Officials package Town Meeting appropriation requests
Published on September 5th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - Town Meeting $ Town officials are putting together their requests for the Oct. 29 Town Meeting.
The final figures cannot be determined until the state certifies Stoneham’s free cash, but Acting Town Administrator Ron Florino estimated where the money will go.
The town will probably spend $150,000 on drainage and $100,000 or more on sidewalks.
The town would like to put $300,000 into the Capital Fund to pay for new equipment and repairs.
The Town likes to keep a Reserve Fund of $150,000 for emergencies, Florino said. Town Meeting would need to appropriate $65,000 to reach this level.
The Department of Public Works wants a $125,000 piece of equipment for cleaning sewer drains.
Florino said the town would like to place $200,000 or more into the Stabilization Account. This account helps pay for large projects.
“We like it to be 10 percent of our General Fund,” Florino said. “It should have 3 million, but it has 1.3.”
The town will ask for $5,000 for parking enforcement, $5,000 for selective traffic enforcement, and $10,000 for shade trees.
The town may ask for $150,000 to fix up Fire Engine 4.
And the schools will be asking for thousands of dollars. Florino said the town may also opt to pay off the short term notes funding $136,000 of school textbooks and $194,000 of school technology approved this spring.
The total request will be well over a million dollars, Florino said.
Smoking out trouble
This week, where there’s smoke, there’s not necessarily fire.
Severn Trent Pipeline Services is conducting a sewer system study in Stoneham for the purpose of locating sources of storm water inflow to the sanitary sewer. The study will locate direct and indirect connections such as catch basins, area drains, roof drains, broken sewer pipes and deteriorated pipe joints.
During smoke testing white smoke is blown into the sanitary sewer system from a smoke machine. Smoke will vent from manhole covers on the street and plumbing vent pipes located on or near roof surfaces.
Smoke will only enter homes where there is a dry trap in the basement or unused plumbing fixtures. Pouring water down these drains or unused fixtures will prevent smoke from entering. Smoke could also enter homes through defective plumbing. (Sewer odors could enter the same way.)
The smoke is non-toxic and non-staining. Residents do not have to be home during testing, but they may want to see where their homes have problems.
Homeowners will receive written notice before testing. Call the DPW for information at 781-438-0760.
Crosswalks
The town has decided to go ahead and paint even the crosswalks on state roads with the bright blue color seen around town.
Selectmen decided at their last meeting that consistency would be the best policy. Public Works Director Bob Grover sent Mass Highway a letter, saying what Stoneham was doing and why.
Plaque policy
A few months and hundreds of dollars later, the Town Common plaque confusion is over, and Selectmen have a new policy in place to prevent future squabbling.
From now on all Selectmen, ad hoc project committee members and State Legislators who are involved in the planning and building of a project will be listed on the dedication plaque.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!