Major highway project could impact Greenlodge St.

Town Administrator Bill Friel told selectmen Tuesday night that the state highway work on Greenlodge Street has grown to be more extensive than first thought. The state Highway Department is in the process of adding a lane on Route 128 between Route 24 and Wellesley.

Friel said one of the contractors hired by the state, McCourt Construction, has notified the Public Works Department that they will need full access to Greenlodge Street through the entrance at Route 138 (near Connors Wayside Furniture) in early February and that heavy truck access and earth removal could last “awhile.”

Friel has suggested an alternative route for truck access through University Avenue, noting how busy Route 138 traffic can be. More traffic information will be released before the February startup date.

In other news:

* The town is looking for applicants to fill the term of Ronald Grinnell, who recently resigned from the Housing Authority. The unexpired term is only until the next town election in early April. Although the Housing Authority has received some verbal interest, no written papers have been submitted. Whoever is selected by a joint vote of the selectmen and Housing Authority would have to run again for office in the upcoming election.

* Housing Authority Executive Director Mark Roy announced a modernization project for many of the authority’s housing units. Construction would be done in-house with the assistance of the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. The authority was granted a waiver of building project fees by selectmen.

* Fire Chief Charlie Doody, who informed selectmen of the receipt of a $60,000 federal grant to purchase mobile radios, received permission to submit another capital request to replace the hard-wired fire alarm system connecting public buildings to the Fire Department headquarters with a more modern, radio-controlled system. Doody said the entire replacement, involving 12 town buildings, could cost as much as $75,000 to $80,000 over a period of years. Selectmen asked Doody to work with Friel and Finance Director Jim Murgia on a capital budget request.

Doody also received permission to submit an article at town meeting requesting up to $15,000 for an independent, third party review of the department’s management staffing. Doody said it is his goal as fire chief to improve the day-to-day operations of the department and to improve overall efficiency.

* Selectman Sal Salvatori clarified some points he made last week on the progress of the Reservoir Dam. He said the town has not taken ownership of the dam and will not do so until the state Office of Dam Safety and town engineers have inspected repairs. The current owners of the pond and dam, the Illinois-based Napleton Company, intends to file a plan with the state by mid February. Salvatori said if the state approves the plans, a construction permit could be issued a month later. Salvatori said a best-case scenario would have dam repairs beginning in late April.

* Selectmen Chairman John Connolly announced that the owner of the commercial building at 222 Bolivar Street has rescinded his earlier decision to donate the building to the town and will instead sell the building. Selectmen were ready to submit plans at the April town meeting to convert the building for town use and were considering the site for a senior center.

* Selectmen will next meet on Tuesday, January 24, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jan 18 2012. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.