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Cheshire Town Council accepts $75,000 library grant, approves contracts and appointments in unanimous votes
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Summary
At its Jan. 13 meeting the Town of Cheshire council accepted a three‑year $75,000 grant for library services for the visually impaired, reaffirmed procurement and procedural rules, approved several appointments and contracts — including a multi‑year public works union agreement — and referred a town property sale to Planning & Zoning. All votes reported were unanimous of those present.
The Town of Cheshire Town Council on Jan. 13 accepted a three‑year responsive grant of $75,000 from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to expand materials and assistive equipment for visually impaired and homebound patrons at the Cheshire Public Library and took a series of largely routine governance actions.
The council voted to accept the library grant (Resolution 011326-2), which will be appropriated as $25,000 per year for three years, and to use the funds for large-print materials, e‑content and audiobooks, loaned Kindles preloaded with content, Braille kits and assistive‑technology devices, Library Director Sandy Hernandez said. “We typically average around 800 homebound visits per year,” Hernandez said, adding the grant will help broaden services to both homebound patrons and the wider community.
In other business the council:
• Approved minutes from recent special meetings and passed the consent calendar (Resolution 011326-1).
• Reaffirmed sealed‑bid requirements and a $35,000 bid limit for 2026 (Resolution 011326-3), authorizing purchases without bids through state or cooperative purchasing agreements listed in the packet. Town Manager Sean Kimball said the action restates last year’s threshold and requests no change.
• Adopted amended rules of procedure (Resolution 011326-4), noting a key procedural change increasing a previously stated 20‑minute limit to 30 minutes as presented.
• Reappointed Diane Calabro as town historian for the term beginning Feb. 1, 2026, and appointed Patricia Mottola as town poet laureate through Dec. 31, 2027 (Resolutions 011326-5 and 011326-6).
• Appointed Town Council Chair Peter Talbot as Cheshire’s representative to the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments through Dec. 31, 2027, with Assistant Town Manager Andrew Martelli continuing as the usual designee (Resolution 011326-7).
• Approved the town manager’s 2026 goals and objectives (Resolution 011326-8).
• Approved an appropriation of $5,940 from the sale of a surplus vehicle to buy a plow attachment for a Public Works UTV (Resolution 011326-9); staff said auction proceeds are routinely deposited to a proceeds account used for capital accessories so the operating budget is not tapped.
• Referred the proposed sale of town property at 422 North Brooksville Road to the Planning & Zoning Commission for review under state procedure (Resolution 011326-10).
Following executive session, the council approved stipulated tax agreements for several Main Street properties (as authorized in the meeting packet) and unanimously approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Public Works Union (AFSCME Local 303‑202) covering 07/01/2025–06/30/2029. Kimball thanked union negotiators and Public Works Union President Kyle Hobson for what he called “very productive, respectful negotiations.”
All votes taken and reported during the meeting passed unanimously of those present unless otherwise noted. The meeting adjourned after final motions.
Authorities referenced at the meeting included a list of cooperative purchasing sources and citations to charter and state statutes in the meeting packet (as recited by council members); where the packet cited specific statutory sections, the council treated those citations as the legal basis for the listed appointments and procurement actions.
The council also heard public comment from Lynn Gannon on behalf of the Cheshire Town Players, which requested community support and volunteers for upcoming performances; councilors encouraged the group to connect with the town’s Performing and Fine Arts Commission.
Next steps: several items will proceed to departments or boards for implementation or review (the library will begin spending the first $25,000, Planning & Zoning will review the North Brooksville Road property, and contract execution and tax agreements will be completed by the town attorney).
