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Select Board review finds operational failures at Traffic Safety Advisory Committee; residents push back
Summary
Assistant Town Counsel summarized an investigation that found systemic operational problems at the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and recommended structural changes; several public commenters disputed the suspension and asked the board to preserve resident-majority oversight.
Assistant Town Counsel Yael Magen presented findings from structured interviews with seven current and former members of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC), identifying operational barriers including administrative instability, repeated failure to finish agenda items, Open Meeting Law–related distrust, and high member turnover that left only three active members.
Magen recommended changes including reducing the committee to five members, allowing department heads to appoint structural designees, shifting to quarterly meetings (with a potential Zoom option), and directing the Select Board to establish definitive procedural guidelines. During public comment, Tom Manning, who led the original TSAC petition, said the committee had tracked 33 items with 22 closed and questioned why the committee had been suspended before a formal problem statement and counsel documentation. Bob Gillen criticized past leadership choices and argued that strict reliance on Zoom had stifled deliberation and public input. Erin Holman said she had volunteered for vacancies and was overlooked; she warned that reducing resident-majority membership would undercut the democratic intent approved at Town Meeting.
Board members agreed not to make immediate appointments off the cuff. A Select Board member volunteered to coordinate with Tom Manning and Town Administrator Dolan to evaluate the backlog, draft a jurisdiction manual, and prepare structured options for consideration at the next meeting.
