Selectmen approve new traffic signs

Selectmen followed the wishes of the DPW and the residents of the Pleasant Circle-Capper Drive neighborhood and approved the installation of new stop and no parking signs at the corners of many of the intersections. The signs are intended to slow speeding motorists and to improve safety in the neighborhood.

The new traffic measures came as a result of a year-long DPW study and through meetings with the Pleasant Circle Improvement Association.

The signs are estimated to cost less than $1,000 and will be installed soon by the DPW.

In other news Tuesday night, selectmen, upon the recommendations of Finance Director Jim Murgia and the Finance Committee, approved $684,000 in budget transfers to cover deficits in 10 town accounts. The largest transfer is $380,000 for snow and ice removal costs from the recent snowy winter. Murgia said the snow deficit was actually $200,000 more, but Town Accountant Kathy Butters expects a FEMA reimbursement for the February blizzard.

The majority of the transfers will be paid through a surplus in the town’s health insurance account. Murgia, explaining the transfers to selectmen, said $125,000 to the Water Department was for chemical supplies for the Neponset Street water treatment plant. Other transfers included $47,000 to the Fire and Police departments for long-term injury leaves; $40,000 to pay a Verizon tax fund from the debt service account; $15,000 for DPW snow removal repair and maintenance; $27,000 to the town clerk’s office for special elections for U.S. Senate (state reimbursable); and $30,000 to the Veterans Department for additional cases, with 75 percent of that amount to be reimbursed by the state in the next fiscal year.

“The bad news is that we needed 10 budget transfers,” said Murgia. “The good news is we had the surpluses in the two accounts to pay for it.”

In other news:

* Selectmen held a moment of silence in memory of the late David G. McLelland, who served the town for 25 years as a member of the Conservation Commission and Personnel Board. “It’s people like Dave who leave Canton a better place to live,” said Selectman John Connolly.

* Selectmen approved a short extension to Avalon Bay for construction of water connections and received an update that the 200-unit housing project off Randolph Street is expected to be complete by February 2014. The road off Randolph Street in Canton is only a service road for the Water and Sewer departments and the actual entrance to the project will be in Randolph.

* Selectmen delayed the appointment of the Reservoir Pond Advisory Committee until their next meeting. (Selectmen Chairman Sal Salvatori, who first proposed the committee following the town takeover of the pond, was away on vacation.) Selectmen were asked to include representatives of the Reservoir Pond Preservation Association and the Pleasant Circle Improvement Association.

* Selectmen Vice Chairman Avril Elkort recused herself from a vote that appointed her daughter, Carolyn, as the community outreach librarian. This position was approved as part of the library budget at the May town meeting. Selectmen Bob Burr, Victor Del Vecchio, and Connolly voted for the appointment.

* Selectmen voted to appoint Lisa Grega to the Town Sick Bank Committee and Traffic Study Committee and Jillian Hayes to the Beautification Committee.

* Selectmen received notification that a team from Blue Hills Regional Technical School earned a bronze medal for engineering technology/design at the Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference, held June 24-28 in Kansas City.

* Selectmen will next meet on Tuesday, August 6, at 7 p.m.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 25 2013. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.