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Date: 8/9/2023
LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Select Board took the next steps regarding the implementation of a municipal broadband network at its meeting on Aug. 7.
Town Manager Lyn Simmons presented data she had gathered from several surrounding towns that are in the process of adopting various forms of municipal broadband. She said that some towns had intended for a townwide system but had to scale back the network to focus on pilot neighborhoods.
Simmons provided three options for how to move forward. Option one would form a five-member advisory group to research the topic and recommend a course of action to the Select Board. With option two, the Select Board would review the information and have Simmons prepare a draft scope of work and get quotes. Option three would prepare a scope of work to send to prospective vendors and review their proposals at an upcoming meeting.
Simmons cautioned that no matter what approach the board chose, it would take two or three years before going out to bid. She said dealing with utilities and the state Department of Public Utilities complicates the process.
All five members of the board supported option one. Select Board member Dan Zwirko said there were “smart people in town” who had the needed expertise for the issue. Select Board member Mark Gold agreed, but said the advisory group needed, “strong deliverables and deadlines.”
Simmons cautioned that she and Assistant Town Manager Corrin Meise-Munns had too many ongoing projects to lead the advisory group but suggested a board member could do so. Select Board member Vineeth Hemavathi volunteered to lead the group.
Select Board Chair Thomas Lachiusa said he would like the process to move along quickly. Select Board member Josh Levine suggested reaching out to East Longmeadow, as they were further ahead in pursuing a townwide network.
Gold said the board needs to determine the purpose of a municipal fiber optic system. He said that the town could subsidize it and offer it as a free service, or it could charge users and use the network as a source of revenue. Hemavathi said that the network would need to “offer something better” than residents currently have with Comcast. Levine commented that the town “owning fiber makes me nervous.”
The board voted to approve the advisory group and will begin reviewing applications at its Sept. 5 meeting.
Traffic calming policy
Simmons also proposed an updated traffic calming policy. The existing policy was recently reviewed after residents in the Ellington Street and Farmington Road neighborhood became upset when traffic lines were added to the pavement to address complaints of speeding traffic. The lines were removed after several residents, who had not been made aware prior to the lines being painted, came to a Select Board meeting to speak against it.
The first part of the policy would establish a Traffic & Road Advisory Group, comprised of Simmons, DPW Director Sean Van Deusen, Police Chief Robert Stocks and the community resource officer.
If neighbors wish to request traffic be addressed on their street, such as heavy traffic volume, commercial traffic, consistent speeding or traffic patterns, they must fill out a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Application. The advisory group will review it and make a recommendation to the Select Board.
The current policy directs traffic calming issues to the town manager. Simmons pointed out that there had been only two traffic calming requests in her more than three years with the town. She said the policy on file “was an attempt to address the traffic calming issue” but “fell short.”
Gold suggested that the existing policy needed to be “tweaked” rather than overhauled. Levine said the policy drafted by Simmons is similar to the existing document, adding, “It’s just better.”
Simmons said, “You’re never going to make everyone happy,” but added that community input is needed.
Gold said that traffic professionals should be consulted, instead of addressing issues simply because a resident brings it to the board. “Sometimes the person who complains the loudest isn’t representative” of the neighborhood, he said.
“I’d rather people take ownership of their neighborhoods,” Levine said.
The topic was continued to a future meeting.
On a related issue, resident Tom Shea repeated a request he made in April to make stop signs double sided and install a turn signal at the north end of the Town Green. He said there was a need for these changes as schools would be in session soon.