What could go wrong?
Yesterday, Templeton highway dept. was using a loader to patch pot holes. It apparently has been an ongoing approach as I encountered a loader being used for that purpose on Partridgeville Road.
As for yesterday, I encountered a highway loader on the one-way section of South Road next to the new school construction site. Once a vehicle gets there, no where to go and with all the cars parked on one side of the road, the road was blocked by the loader. The loader operator appeared to get upset when I hit my horn as he backed up closer and closer to my vehicle. I could not back up because now I had a vehicle behind me.
I checked the highway budget for fiscal year 2019 (present FY) and sure enough, in the fiscal year 2019 budget under highway, page 146; police details - $3,150.00. Page 132 under highway; training - $1,350.00. As one road is one way entirely and part of South Road is one way, I see this happening again and again, blocking of road due to any number of items, so clearly a plan is needed; funds are provided for police details, those funds should be used. Again, a loader for pot hole patching?? Signs at the intersection of Wellington and South Road alerting drivers of the situation would also be nice, so as to give drivers the option of turning around and going back up South Road and use Victoria Lane to go to Hubbardston Road and go where ever one is headed. At the very least, rather than getting pissed off because of a horn, how about a public employee, who works for the residents, get out and explain what is happening and how long it may be. There were two town vehicles with two town employees there, one in the loader and one in sidewalk snow blower. One of them could have gotten out and explained things. Still, why no police detail or signs for this work. Is there any daily work plan over at highway? I voiced my concerns to all selectmen and the Town Administrator via email which has been acknowledged by one selectmen and the T/A. This has nothing to do with the number of employees at highway, rather everything to do with management or lack there of, in my opinion.
