Town Meeting approved a $6,495,834 budget for the Department of Public Works (DPW) following a detailed discussion on road maintenance and recent construction issues. DPW Director [M. Fernandez] addressed concerns regarding the newly constructed East Milton deck, where residents have reported that walkways are already crumbling. [M. Fernandez] clarified that the issue was due to concrete specifications by MassDOT, rather than salt or poor local maintenance. MassDOT will be replacing those panels, she confirmed.

The budget includes $1.2 million in Chapter 90 state funding for road repairs. Responding to member questions about why specific streets are no longer listed in the warrant, [M. Fernandez] explained that the department stopped listing streets to allow for flexibility for weather and utility coordination. She also noted that Milton is now MBTA compliant, which has opened the door for the town to apply for Complete Streets funding for Brook Road.

Members praised the department’s recent work, with one member urging the town to consider more speed humps similar to those on Governors Road, which have successfully slowed traffic to 12-15 mph. The discussion concluded with a note of gratitude to [M. Fernandez], who is outgoing, for her years of service to the town's infrastructure.

Motion: To appropriate $6,495,834 for Public Works.

Vote: Passed 200-0-0