APPRO-2023-43 : An Appropriation from Free Cash (account 01-324001) in the amount of $50,000 to Public Works Highway Department (#422).

Transcript (~3 min @ 2:08:57)

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▶ 2:08:44 Speaker 4: Councilor Ella? Yes. Councilor Eccles. Yes. Councilor Repe. Yes. Councilor Jamal Laine. Yes. Councilor Karen Jie. Yes. Councilor Melli. Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Greg Re Yes. Nine Yes. Nine Yes.

▶ 2:08:58 Speaker 2: Appropriation 2023 dash 43, the appropriation from free cash Count number zero one dash 32 401 in the amount of $50,000 to Public Works Highway Department, department number 422,

▶ 2:09:12 Speaker 7: Councilor Elli.

▶ 2:09:13 Leila Migliorelli: This comes from appropriation an oversight with a recommendation for passage. At this time I motion for passage. Second.

▶ 2:09:18 Jen Grigoraitis: So we have a motion for passage made by Councillor Elli, seconded by Councillor Son. On discussion, Councillor Williams. Thank

▶ 2:09:24 Ryan Williams: You. And I'll be as brief as I can. I wasn't able to make the meeting and I have a lot to say on this topic, so I'll try to keep myself down. Um, I hope you'll let me just take a few minutes of your time to talk briefly about what I've pointed out that these are not traffic calming measures that we're proving tonight. Flashing signs and lights are another example of what we regularly decry in this chamber. They're expensive bandaid solutions to serious problems. It's easy to bolt a sign or flashing light onto a sidewalk and then pat yourself on the back and say that we've made our streets safer. But the research shows that these devices have limited usefulness, and we just don't have the expertise on staff to implement them according to best practices. On some streets, like on Wyoming, we have three of them within a few hundred feet of each other, and we're just frantically begging reckless drivers to please pay attention to our kids and our seniors crossing the street. Perhaps instead of blanketing a section of one street with flashing lights, we should be focused on making all of our streets safe. I would ask the council and the administration who's not here, but maybe we have future members of the administration here to not give into the cynical belief that we can't accomplish this goal. Um, we need to put in the work to care about our streets and to make them safe, and we can do it and we can get it right. And in fact, we took the first step seven years ago in this chamber. The city proudly showed off its new Complete Streets policy and that policy calls for general public input on traffic calming measures, regular comprehensive trainings on complete streets, approaches for city staff, including public safety employees like police officers. And most importantly, the policy requires the creation of a Complete Streets working group, which includes members of the council, the public, the pet bike committee, state partners, and city staff. That working group is supposed to create standards, measure effectiveness, and produce a report at least annually for public review. This group has met one time, they created an outstanding prioritization plan that set the stage for major progress in this city over the next three years, and then they disappeared and they never met again. The good news is we already have the policy in place. We can follow it and we can take a thoughtful approach. So I hope in the future, instead of approving $50,000 of taxpayer money on flashing taxpayer money on flashing lights picked by a handful of people, we can recreate this working group and use that money to fund real traffic combining. So I would invite the current mayor and future mayors, counselors, and candidates to reject the temptation of quick fixes on this issue and start down the path of real progress on traffic safety in Melrose. The mayor can restart the working group exactly as laid out in the policy. We can support and recruit diverse voices and experts in our community, including our critics, and engage them thoughtfully on solutions. And I believe that we have the capacity to do that work, and I look forward to being a part of it and supporting everyone else on their journey.

▶ 2:11:54 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you. Thank you, councilor Williams. Anyone else on discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk,

▶ 2:11:59 Speaker 4: Councilor Ec, uh, Ella? Yes. Councilor Ec Eccles. Yes. Councilor Gara? Yes. Councilor Jamine? Yes. Councilor Karen Jie? Yes. Councilor mg? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Greg? Yes. Nine. Yes. Nine Yes.