Chichester loses third town administrator in one year

In a familiar turn of events, the town of Chichester once again finds itself without a town administrator for the third time in the span of a year.

“We accept the resignation of our town administrator, Cindy, which was effective Saturday, I believe,” Selectman Frank Swirko said at a budget meeting Monday night.

Selectman Richard Bouchard, who chairs the board, confirmed that Cynthia “Cindy” Starkweather submitted her resignation on Saturday, Jan. 10.

She began in the role at the start of November, sharing with residents that she was pleased she was to be working for the town and that she wanted to promote a culture of open communication.

Over the past year, the town has seen unprecedented turmoil in its municipal office, beginning with the resignation of longtime town administrator Jodi Pinard in December 2024.

Pinard was rehired and given a $31,000 raise in February. She stayed in the role until July, when the board offered her a new, lower salary, which she declined. Interim town administrator Charles Smith assumed the position in July and left the town a month later.

As tensions simmer in Chichester, where residents continue to clash with the board of selectmen and board members continue to clash with one another over issues of transparency in decision-making, town meeting season is steadily approaching. As with last year, the town will be heading into its budgeting processes without a robustly-staffed municipal office.

Residents have expressed ongoing frustrations with the board, particularly over a citizen-led petition for a special town meeting, which the board initially ignored, then scheduled only to cancel the week before the meeting would have been held.

Chris Weir, a resident who is running for one of the selectmen seats, has sued the town twice over its handling of the special town meeting. His lawsuits will be heard in Merrimack County Superior Court on Jan. 26.

Raised voices characterized part of a selectmen meeting last week, as selectmen directed anger towards each other and one board member singled out Starkweather, who had previously addressed town residents urging for civility.

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