{"id":28,"date":"2026-10-23T11:01:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T15:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iskrat.me\/iskrat\/2026\/10\/23\/the-town-of-magical-thinking\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T23:55:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T03:55:21","slug":"the-town-of-magical-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iskrat.me\/iskrat\/2026\/10\/23\/the-town-of-magical-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"The Town of Magical Thinking…"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I really should read the agendas and minutes of Red Bank’s mayor and council meetings to the bitter end.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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Red Bank council caucus meeting…<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Usually<\/span> published<\/span> only<\/span> 24<\/span> hours<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> next<\/span> council<\/span> meeting\u2014leaving<\/span> the<\/span> community<\/span> little<\/span> opportunity<\/span> to<\/span> prepare\u2014the<\/span> agenda<\/span> and<\/span> previous<\/span> minutes<\/span> typically<\/span> list<\/span> the<\/span> mayor’s<\/span> latest<\/span> proclamations<\/span> about<\/span> his<\/span> friends<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> latest<\/span> “tick-the-box”<\/span> events.<\/span> These<\/span> are<\/span> followed<\/span> by<\/span> a<\/span> list<\/span> of<\/span> ordinances<\/span> and<\/span> resolutions,<\/span> often<\/span> itemized<\/span> with<\/span> blank<\/span> placeholders,<\/span> ready<\/span> for<\/span> a<\/span> superficial<\/span> “discussion”<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> inevitable<\/span> unanimous<\/span> rubber-stamping<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> town’s<\/span> Faithful.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Vision Zero<\/b><\/span> is a road safety strategy that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while improving safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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<\/b>. 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.<\/p>\n

All this from a council which claims it is dedicated to open government yet doesn’t trust its constituents.<\/p>\n