2008 began just like any other year with winter, which meant long hours for the crew. We began the year with basically a new crew to work with Danny. Our new men did quite well in getting the roads cleared, and we got through winter with minimum damage to the equipment.
We had to dismiss one of our new employees because he was unable to obtain a hoisters license after several tries. He was replaced in September by Jon Hadley from Warwick.
This past summer we were able to resurface West Street using Chapter 90 funds. We also cleared a lot of brush and overhanging limbs on West Street, which created a much safer roadway in which vehicles can pass each other without feeling that they may hit each other due to a narrow road.
Early in September our long time “Road Boss” Daniel Bacigalupo became ill and was never able to return to work. On October 16, 2008, Danny passed on to another world.
Danny started with the Highway Department in 1969 as a part-time driver working during the winters sanding and plowing snow. He worked most winters from then until 1988, when he was appointed “Road Boss”, the position that he held until his death. His regular job during most of those years was applying liquid asphalt to roads throughout New England and New York. This, along with his love for road work and Wendell, made him the right man at the right time for the job of Road Boss.
Under Danny’s leadership we improved our paved roads to a point that we started giving pot holes numbers, and we seldom had to count much above 10 to number them all.
He also improved our gravel roads by improving the drainage and adding some material to the surface each year.
In 2001, the Board of Health turned over the operation of the WRATS to the Selectboard. They in turn asked if Danny and the Road Commissioners would take over the daily operation of that facility. He and we did, and we must say that he ran it very well.
In closing this part, we have just one thing to say, and that is: Thanks Danny for 40 years of dedicated service.
Following the death of Danny we, along with the Selectboard, appointed David Bock “Acting Road Boss” until a permanent appointment can be made. This process was begun with the Selectboard creating a search committee to find and recommend a suitable candidate to become our next Road Boss. The process has begun, and we hope that we will have a new Road Boss sometime early next year.
December brought with it an ice storm that left us with many broken and damaged trees, impassable roads and no electricity for most residents for several days. Our crew worked tirelessly for several days until all of the roads were passable. Thanks, fellows, for a job well done. The clean up will keep the crew busy throughout the spring and maybe into the summer.
On another front, it should be noted that our building is badly in need of maintenance. It should have a major roof overhaul along with extensive repairs to the siding.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry Williston, Chairman
William Clough
Michal Gifford
Road Commissioners
Subscribe to RSS Feed
