Traffic and Public Safety Commission joint meeting agenda item

Elected officials, Staff and members of the Traffic and Public Safety Commission

Ballour Senior Center, 9/8/2014   6PM

Here is my proposed agenda, (along with my own views) that I believe would provide a functional top down structure with this being the threshold item: 

Discuss and select a definition of the role of T&PSC - this would ultimately be a decision of the City Council Members

This is a binary decision, meaning considering whether it will continue as an advisory committee, which gets few applicants;  or it will become something much more.  If it remains as is, very little has to be changed in the ordinance and agenda items such as just submitted by Mr. Blough and  Chair Kohl would be appropriate. There are only a few residents who desire to be on such a commission with existing authority that will be sufficient to continue to fill vacancies. 

If it is to be more, its output would have to be presumptive rather than advisory, which is how our Planning Commission now operates.  This would then require a majority of the council to negate rather than to affirm the work of this commission. This would make it similar to a legislative sub-committees which either have oversight responsibilities of agencies or formulate new laws.  If this is the choice, the city will have created a completely different entity from the previous commission which will require more resources, along with time expenditure with personal concomitant satisfactions to Commissioners.  The resources would require access to legal expertise, along with the sessions being videoed, and even possibly the authority of the chairperson to take sworn testimony of witnesses.  The chair of this Commission would then be one having personal authority, something like the city's current planning commission, and as such he/she should be nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the city council.  Appropriateness of financial remuneration for chair and members is an open question.  

Given the amount of effort at every level, from the research at the conceptualization stage, to interactions with other governmental entities of different or parallel levels, there must be coordination with the city council from inception -- whether the target result is a local ordinance or a formation of a cooperative venture with adjacent cities. Under this expanded presumptive definition I see opportunities for creatively addressing an array of  unfolding issues.

As one of two individuals who joined after the Traffic Commission was expanded I've proposed several projects that I will link below as examples of the type of projects I envision can be addressed by a presumptive Traffic and Public Safety Commission.
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This was a proposal for the last meeting that was suspended pending this joint meeting, it combines traffic and public safety issues.

http://archive.ci.encinitas.ca.us/weblink8/0/doc/718354/Page1.aspx

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This article for the July Meeting gave the rationale and legality of local ordinances being formulated even when being addressed by laws at higher levels.

http://focusonencinitas.blogspot.com/2014/06/reach-being-larger-than-grasp-when-and.html

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This essay, after discussing my failed attempt to define a broader interpretation of this Commission includes the stucture of a similar commission of Castle Rock CO, where I had a long discussion with an official on how they dealt with combining the Fire and EMS services.

http://focusonencinitas.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-third-of-year-evaluation-of-public.html

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Revised current ordinance:

2.40.040 Duties of the Traffic and Public Safety Commission.

A. It is the duty of this commission to serve as a liaison between the public and the City Council, and to conduct analyses and provide recommendations to the Council on matters related to the circulation of motorized vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles, and on matters related to public safety.

 The scope of the commission’s role with respect to public safety includes but is not limited to traffic safety, emergency response for fire, medical and other crises, as well as the City’s efforts to control and reduce criminal activities of all types. The commission may conduct informational and educational meetings, prepare reports and analyses, and work with fire, marine safety,ambulance, and sheriff personnel.