The selectmen named members to two new ad hoc committees during their regular meeting Wednesday afternoon.
A temporary committee was created to look at policies and procedures surrounding the maintenance of town trees and to perhaps recommend to the selectmen formation of a permanent tree commission. The move grew out of concern expressed at a public hearing regarding the fate of a village tree that was removed when a new sidewalk was constructed near the post office.
During the hearing, local arborists remarked on the poor condition of trees in the village, including the venerable trees that shade the village green.
Appointed to the committee were Conservation Commission members John Anderson, and Nash Pradhan, forester Ted Hinman and Selectman Sandy Evans. First Selectman Henry Tirrell and Tree Warden Matthew Klimkosky are ex officio members.
The second committee will look at the possible use of enforcement cameras to calm speeding traffic. The committee is charged with looking into the devices and, if they are found to be desirable, drafting an ordinance to take to a public hearing and town vote.
Traffic on busy Route 44 was tracked for six days this spring, with 24,000 vehicles passing the monitor near Infinity Hall. More than 13,000 were traveling at 10 miles an hour or more over the speed limit, with three clocked at more than 100 miles per hour.
Tirrell told the selectmen that he has mixed feelings about the speed enforcement cameras but concludes that they are needed to calm traffic.
Named to the committee were Selectmen Tirrell and Leo Colwell, Richard Byrne, emergency management director, Mike Listorti, a firefighter and member of the Board of Education, Phil Brodnitzki, representing the Norfolk Lions Club’s ambulance service and Michael Selleck, representing the public.
Each committee needs one additional member.
Tirrell had two other road-related items to discuss with his board: a request from a resident for a streetlight on a side road to enhance pedestrian safety, and a second appeal to change the name of a town road to honor an undisclosed person.
Tirrell did not specify either location. He said he is unaware of policies covering either request and suggested that the town create them.
The selectmen concurred that both requests were problematic. Tirrell noted DarkSky proponents’ concerns about the effect of ambient light on wildlife and Evans predicted the town could soon be awash in requests for streetlights on side roads.
Commenting that he’s never seen a road renamed, Tirrell said wryly, “We should have a policy so we know what to do if someone wants to change a street name 100 years from now.”
The board concurred that changing a road name would be a headache for first responders, neighbors, the postal service and other agencies.