Community Corner

Private Interest Clashes with Public Duty

Cheshire Historic District Commission member Eric Anderson won't be voting next month on the application to renovate the historic Keeler House on South Main Street. He won't even be in the room.

He's drawn a line in the sand and Cheshire Historic District Commission member Eric Anderson said he'll resign if the prominent Keeler House isn't restored to historical accuracy.

"If there's nothing left historic to see, Ill wash my hands of the preservation effort in town," Anderson said this week.

Anderson was forced to recuse himself on July 5 from voting on the application for the renovation and development of the property at 166 South Main St.

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Town Attorney Dwight Johnson had asked Anderson to voluntarily recuse himself. When he refused, the commission members  to force Anderson to withdraw from the vote and to be absent from any discussion of the application. The next commission meeting is Aug. 1.

"The town attorney and others seemed to be completely misinformed," Anderson said. He said the federal Secretary of the Interior sets standards for historic preservation and those are the rules he follows.

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However, Attorney Johnson said Thursday that the historic commission follows a combination of state and local law. "Cheshire has an ordinance and regulations were passed. It is not federal," he said.

The regulations were adopted in 2006 by the Town Council and have guided the historic commission since that time.

Johnson said Anderson was asked to step down from review of the Keeler application because Anderson made public statements on the record about his view of the commission. "It was basic for him to step down," Johnson said.

The town's conflict of interest rules are clear about public comments by officials, Johnson said. "The rules say a member of a board or commission cannot participate in a matter involving financial or personal interest," he added.

Johnson points to the town's Code of Ordinances about conflicts of interest. "The main thing is to show an ability or willingness to apply applicable law and not let personal views affect a vote," he said. 

In the July meeting, Chairwoman Jeanne' Chesanow said Anderson had a definite opinion about the outcome of the Keeler House development. "You can't think clearly and vote on this application," she said.

Economic Development Coordinator Gerald Sitko, who advises the historic commission, said the recusal issue began in the spring. "(Anderson) was asked in March to recuse himself. At that time, there wasn't an application, but when it was filed, he needed to recuse himself," Sitko said. "Eric disagreed, which (the commission) expected." 

"It's not a beautification committee. It's to maintain antiquities," Anderson said about the historic commission. He said commission members refuse to regulate. "They are too nice and too sympathetic," he said.

Anderson began to make public statements about the Keeler property last winter after the town's Building Department condemned the Keeler Stove Shop. The historic building owned by Earl Conti of Woodbridge was badly neglected and had additional damage when the roof collapsed during last winter's snow storms.

Anderson was vocal about saving the stove shop. "I was upset (the commission) let the stove shop go," he said Thursday. The building was demolished in April.

Developer Paul Bowman, who has a contract with Conti to develop the property, has applied to build a replica of the stove shop and restore the circa 1860 Keeler House. Two new buildings are also planned for the 2.4-acre site.

The Planning and Zoning Commission is reviewing Bowman's site plan for the property and has held two public hearing hearings on the application. The third public hearing is scheduled on Monday at 7 p.m at Town Hall.


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