Sharon Board of Selectmen Town Green Signage, Traffic Calming, “Guide to Sharon”

9/23/2025
Present:  Casey Flanagan, Lynn Kearcher, and John Brett.

Flanagan shared a letter from the engineer of a driveway application at 25 Joray Road. The application recommended construction of a driveway to improve sightlines and help with drainage.

However, Flanagan said he wanted more detail. Road Foreman Reid, according to the minutes “is not satisfied with the information in the letter,” either. Flanagan is going back to the engineer to request more details.

A proposed ordinance was discussed regarding signage on the Town Green – specifically the main section, not the clock tower area. Flanagan felt the verbiage was “rigid,” according to the minutes, and should have some flexibility. The First Selectman said he had met with Tom Casey, the Chair of the Green Committee, on the issues, and that Casey would take them back to the committee.

The town attorney thought the draft of the ordinance was good. In response to concern about infringing on free speech if there is a ban on all or some signs, the attorney said “No. Not if there is a public safety issue. And as long as the ban is not content based,” according to the minutes.

A $15,000 proposal from Cardinal Engineering for traffic calming in the shopping center part of town was unanimously approved. Cardinal’s proposal was to prepare the scope and proposed costs for conceptual design plans that also include sidewalks.

Flanagan, the minutes said, “stressed that this is for conceptual design plans only for a beginning point. All present agreed that something needs to be done with speeding in this area of town.”

The board was also asked to consider covering the cost of printing the updated town guide. Meg Szalewicz and Gretchen Hachmeister, who were representing the volunteer Guild of the Hotchkiss Library, said the 2023 “Guide to Sharon” book had been updated. Previously, there were only 70 copies printed, but there is belief that more are desired this time.

Among those interested in receiving copies is Sharon Hospital. It was decided that the hospital would pay for their copies, with a motion then unanimously passing to request the Board of Finance to allocate $800 for the project. Szalewicz said the cost to print is a $200 setup fee, plus $3 per copy.