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Forest Park council approves Traffic & Safety Commission work plan; members stress oversight and public input
Summary
The council approved a work plan clarifying the advisory role of the Traffic & Safety Commission and how volunteers will coordinate with staff. Commissioners discussed the role of a public speed survey as one of several inputs for possible speed-limit changes.
The Village Council on May 12 approved the Traffic & Safety Commission’s work plan designed to align citizen-volunteer initiatives with village staff priorities and to clarify the commission’s advisory role.
Commissioner Melon Rogovin, who said she worked with staff and commissioners on the plan, told the council the ordinance and plan are intended "to align the work of citizen volunteer commissions with the work of village staff so that village staff are not surprised or overwhelmed by requests or activities from citizen commissions." She added that the plan reaffirms commissions are advisory and that any activity requiring resources or further approval would return to council.
Commissioner Maxim said he supports the plan but expressed reservations about relying solely on a community speed survey to justify speed-limit changes: "I have some concerns still outstanding about sort of, I guess, what is the best way to go about determining if there needs to be a speed limit change... public input is a part of that." Other members said the survey is a starting point and that final decisions would come to council for review.
The motion to adopt the work plan was moved, seconded and approved by unanimous vote. Council members said the plan should help coordinate volunteer efforts with staff resources and ensure public input is considered as one of multiple metrics when evaluating traffic changes.
