and equity for the district, and this would leave Adams with zero schools," he said. "I would think they teach some sharing at the elementary school level and teach good manners and how to work with people. Two public schools in Cheshire and none in Adams is not fair."
Ciskowski hit back and said Cheshire, too, struggles with finances but chooses to operate within their means. Cheshire does not have a library to close because it is in a room in its aging town hall and the Cheshire Police force does not operate full time.
"One of the reasons they are poor is because any money that they had they spent on things that we don’t have. We lead a very frugal life in Cheshire," he said.
"When Adams cries poor with all of the services and facilities that they have, it reminds me of a story — there is an orphan that wants you to feel bad for him and you started to feel bad for him until you realize he killed his parents. That's what Adams did with their money."
A number of Cheshire parents also spoke out at the meeting, sharing their experience with the school.
"As relatively new parents with a child in the school system, I can't express the happiness gratitude we feel toward staff," parent Scott Campbell said. "It has been a great experience for our family. We made this our home and we can’t think of a better place to establish roots for our child."
"The education they received here was excellent, they had plenty of room in the classrooms and they were given the individual attention they really needed," parent Chris Megaro said. "They always enjoyed their time at Cheshire and they felt welcomed and at home."
Third-grade Plunkett teacher Beth Bourdon said she did have concerns about space at Cheshire, but affirmed that no matter which school closes, teachers will continue to put students first.
"I am really looking forward to working with our Cheshire colleagues, and we think it is going to be wonderful," she said. "I am looking forward to working with Cheshire parents because we are all about education and that's why we are here."
"Every teacher that works in this district works hard and ... whatever issues we are all facing we need to come together as a solid community."
The School Committee will vote on closing a school Thursday, March 2.
