Milford chronicle., 1959-07-24
Highway Division
Heads Hear About
Reduced Budget

The various division heads of the
State Highway Department were
informed at a conference here re-
Gently about their curtailed opera
tion for the present fiscal year
under the reduced budget allow
ance for the operation of the High
way Department.
The budget for the present fiscal
year provides more than a million
less than the Highway Department
had in their budget for operations
during the fiscal year ending June
80.
r. A. Haber, Chief Engineer of
the Highway Department, again
reminded the division heads that
they were part of the public SER
vice organization that has charac-
terized the activities of the High
way Department in recent years.
In some straight talk Mr.. Haber
insisted that the best possible SER
vices be rendered to the public
within the limitation of the budget
provisions. He stressed the need
for every posi- 2 economy in oper-
alton.
Mr.. Haber discussed at length
the provisions of new law re-
quiring quarterly appropriations
on the budget to be submitted to
the Permanent Budget Commission
and pointed out that this law con-
tanned no provisions for setting
aside funds to extend over the
quarterly periods for emergency
operations in connection with
storm damage, snow removal, etc.
In requesting the various county
divisions to devote special atten-
tlon to the riding surfaces of high
ways, the compaction of shoulders
and the maintenance of drainage
facilities, Mr.. Haber announced
that there would be no resurfacing
work done to roads this year and
the usual contracts for the main
tenance construction work would
not be issued for the present fiscal
year, due to the lack of funds.
AS a result of the budget allo-
cations you are in a period of
Make-Do", stated Mr. Haber. "In-
stallation of traffic lights will be
practically at an end and the paint
ing OF the center line on highways
for traffic marking will be greatly
curtailed."
Maintenance activities of the
three county divisions will operate
on reorganization basis in order
to provide a decrease in travel for
the maintenance equipment and
cars.
The absence of a construction
program for the present year, be-
cause no funds for that purpose
has yet been provided by the Gen
eral Assembly, will necessitate
some changes in the activities of
some of the divisions, Mr.. Haber
said.
However, he indicated that every
effort will be made to retain the
present staff, until such time that
1t is found impossible to do so, be-
cause to later attempt to reform
this staff would result in the loss
OF large amount of time in con-
struction work.
This is serious situation. said
Mr. Haber, I'VE have built up a De-
partment that is recognized in
highway circles as being one of the
best, but we have not faced condi-
tions of this type heretofore. We
are pledged to operate on the funds
that are provided for us and we
can be successful in this effort if
everyone will do their best to come
through with the services that are
expected for the benefit of the pub
lic."
William j. Miller, Deputy Chief
Engineer of the Department, also
emphasized the Importance of and
assisted in the explanation of some
of the changes that must be made.