Date: Fri 08-Jan-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Highway-Dept-Hurley-Rosenthal

Full Text:

Panel Appointed To Oversee Highway Dept. Improvements

BY STEVE BIGHAM

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal has announced the formation of the Public Works

Advisory Committee to oversee improvements at the highway department.

The panel's charge will be to review and analyze the "implementation" of the

Public Works Department management study, which was conducted by an outside

firm last year. The study gave the department low grades in a number of areas

and the first selectman wants to make sure they are corrected.

The advisory panel will meet with Public Works Department Director Fred Hurley

and the Board of Selectmen to provide input and help establish goals and

objectives for the public works. These include new strategies for road

improvements, management and maintenance.

"I suppose it can't hurt," said Mr Hurley Wednesday. He was unaware of the

formation of the committee until this week. He hopes the committee will take

an in-depth look at his department and find that it has some real needs,

including more money.

The first selectman has assembled Jack Rosenthal, Bernie Reidy, Duane Baumert,

Les Burroughs, Don Studley and Pat Hammalian to serve on the committee. Each

member has spoken to Mr Rosenthal about their concerns with the highway

department in the past. A school bus owner-operator and a member of the Police

Commission are also expected to join the list of members.

Mr Rosenthal said the committee's review will not be an inquisition, simply a

tool in his efforts to improve the effectiveness of the highway department.

"I've been thinking about doing this for some time," he said. "I'm not

displeased with the personnel, but I would have liked to see more progress in

the department in terms of planning and organization. It has been somewhat

reactive."

The first selectman acknowledged that it is difficult for a highway department

to plan ahead since it must battle bad weather and other uncontrollable

conditions.

"I recognize the difficulty that weather and road conditions can cause, but I

would like to see more planning -- more participatory management. I want to

see more middle management involved in the planning and operation of the

department."

Mr Rosenthal said the advisory committee may also take up the issue of traffic

speed. The town may begin using "traffic calming" techniques to slow down

cars. Many towns are now using traffic "humps" to make if difficult to travel

at high rates of speed. They are not speed bumps, according to Mr Rosenthal.

They are more like plateaus that make it uncomfortable to speed.

Jack Rosenthal is a former first selectman who says he always made public

works a top priority. Mr Reidy is a former member of the Legislative Council

and now works as chief financial officer for the Roman Catholic archdiocese of

Bridgeport. Mrs Hammalian, who lives on Washbrook Road, has been active in

issues pertaining to roads. Mr Studley is a member of the council and chairs

its public work sub-committee.

Mr Burroughs is a longtime Newtown resident, who served on several boards over

the years and has kept a close tab on Newtown's roads. Mr Baumert was a member

of the Board of Selectmen when Mr Hurley was first hired as the town's head of

public works.