HADLEY — Enacting a townwide 25 mph speed limit on all roads that don’t have speed limit signs will be considered by voters at a special Town Meeting in November.

The Select Board voted unanimously on Sept. 18 to support the request for the townwide speed limit from Police Chief Michael Mason, who is also the interim town administrator.

“It would alleviate the issue of having to hear residents and add speed limit signs in place and costs all over town, because we do get those requests quite often,” Mason said.

Mason said while the town could put up thickly settled and business district signs as well, what is most recommended by the state’s Department of Transportation is a townwide speed limit. These signs would then be placed on all roads at the town’s borders, and the 25 mph speed limit would apply to any unposted roads.

Officers, he explained, have two ways to enforce speed limits. One is via the posted speed limits, stopping vehicles traveling in excess of the posted speed, while the other is speed greater than reasonable. In the latter case, there is officer discretion on whether someone is driving too fast for the conditions of the road, the weather or other factors.

The townwide 25 mph speed limit, should it be enacted, would only be for currently unposted roads, many of which are neighborhoods with families and children.

Bylaw changes proposed

In other business, James Maksimoski, who chairs the Hadley Bylaw Committee which is entering its third year, outlined two bylaws that will also come before Town Meeting this fall.

The first is to appoint, rather than elect, town constables. These people, who typically work during elections and Town Meetings and have powers similar to police officers, would be named by the Select Board in consultation with the police chief.

The second is to make it illegal to discharge rubbish or yard waste into the street.

Another bylaw that could be ready for the Nov. 14 special Town Meeting would set rules for protecting the Town Common on West Street.

Mason also informed the Select Board that he has reached out to companies that could coordinate the process for hiring the next town administrator. He said this would likely be a process lasting three to six months.

The board agreed to post the job opening internally first, and should a qualified candidate come forward, the search process could be curtailed.