The safety and quality of life of the residents
of the Town of LaGrange is of utmost importance. The Town Board believes
that the establishment of a Public Safety Advisory Committee to study,
review and report on issues such as traffic, crime and associated
quality-of-life issues is necessary to assist the Town Board in undertaking
actions to protect the public health and safety.
The Town Board of the Town of LaGrange hereby
creates a commission which shall be known as the "Town of LaGrange
Public Safety Advisory Commission," hereinafter called the "Commission."
The Commission shall consist of five members,
all of whom shall be appointed by the Town Board and who shall serve
at the pleasure of that Board as provided herein. One member of the
Commission must be a member of the Planning Board. Persons residing
within the Town of LaGrange shall be eligible for appointment as members
of the Commission. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled in
the same manner as the original appointment, except that a vacancy
occurring other than by expiration of the term of office shall be
filled only for the remainder of the unexpired term.
The Commission members' terms of office shall
be staggered to assure continuity of offices. Two members shall be
appointed to a position having a term of one year; two members shall
be appointed to a position having a term of two years; and one member
shall be appointed to a position having a term of three years. At
the expiration of these initial terms for each position, the respective
positions shall convert to terms of two years.
The Town Board shall designate a member of the
Commission to act as chairman thereof. At the first meeting of the
Commission, its members shall elect from among themselves a recording
secretary. The Commission shall adopt rules of procedures for its
meetings. It shall keep accurate records of its meetings and activities
and file an annual report with the Town Board.
The powers and duties of the Commission shall
be as follows:
A. Advise the Town Board on the following matters: traffic,
including the placement of stop signs, no-parking restrictions, speed
limits, traffic signals, intersections, and traffic issues; crime;
and other quality-of-life issues.
B. Develop and, after receiving general approval from
the Town Board, conduct a program of public information in the community
which shall be designed to foster community involvement and understanding
regarding issues of traffic, crime and other quality-of-life issues.
C. Seek to coordinate, assist and unify the efforts of
private groups, institutions and individuals with the Town of LaGrange
in accord with the purposes of this chapter.
D. Maintain informational, nonbinding communications
with public and private agencies and organizations of local, state
and national scope whose programs and activities have an impact on
traffic or crime or who can be of assistance to the Commission. Such
agencies include, but are not limited to, the New York State Department
of Transportation, the New York State Police and the Dutchess County
Sheriff's Office.
E. Working in cooperation with the Planning Board, recommend
from time to time to the Town Board plans and programs relating to
traffic control for inclusion in the Master Plan of the Town of LaGrange
and, similarly, recommend to the Town Board appropriate and desirable
changes in existing local laws and ordinances relating to traffic
control or recommend new local laws and ordinances.
F. Obtain and maintain, in an orderly fashion, maps,
reports, books and other publications to support the necessary researches
of the Commission into local traffic conditions.
G. Carry out such other duties as may be assigned from
time to time by the Town Board.
The members of the Commission shall receive
no compensation for their services as members thereof but may be reimbursed
for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties, within the appropriations made available therefor
and upon approval by the Town Board.