Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council
Thursday, December 2, 2010
7 p.m.
120 Washington Street, 3rd~Floor
Present: Meghann Ackerman, Michael Coleman, Jeff Cox, Liz Cronin, Dorothy Hayes, Jane Guy, Gary Hebert, Jim Moskovis (chair), Rosemary O’Connor, Jason Silva, Jim Treadwell
Introductions: Everyone introduced themselves.
Community Development Block Grants: Jane Guy explained that Salem usually gets between $1 and $1.2 million in CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City writes a 5-year plan for CDBG funds that focuses on economic development, planning and social services with community input. The City also writes a 1-year plan for each of the years covered in the 5-year plan. CDBG money has to be used to assist people with a low- or moderate-income or in Urban Renewal Areas.
Dorothy Hayes asked if the money carries over each year. Jane said there are sometimes multi-year projects, but the City can never have more than 1.5 times more than the grant amount.
Jeff Cox asked if there was a way for residents to be proactive in the grant process. Jane said they could attend public meetings.
Traffic Study: Gary Hebert (of Fay, Spofford & Thorndike Engineers) explained some of his findings from traffic studies of Boston and Aborn streets and Mason Street.
He said some of the issues at Boston and Aborn include signals being hard to see and difficulty for pedestrians to cross. He said most accidents happen during rush hours and at lunch time. He also suggested some ways to improve the intersection: shortening the opening of Aborn Street, improved signals and crosswalks, adding a left-turn lane on Boston Street and adding a bike lane on Boston Street.
Gary also studied Mason Street from Tremont to North streets and found narrow streets, bad views for cars and a fairly high number of accidents. Some possible solutions: a four-way stop at Tremont and Buffum, more visible striping and crosswalks, alternate parking.
Haunted Happenings: Dorothy said her neighborhood had issues with people walking on lawns, littering and urinating. She asked that there be a police walking beat in neighborhoods that border downtown.
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