Minutes
Public Ways Safety Committee
Bolton, Massachusetts
September 24, 2008
Members Present: Leslie Breeze, Barbara Bing, Cia Ochsenbein, Deborah Kellett, Mary Ciummo, Rob Hagopian.
Invited Guest: Selectman Ken Troup.
The meeting was called to order at 7:05.
Minutes from the September 10, 2008 meeting were approved and accepted.
Selectman Ken Troup advised us on addressing budget items as well as other topics:
Budget Items.
· There should be a kitty for public safety related issues because even though we are an advisory committee we may need to contract work out if DPW doesn’t have the time or the money.
· By not having a budget, we may have to wait for the next fiscal year to budget in.
· Ken recommends a line item article worded broad enough to allow for flexibility but narrow enough to justify what we want to do. The approved money doesn’t have to be spent that year, it can carry over. We can add an article at special town meeting and he recommends that we start writing one.
· DPW is responsible for carrying the cost of repairs and improvements and is the only department that has the resources that we need. Recommends working with Harold to:
o identify things that need to be done and the scope of the project in order to get it into the DPW”s budget.
o find out what is budgeted for sign repair/replacement and let him know what we want.
· Ken Troup will bring up painting fog lines throughout town at the next Selectmen’s meeting with the DPW. Find out what roads are budgeted and what can be added. Sugar Road needs to be done.
Letter to Mass Highway. Leslie brought Ken up-to-date on our meeting with Andy and his suggestion that we write this letter to show MassHwy that we want to comply. Ken’s recommendations:
· Omit the line stating that we’re proposing the changes to the Selectmen. Leave the Selectmen out of the letter.
· We don’t need to ask approval to replace old stop signs. Don’t change the location of the existing signs when they’re replaced. Make sure that the DPW has the resources to replace the non retroreflective signs.
· In the letter, state that the offensive signs have been removed, and that we’re following MassHwy’s recommendation of a “Reduced Speed Ahead” sign. We need to check the legality of such a sign before the letter is sent out.
· Simplify the picture diagram. Omit existing signs and only show the addition of new signs.
· Speak with Harold about the letter.
· We could call John Oksanish at MassHwy to discuss the letter and what we’re planning to do, and get his feedback.
Route 117/Manor/Harvard Roads. We recommended to Ken the more serious and expensive solution to the problem of this intersection: redesigning it and putting in traffic lights. We mentioned Chris Slade’s idea of a feasibility study; and Ken recommended an article for a feasibility study in general terms to determine what should be done to make it safer to get across 117.
Library Crosswalk.
· Ken doesn’t recommend putting in a crosswalk during the construction phase.
· Ken suggests that we discuss the item with the contractor and include curb cuts; it may not cost much for them to do it. It could be linked up with the parking lot paving.
Other Items.
· Ken recommended that the “No Parking Anytime” signs put up during a state project on 117 be removed.
· Bring the police chief into the link.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40.
The next meeting is scheduled for 7:00 on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
Minutes submitted by Mary Ciummo.
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