Voters hold up “yes” cards to approve an article. In front, Town Clerk Terry Donovan is looking out at the audience, while Moderator Adam Bryant is also holding up a “yes” card.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
CHESTER — Voters at Town Meeting on June 10 tabled a controversial proposal to acquire the Cornerstone Church property at 1 Middlefield Rd. It would’ve also budgeted $50,000 for necessary repairs and $20,000 to cover insurance, maintenance, and other annual expenses.
The vote to table it succeeded 42-26. The article would have required a two-thirds vote to pass.
Board of Selectmen Chair John Baldasaro explained that the church’s deed restrictions require it to be offered to the town if it loses its congregation, which it did. It has two floors. The seating capacity is 90 upstairs and 60 downstairs, said Council on Aging Director Keirsen Broman.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Lederer
The costs are just estimates. Finance Committee member Andy Myers said the $50,000 was a “down payment” on renovations and that the building would need to be renovated further in the future.
Broman said it could be used as a senior center, Town Meeting location, emergency shelter for events requiring evacuations, or space for the police.
“They have a shoebox that they are working out of, and they are right behind us, so they could expand into ours if we moved over there,” she said, referring to the police.
Broman said she’d talked with town residents and learned they had mixed opinions on the acquisition. The septic system was a concern, along with a lack of parking. As well, the building, in particular the downstairs bathroom, needs to be brought up to code.
Nonetheless, she supported the town acquiring the property. While the former elementary school is unusable now, this building is, she said. She said that she didn’t believe repairs would cost as much as estimated, and that people could help raise money to pay the bills. There was also an opportunity to make money, with events like Friday night dinners, she said. The organ downstairs could also be sold to make room for storage.
“Before you guys make your final decision on this, it could not only benefit one party in the town, it could benefit a lot of different parties in the town,” she said. “It could be a new space for everybody.”
On the other hand, Baldasaro said he was going to vote “no” on the article.
“I don’t think that the town should be a landlord. I think we’ve already got a building across the street, here, that we’re trying to figure out what to do with and I’m not sure another one on the corner here is in the best interest of the town,” he said, referring to the vacant former school.
Planning Board member Richard Holzman said he understood the aversion to the town owning another property liability, but that the church was a historical, beautiful building with stained glass windows. He said voters should table the article until the town investigates projects the town could use the building for.
He also advised against selling it, which some voters suggested the town could do after acquiring the property.
“Once you sell that, then anybody can do anything with it, and it might not fall into the right hands,” he said. “It might end up being an eyesore instead of a beautiful, historic part of our history in our town.”
Holzman made the motion to table it, which succeeded. Baldasaro said he did not know when it would come up again.
In other business, voters approved a fiscal year 2025 operating budget of $3,658,936, a 4.6% increase from last year.
“It’s higher than we’d like,” Myers said, though he immediately followed that by saying he recommended passing it.
Myers said the increase came from unexpected expenses like increases in ambulance service and insurance costs. For example, unemployment compensation went up $21,000 due to the state Department of Unemployment Assistance now needing to replenish funds after unemployment rose during the COVID-19 pandemic. Had there been no insurance increases, Baldasaro said, the budget would’ve increased by less than 2%.
The budget also reflects a 4% cost of living increase for town employees.
Asked how the budget increases would affect the tax rate, Baldasaro estimated it could be 35 cents. Myers said that tax rates have decreased the past few years, because property values have increased.
Voters also approved a $1,644,903 appropriation for the Gateway Regional School District, a 2.6% increase from last year. The appropriation was already approved as part of the budget, but the district requires towns vote on it individually in case enough towns vote it down that it needs to be reconsidered.
Myers recommended passing it. Baldasaro also recommended it, saying Gateway has good leadership, its budget process is more transparent than it used to be, and communication is good between the town and the district.
Resident Chris Martenson asked if the same number of students were attending this year as last year. Myers said Chester’s enrollment in district schools fell from 127.5 students to 126, a decrease of one-and-a-half students. Resident Stacy Stewart said the “half student” has parents with split custody, splitting the child’s time between two towns.
“Our student numbers went down, but the cost per student still went up,” said Baldasaro.
Voters also approved $209,307 for vocational tuition and transportation, the same amount as last year.
Other things that voters approved included $10,000 to establish a Highway Department training fund, $197,401 for the Water Department enterprise fund, $100 salary increases for the selectmen, $62 salary increases for Board of Health members, and $31,600 for Fire Department equipment and supplies upgrades.
Voter Rosemary Alexandra asked if there was a way to restrict Fire Chief Henry Fristik’s ability to spend money, so that he would not go over budget. Baldasaro said the Board of Selectman had a discussion with him and they do not anticipate having that issue this year.
