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Cheshire's Memorial Day parade and ceremony has been held at Town Hall the past two years. The parade committee is planning a larger parade and the return of student essays being read.

Planning for Cheshire Memorial Day Parade Already Underway

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — The town is has already begun working on plans for its annual Memorial Day parade, scheduled for 1 p.m. on May 29.

The Board of Selectman voted to form a separate Memorial Day Parade Committee last year. Board Chair Michelle Francesconi gave an update on the parade at the board's meeting Tuesday, saying this year's festivities will include reading essays submitted by students of Cheshire, something returning from previous years.

"There's no limit to the amount of essays that we would accept. Any essays that don't get accepted to be read at that the event would be published in something, or at least be put up and made available," she said. "... [The parade] is also being opened up to any town business or vehicle. Whether it's tractors, anybody; farmers if they want to put their tractor in the parade and have that decorated in a patriotic way."

In addition to the other events, Francesconi said the Recreation Committee plans to give out certificates Diane's Twist. She explained that there will be no refreshments as a sign of respect to the holiday.


Selectman Ronald DeAngelis suggested having something toward a scholarship or some other prize for the winning essays. Selectman Shawn McGrath proposed inviting Cheshire youth baseball leagues and other teams to the parade.

Francesconi said they are changing parts of the parade route this year, but the exact path is still under consideration. The current plan is to have the vehicles enter through the St. Mary's Church parking lot, and from there, the parade would go out through the former Cheshire Elementary School driveway and up Church Street.

The route would avoid School Street and Leland Park, which will have seating and other ongoing work at the time. Francesconi said there should be a better police presence this year to assure traffic safety.

"The parade's going to be longer, so Route 8 is going to be shut down longer at that point in time. But we can put notices out in advance saying to avoid the area around that time on Memorial Day. But the parade should still be at 1 o'clock."


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Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
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