Facilities Funds on Cheshire Special Town Meeting Warrant
CHESHIRE, Mass. — A special town meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, at the former Cheshire School, where voters will decide whether to raise and appropriate more than $200,000 for building maintenance and stabilization.
The Finance Committee reviewed the warrant at its meeting on Thursday. The town's revenue is slightly higher than expected, allowing for extra money for allocation.
"New growth was underestimated as well, purposely, because we didn't know what that number was going to come in at. So we have more new growth than we thought we were going to, and we have more revenue than we thought we were going to," said Town Administrator Jennifer Morse.
The first two articles propose an appropriation of $95,000 into the town's Special Repairs Town Buildings account. Article 1 would allocate $25,000 to replace the heating system in the cafeteria in the school building. Article 2 would appropriate $70,000 for heating repairs to the fire station.
Putting the money into a repairs account, Morse explained, was something town accountants recommend. She said having the money go to that account, which currently has about $69,000, will give the town some leeway if project bids are slightly lower or higher than expected.
"It gives us more flexibility when it comes to the overall project. Not a whole lot, because most of that $69,000 is going to be spent on other projects, but it gives us the flexibility," Morse said.
Finance Committee Chair John Tremblay said he would like the committee to visit with Facilities Manager Corey McGrath to discuss in detail some of the town building repairs. The group made plans to do so at another meeting on Wednesday.
"I would like to be able to do a brief walk around to get our group up to speed on some of what's going on," he said. "So when we're in front of the town, we can advocate and from a position of understanding, like what's really happening."
Regarding the school's heating system, Board of Selectmen Chair Michelle Francesconi explained that the current heating system in the building is out-of-date and replacing it would ultimately save the town money.
"We're just blowing thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars of extra money out through the heating system because it's horribly inefficient. And we know that we have to do something with that," Francesconi said.
Article 3 would raise and appropriate $13,203 to fund the position of facilities manager for an increased amount of hours, up to 35 from 24. Morse and Francesconi explained that McGrath, who also works for the Water Department, would focus solely on the facilities management if the raise in hours is approved.
"Increasing the facilities manager position is to help facilitate all of these projects we have going on," Francesconi said.
Article 4 would raise and appropriate $92,000 to fund the town's stabilization account. Francesconi said this money could go toward a number of different projects, depending on what is needed.
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