City kicks off ‘No Shave November’

Mayor Ken Tedford and the Fallon City Council launched ‘No Shave November’ at their first meeting of the month with a proclamation to support cancer research, awareness and treatment.

During previous years, the council encouraged men to be aware of prostate cancer’s warning signs, but with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month being recognized in September, Tedford said he and the city council are now focusing on all cancers.

Tedford said have people come up to him during previous years and ask why he’s growing a beard.

“I tell them about cancer,” Tedford said.

The mayor said “No Shave November” also allows people to their others about consulting a physician or making an appointment to be screened if they have concerns.

“It’s important to bring this to light,” he added.

The city council approved the installation and maintenance of stop signs on the east and west sides of the intersection of Serpa Place and North Broadway Street. This will convert the intersection to a four-way stop.

Tedford said he had spoken with Lumos & Associates about their analysis, which they recommend the stop signs.

“I’m in favor of doing this,” Tedford said.

He pointed out how motorists are not using Maine Street to Williams Avenue, but are instead using shortcuts through residential areas.

Geoff Knell, who lives on Serpa Place, said people need to slow down, and he thanked the council for its approval.

Even with slower speed limits, Knell said people don’t reduce their speed.

“People don’t see the 15 mph sign,” he said. “That’s sad.”

The council also approved medium-term obligations up to $2 million to finance improvements to both City Hall and the city's Public Works Building, the construction of a new Fixed Base Operator building at the city's airport and refinance certain outstanding obligations of the city. The city will forward material to the state’s Department of Taxation, provide certain details, authorize the city staff to arrange the terms of such medium-term obligations and provide the effective date.

By approving this resolution, Chief of Staff Robert Erquiaga said this allows the city to move forward and seek additional information for funding.

“This will kick-start a few projects that are ready,” he said. “We’ve been trying to find funding sources, and this is the first step.”