Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council
Thursday, July 1, 2010
7 p.m.
120 Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Present: Meghann Ackerman, Lucy Corchado, Michael Coleman, Liz Cronin, Jim Moskovis (Chair), Rose Mary O’Connor, Jason Silva
Introductions: Members introduced themselves.
Public comment: Highland Condos resident Pat Liberti said her neighborhood had been having problems with young people drinking in the woods nearby and she had noticed more police in the area. Rose Mary O’Connor said people were drinking and having sex in the woods around Mack Park. Highland Condos resident Scott Weisberg said there had also been homeless people living in the woods, there have been fires and people have been using the woods as a cut through. Jim Moskovis said he would invite Sgt. Harry Rocheville to the next NIAC meeting.
School Street resident Lisa Joubrt said her street is getting a lot of cut through traffic and she wants to have a lawn sign when the City does its anti-speeding campaign. Jason Silva said the grant funding and radar signs for the anti-speeding campaign were taking longer than expected, but that he expected things to kick-off by the end of the month. Joubrt said he wanted to send a letter out to her neighborhood about it and Moskovis asked about getting an announcement on SATV.
Liberti said the traffic light at Highland Avenue and Marlborough Road was not synched up and that traffic headed toward Swampscott was causing delays. Silva said the City Electrician had looked at the sequencing and Liberti said in the past month and a half it has gotten worse.
Update on Boston Street planning: Moskovis said he had been to a planning meeting between Salem and Peabody on Boston Street updates. The renovations, he said, would include side streets like Harmony Grove and Walnut Street. He said there would be remediation for traffic and water disruptions.
Silva said the planning process would look at other issues like what uses to encourage along the road and how to make it more pedestrian friendly.
Resident Survey: Silva asked that people spread the word about the City’s second resident survey. He said the information from last year’s survey was helpful and that the biggest complaints were about paving and cleanliness.
Budget: Silva gave an overview of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. Some of the highlights included: Hiring civilian dispatchers, $600,000 for a reserve fund, and additional $187,000 for tourism promotion and an extra $1.6 million for the schools.
He also talked about the Capital Improvement Plan, which included: the City Hall elevator, work at the Museum Place garage and $150,000 for roadway work.
Lucy Corchado asked if the CIP-funded road work would supersede City Engineer David Knowlton’s recommendations for work. Silva said the CIP included money for the Pavement Management Plan.
Other business: Jourbt asked about getting FiOS in Salem. Silva said the City has been trying to attract other internet service providers and has applied to the Google trial program. Liberti said she had heard that Verizon was overextended and could not provide FiOS in Salem.
O’Connor said she had a met with a cabinetmaker who would make and donate a podium to the City for the Council Chambers.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
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