Red Bank council caucus meeting…

Usually published only 24 hours before the next council meeting—leaving the community little opportunity to prepare—the agenda and previous minutes typically list the mayor’s latest proclamations about his friends and the latest “tick-the-box” events. These are followed by a list of ordinances and resolutions, often itemized with blank placeholders, ready for a superficial “discussion” and the inevitable unanimous rubber-stamping by the town’s Faithful.

Like the vast majority of the Red Bank community I have now come to the conclusion that it’s futile to attend these charades, but I recommend reading the minutes of the previous meeting to see what the council and its members are up to. In this case I was drawn to Councillor Nancy Facey-Blackwood’s report given to the October 8 meeting.

Vision Zero is a road safety strategy that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while improving safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all

This concerns a document drawn up by one of the council’s army of “consultants” regarding the implementation of a Vision Zero Local Safety Action Plan. Apparently the draft has been “released” to the mayor’s selective and unaccountable Complete & Green Streets Committee, yet, as usual, no provision for any consultation with the community, several of whom are either road safety engineers or veteran road safety campaigners, in the compilation or review of this vital programme for safer streets.

All this from a council which claims it is dedicated to open government yet doesn’t trust its constituents.

• Vision Zero 
• Vision Zero in New Jersey