2001 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:

This was a very difficult year for the D.P.W. The Override question failed and our Budget was cut by $307,000 or 12%, eliminating five positions and reducing the staff from 43 to 38 positions.

Due to the extreme budget cuts, 534 of our 1,366 streetlights were scheduled to be shut off. The majority of these lights were on straight-aways and dead-end streets. The emphasis was to light all intersections and dangerous curves. Residents can contact Mass Electric if they wish to pay themselves for a light that has been shut off. The average cost is about $100.00 per year.

A new compost facility located behind Fire Station #3 on Bay Road was completed this fall for Easton residents to bring leaves and grass clippings.

All D.P.W. personnel were involved in a series of teambuilding workshops that were given by our Employee Assistance Program.

The September 11 terrorist attack heightened our awareness of the need to educate our staff to allow us to protect the community infrastructure from any disaster. Administrative, D.P.W., Police and Fire personnel have all been involved with training to combat terrorist acts. Much time has been spent updating our emergency plans.

A very successful Hazardous Waste Collection Day was conducted on September 22 at the D.P.W. with over 306 residents participating. This was the first year we worked together with the Easton Lions Club on a white goods disposal during our collection and it provided a very valuable service to the residents of Easton.

Thousands of yards of earth were removed from a mound at the entrance to the new Richardson and Olmsted schools, creating a much safer sight distance for buses and cars entering the school.

The Central Maintenance personnel relocated their office from the North Easton Grammar School back to the D.P.W. building at 130 Center Street.

The individual reports of the Town Engineer, Water Superintendent, Highway Superintendent, and Tree Warden outline specific accomplishments within their Division.

Maurice Goulet, Technical Assistant to the D.P.W. Director, provided assistance on D.P.W. Projects.

DPW:

- Special PowerPoint Presentations

- Rockland Street Construction Plans

- Allen Road Construction Plans

- Drainage Study Baltic Avenue

- Safety Week

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR:

- Town Meeting and Special Town Meeting Presentations

SCHOOL/POLICE:

- Emergency Preparedness School Building Layouts

FIRE:

- Emergency Response Plan by Year (1998-2000)

CONSERVATION:

- Open Space / Recreation Plan
*Open Space Plan

* Action Plan

* Water Resources Plan

* Habitat Plan

* Special Landscape Features Plan

* Soils Plan

* Environmental Plan

TOWN CLERK:

- Update of New 2002 Precinct Map

ASSESSOR:

- Update of Assessor Maps for Department of Revenue Review

PLANNING & ZONING:

- Update of Zoning Map

I would like to thank all of the 37 employees of the D.P.W. for their dedication throughout the year and the very evident display of team spirit--the D.P.W. Supervisors: Jack Marsh, Ed Jacobson, Peter Huie, Paul O’Neill, and James Luke for their unique cooperation, the Administration Staff, Jan Jacobson, Maurice Goulet, and the Water Division office staff: Shirley Tufts, Peg Hannigan, and Pam Almeida for completing many difficult tasks on schedule.

I am very proud of the team of professionalism at the D.P.W. We are all striving to provide the citizens of Easton with quality service every day during these difficult times of budget restraints. Our goal is to be the most effective and efficient D.P.W. within the Commonwealth.

If you have an inquiry or need to contact me, please call 1-508-238-3641 or e-mail me at wsouthworth@easton.ma.us

Respectively Submitted,

Wayne P. Southworth, Director