Cheshire Police Chief Advocates for Memorial Day Ceremony Switch
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The chief of police is asking town officials to reconsider the traditional Memorial Day march up West Mountain Road to the Cheshire Cemetery.
Police Chief Timothy Garner approached the board on Tuesday about changing the location of the ceremony from the cemetery to Town Hall.
"No one goes up that hill except for the Fire Department, the Police Department, the Board of Selectmen and their families," Garner said. "It makes no sense to put all these people at risk climbing that hill."
For years the parade has gone through the small downtown area and some residents then follow the parade up the steep roadway to the town's cemetery. Or they drive up and line the narrow road.
The town has broached this subject in the past but has always received pushback.
Garner said if the event is moved, he thinks not only more people will participate, but more veterans. He added that the children, who ride their bikes in the parade, tend to miss out on the ceremony because they don't want to ride their bikes up the hill.
The Hoosac Valley High School marching band historically has had issues with the climb, he said. In the past, band members have been overcome with heat from marching up the hill in full uniform. They have switched to lighter uniforms but also still march in the Adams parade before going to Cheshire.
"I asked the band director to keep an eye on his kids and give me a count," Garner said. "Yesterday the weather wasn't even that bad and he still had issues with six kids making it up that hill."
The town's honor roll is at Town Hall, he pointed out, and the grounds would allow them to do more since he could close off the road, like during the block parties.
Garner said he would like to hold a nonbinding vote at the end of the annual town meeting just to see what the people think.
The Selectmen also on Tuesday approved a fiscal 2020 budget of $6.2 million and accepted the annual town meeting warrant.
Board members had little to say about the thoroughly discussed spending plan that is nearly 3 percent higher than this year's, and accepted it with a few minor changes.
"You guys essentially settled on this last week but I just made a few changes," Town Administrator Edmund St. John IV said.
The budget is pretty straight forward and increases are mostly driven by fixed costs. St. John said he made some small account changes that really did not affect the bottom line.
The Selectmen also accepted the town warrant, which includes the budget along with other annual articles. The warrant will also include some zoning changes that would extend some light industrial zones and an article that will ask the town to borrow money to purchase a used grader.
In other business, Town Clerk Christine Emerson said nomination papers for the Aug. 13 special election are available in her office Wednesday.
This election is being held to elect two more selectmen now that the town has accepted legislation to increase the board from three to five members.
Papers are due Monday, June 24, and the last day to withdraw is July 11.
"It is a short span but to get the election in for the 13th these are the dates that work," Emerson said.
The debt exclusion article for the grader will also be on the ballot.
Tags: Memorial Day, parade, special election, town meeting 2019,
