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Sherwood holds first hearings on traffic safety board, youth advisory board; staff to revise language for second reading
Summary
At first readings April 15, the Sherwood City Council heard ordinances to convert the Traffic Safety Committee into a board and to create a Youth Advisory Board. Staff will return revised language at the May 6 meeting on membership and eligibility; no final votes were taken.
The Sherwood City Council on April 15 held first hearings on two ordinances that would reorganize citizen advisory groups: one converting the Traffic Safety Committee into a Traffic Safety Board, and one creating a Youth Advisory Board composed of high‑school‑age residents.
City staff member Sebastian told the council the change “would not change” the groups’ purpose but would alter organization and reporting: the traffic group would be elevated from a committee under the police advisory board to a standalone board with a council liaison. Sebastian said the traffic board would retain the same scope and resources as before.
Council discussion focused on membership and flexibility. On the traffic board, councilors asked about a provision that “two of the board members shall be members of [the] police advisory board” and requested language to allow flexibility when volunteers are not available. On the youth board, councilors debated whether eligibility should be limited by school enrollment or should instead be based on residence within the Sherwood School District. The draft ordinance as presented specifies seven members in grades 9–12 within the Sherwood School District boundary, two‑year staggered terms and an initial mix of one‑ and two‑year terms to create staggering.
Councilors and staff agreed to have staff revise the ordinances for a second hearing. Sebastian said he would bring back amended language reflecting the council’s direction. The council scheduled the second hearings for May 6; no adoption votes were taken at the April 15 meeting.
Discussion points recorded in the hearing included: keeping the traffic board’s budget unchanged and assigning a council liaison; amending the traffic board code to allow community members to fill positions if police advisory board members are not available; and clarifying youth board residency eligibility so it applies to students who live within the Sherwood School District regardless of where they attend school. Staff was directed to prepare the amended ordinance language for the May 6 session.
The council opened and closed public hearings on both ordinances; no public testimony was received during the April 15 hearings. The council noted that, under the city charter, it could adopt an ordinance at the close of a first hearing only by unanimous vote of all sitting members, but the council chose to continue to the scheduled second reading.
