Town Council: The Big Question

Question 4: What question do you find yourself being asked most frequently by prospective voters and how do you handle it?

Edward “Ted” Giblin: Since beginning my campaign in earnest more than a month ago, voters have inquired as to my position on a host of issues in Verona including our recreational facilities, downtown shopping district, PILOT monies as well as many others. However, the one issue that I am asked about most frequently is that of public safety.

As the father of two young daughters, safe streets and public safety is a top-concern. In recent weeks, Verona and our neighboring community in Essex Fells have dealt with the awful tragedy of pedestrian fatalities. What alarms our residents most is that these fatalities occurred during the day and were entirely preventable. Our town is a walkable community and our residents want to feel safe on our streets and sidewalks.

As a prospective Councilmember, I suggest we consider a few ways to make our town safer:

• Stronger Coordination with County of Essex Officials
  Several of Verona’s major traffic arteries are Essex County roadways. Within the next few years, our traffic issues on these roads will be heightened as K. Hovnanian completes 460 units in neighboring Cedar Grove. Our next Council will have the important task of working closely with the county to ensure the smooth flow of traffic through town and the safety of our residents with this additional traffic.  Several strategies can be used including additional traffic signals, using a “road diet” whereby roads are narrowed in high pedestrian density areas and the installation of traffic bollards to protect our residents.
  Important initiatives considered in the past such as a traffic light on Fairview Avenue near Verona High School will need to be reintroduced to the county as a safety necessity.
• Verona Police Department Task Force
  Verona Police Department needs to have the tools necessary to enforce our local laws. With that in mind, I suggest the creation of a task force enlisted with the idea of slowing traffic in our neighborhoods and by our schools. Apart from speeding, residents have complained about cars rolling through stop signs or not even stopping at all for that matter.
• Education
  Both children and adult residents need to be educated about our local traffic laws and the dangers inherent in texting while walking, texting while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. I would support having our police department working more closely with the BOE to conduct seminars in the schools around these safety concerns.