Alderman raises safety concerns after late deployment of barricades at back-to-school event
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Summary
An alderman criticized city departments after barricades and public-works support arrived late for a back-to-school event, saying children were exposed to traffic for hours; council approved overtime payments for event staffing but the timing prompted requests for improved coordination.
An alderman sharply criticized the city's handling of a back-to-school event after barricades and public-works support arrived late, leaving children exposed to traffic for several hours.
Alderman Wilson described a back-to-school event scheduled to start at 9 a.m. that had been approved two months earlier. She said barricades and garbage cans had been approved by public works but had not been in place at 10 a.m.; children were using inflatable attractions while cars continued to move in the street. Wilson said she called the department chair and learned the mayor requested overtime approval only after the event started. She said public works did not arrive until nearly noon and that residents and fellow aldermen stepped in to stop traffic. Wilson told the council the lapse created a serious safety risk for children and asked the council to ensure departments honor event approvals and show up on schedule.
Mayor and staff acknowledged the concerns and pointed to an administrative process in which overtime for departments is placed on the agenda for council approval; earlier in the meeting the council had approved overtime items for past and upcoming events. Alderman Wilson asked the council to treat department attendance as part of approving overtime and event support going forward.
Council action: the council approved the overtime and event support items (items 7.1through 7.6) after discussion. Several aldermen and staff acknowledged the safety concern and said they would work to prevent a repeat.
Why it matters: the exchange highlighted a process gap between event approvals, departmental staffing and overtime authorization. Alderman Wilson framed the issue as an urgent public-safety matter given the presence of unsupervised children and vehicular traffic.
What happens next: aldermen asked staff to ensure clearer coordination and confirm payroll/overtime approvals before future events to prevent staffing delays that could jeopardize safety.