Sponsor
Alderman Shakoor
Title
Ordinance 0005-18 - Transit, Parking, and Traffic
An ordinance to amend Chapter 2, Articles II, III, and V, and Chapter 94, Articles III and V, of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin.
The Common Council of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, do ordain as follows:
Part 1: Amend Chapter 2, Article II, Division 4 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, as follows:
Delete the words “traffic commission” from Section 2-95(a) and substitute the words “public works and services committee” therefor.
Delete the words “traffic commission” from the third sentence of Section 2-95(b) and substitute the words “public works and services committee” therefor.
Part 2: Amend Chapter 2, Article II, Division 4 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, as follows:
Insert the word “parking,” between the word “traffic,” and the word “utilities.”
Part 3: Repeal Chapter 2, Article III, Division 9 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin.
Part 4: Repeal and Recreate Chapter 2, Article III, Division 10 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, as follows:
Sec. 2-291. - Created; composition.
There is hereby created a transit commission, which shall constitute a public utility within the meaning of Wis. Stats. §§ 66.0801, et seq., and shall function as a transit utility for the operation of the transit system for the city. The transit commission shall consist of five commissioners. Included in the membership of the transit commission shall be a citizen member, three citizens of recognized business ability, and one alderman elected by the common council. The citizen members of the commission shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to the confirmation of the common council; vacancies shall be filled in the same manner.
Sec. 2-292. - Terms of office; compensation.
All appointments of citizen members of the transit commission shall be for a term of three years. The other members of the commission shall serve during the period of time they hold their respective offices. Appointments shall be made on October 1. The term of office shall begin upon appointment, confirmation, and qualification, and shall continue until the qualification of a successor. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
Sec. 2-293. - Election of officers; secretary.
Each year within 30 days after the time designated in this division for the beginning of terms, the members of the transit commission shall organize by the election of a citizen member as chairman of the commission and the selection of such other officers as they may deem necessary. The traffic engineer or his representative shall serve as secretary of the commission.
Sec. 2-294. - Duties
It shall be the general duty of the transit commission to provide overall supervision of the assets and operation of the transit system to ensure that it functions as an integrated part of the overall transportation system. This supervision shall include, but is not limited to, recommendations to the common council relating to: the issuance of revenue bonds, service agreements and contracts, retention of professional transit management firms, routes, fares, hours of service, buildings and grounds, purchase and maintenance of transit vehicles and transit related items, personal recruitment and training, labor relations and negotiations, advertising and insurance, the general financial status of the transit system, and other items which concern the physical and operational aspects of bus transit management.
Sec. 2-295. - Budget.
The transit commission shall annually prepare operating and outlay budgets for the activities in which it is engaged, which budgets shall be approved by a majority of the members of the commission and shall be submitted to the common council for its approval. The commission shall be subject to the budget ordinance of the city and shall have no authority to expend funds other than those appropriated or approved by the common council.
Sec. 2-296. - Finances.
All accounts relating to the mass transit system shall be audited by the transit commission, and if approved by a majority of the commission, shall be paid by orders upon the city treasurer, signed by the mayor, city clerk, and finance director. The finance director shall keep, as separate funds, all income and revenue derived from the mass transportation system and any funds especially provided for either by the common council and pay therefrom all orders legally drawn upon such funds.
Sec. 2-297. - Real estate purchases; construction work.
The transit commission shall purchase no real estate to be used as part of the mass transit system without the prior approval of a majority of the members of the common council. Any construction work undertaken by the commission shall be under the immediate supervision of the commissioner of public works.
Sec. 2-298. - Recommendations to the council.
The common council and its committees shall refer to the transit commission for its recommendation all matters coming before them relating to mass transit. The common council shall vote upon any recommendation of the commission within 90 days after the filing of such recommendation with the city clerk. If any proposed ordinance, resolution, petition, or request referred to the commission is disapproved by the commission, such ordinance, resolution, petition or request shall not be adopted or granted, except by at least a majority vote of the full membership of the common council.
Part 5: Amend Chapter 2, Article V, Division 8 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin as follows:
Delete the words “and parking,” “parking and,” and “and of the traffic commission” from the third sentence of Section 2-531(e).
Create Section 2-531(g) as follows:
The city engineer:
(a) shall evaluate, and issue decisions regarding, all traffic-related requests;
(b) shall study and consider matters pertaining to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, school crossing guards, on-street parking, and other related matters of the city;
(c) shall recommend to the public works and services committee ways and means of handling, improving, and controlling such traffic problems, on-street parking, including the location of on-street parking meters within the established parking meter zones, and related matters as may arise in the city, and shall, with the approval of the common council, carry on, conduct, and direct such programs of education and publicity as deemed advisable for handling, improving, and controlling such traffic conditions, on-street parking problems and related matters;
(d) may adopt and publish in writing standards, warrants and criteria for control of traffic on streets and on-street parking operations, which shall not become effective until approval by the common council.
Part 6: Amend Chapter 94, Article III, Division 2 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, as follows:
Delete the words “traffic commission” from Section 94-142 and substitute the words “public works and services committee” therefor.
Part 7: Amend Chapter 94, Article III, Division 3 of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, as follows:
Delete the words “traffic commission” from Section 94-163 and substitute the words “public works and services committee” therefor.
Part 8: Amend Chapter 94, Article V, of the Municipal Code of the City of Racine, Wisconsin as follows:
Delete the words “transit and parking commission” from Section 94-276.
Delete the words “transit and parking commission” from Section 94-285(a) and substitute the words “common council” therefor.
Delete the words “transit and parking commission” from Section 94-286(a) and substitute the words “public works and services committee” therefor.
Part 9: This ordinance shall take effect upon passage by a majority vote of the members-elect of the City Common Council and publication or posting as required by law.
Fiscal Note: N/A