MEMORANDUM

TO: Board of Selectmen
Michael Sullivan, Town Administrator
Kristine Trierweiler, Assistant Town Administrator
FROM: Maurice G. Goulet, Director of Public Works
DATE: October 31, 2016
SUBJECT: Department of Public Works Update

The following is a list of current updates on projects and tasks relating to the Department of Public Works:

• The Medfield Salt Bid was opened on September 28th and the Town of Medfield
  will have Eastern Minerals, Inc. from Lowell, Massachusetts as its road salt
  vendor for the upcoming winter season. Eastern Minerals bid for road salt is
  approximately $12.00/ton below what it cost the Town a year ago.
• The Philips Street Bridge was recently closed by MassDOT bridge inspectors.
  The Town initiated contact with MassDOT to assist in necessary funding for
  bridge repairs through the Municipal Small Bridge Program that the State has
  been offering. The application for this program has been processed and we are
  awaiting announcement for the approval for the funding. We are in contact with
  the State engineers’ office in Worcester, MA to help expedite this project. In the
  meantime we are working with an engineering firm to assist in the design for the
  improvements.
• The Department of Public Works has organized safety training for their
  employees through our insurance carrier Mass Interlocal Insurance Association
  (MIIA). The classes that were conducted for this quarter were Back Safety
  Training and a wellness/nutrition class that provides safety credits towards our
  insurance premiums.
• The Highway Division continues to maintain multiple roads in town by milling
  (grinding) sections of roadways that have deteriorated and then paving those
  sections to make the roadways safer and have an improved driving surface in
  preparation for the upcoming winter months. This maintenance operation will
  resume in the spring.
• Crack sealing operations have taken place on many streets in town to prevent
  water from seeping into these cracks, freezing and then creating hazardous
  conditions with frost heaves during the cold winter months. This is one of the
  preventable maintenance techniques that will provide extended longevity to some of our roadways.
• After many interviews and a matrix process, the Department of Public Works has
  hired a new mechanic for the Highway Division to maintain the fleet of vehicles
  and equipment. One of the main goals in the near future is to develop a fleet
  maintenance program that tracks costs of repairs and to implement a preventative maintenance component.
• The Department of Public Works would like to extend their sincere thanks to two
  of their employees that have moved on recently to other employment
  opportunities. Thanks go out to Robert McDonald, WWTP Chief Operator and
  James Connors, Water Technician.
• The Water and Sewer bills have been processed and will be mailed out sometime
  the week of October 31st.