Selectman Raises Concerns Over Speeding

Following through on a campaign promise, newly elected Middlefield selectman Dave Burgess is calling for a crackdown on speeders in town.

"This is probably the biggest issue that people wanted [addressed]," Burgess said during Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting. Burgess provided a list of seven streets in town that he'd received complaints about while campaigning with running mate Lucy Petrella over the past several months.

The list included Cherry Hill Road, Main Street, Powder Hill Road, Woodland Heights, Peters Lane, Baileyville Road and Mack Road.

Burgess recommended that police patrol the areas for "an hour or two" when neighbors say the problem is worse.

"Especially in the morning, when children are often waiting for the school bus and people are going to work," he said. "And also in the evening, when traffic is heavy."

Selectman Ed Bailey, who agreed that speeding was the issue most often raised by residents during the campaign, suggested that High Street be added to the list because he'd received complaints from neighbors living along the street as well.

Bailey said the board might want to consider purchasing devices designed to slow speeders down to further address the problem. "We can start putting them out on some hotspots," he said. Such devices would need to be budgeted for, he added.

First Selectman Jon Brayshaw planned to bring the concerns to police.

Middlefield resident Marianne Corona also suggested that the town mark its new police cruiser with "Middlefield Police," and possibly "9-1-1" as a way of increasing the profile of police in town.

"It has a very positive prevention implication," she said.