Acord rejects traffic post
Mayor wishes councilman wanted to be part of solution, promises change
There is a poorly framed adage that suggests it is easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. In the mind of Kokomo Common Councilman Jason Acord, that is exactly what the city has been doing when it comes to traffic regulations. And he wants no part of it.
Councilman Jason Acord (right) listens as council business is conducted.
The Kokomo Common Council held its reorganization meeting on Jan. 10, and it was there that Acord “politely declined” a reappointment to the Kokomo Traffic Commission. The post went to Councilman Tony Stewart instead. After the meeting. Acord explained that he was uncomfortable with the commission approving actions that already had taken place.
“We met, but when we did, most of the stuff was already done,” said Acord. “It was past-tense stuff we were talking about. They were minor things like changes to speed limits, but I felt a little funny about bringing things to the council that should have been passed by a previous council.
“I have a standard, and this was a line I wasn’t willing to cross. You shouldn’t do something and then ask for permission. It doesn’t matter what party you’re from. You shouldn’t do it that way because it’s not your money.”
Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore was disheartened to hear that Acord had opted out of the appointment because of his concern over the way things were done.
“I would have liked to hear him say he wanted to stay on the commission; to be more involved to make sure things are cleaned up and then done correctly going forward,” said Moore. “If his concern is oversight, why wouldn’t he stay on to provide that and be part of the solution?”
Over the past few years, several changes to traffic signs and regulations in the city took place without supporting ordinances to legalize them: a stop sign at the intersection of Philips and Morgan streets; changing the speed limit along South Washington Street in front of Indiana University Kokomo; extraneous signage along South 300 W. These are a few examples of the “cart before the horse” conduct Acord couldn’t abide.
According to Moore, things like this won’t take place in the future.
“It’s issues like that, as I understand it, that caused some heartburn because there are some who say you need to go through the commission for these things first,” said Moore. “The engineer at that time (Carey Stranahan) said no, because of the specifics of the situation, they only needed the engineer’s approval. That heartburn between the engineer and members of the traffic department then spilled over to the need for the traffic commission to clean it up.”
Now that the city’s engineering department is overseen by director John Pyke, Moore believes that traffic changes will be handled differently.
“Depending on the situation,” said Moore. “We will be more intentional on having the traffic commission more involved as well as the city attorney. Knowing some past practices had happened that way, we will be more intentional on doing things the correct way.”
In other action at the reorganizational meeting, Councilman Ray Collins was elected president after a nomination for Councilman Matt Grecu died for lack of a second. Newly appointed council member Greg Davis was elected vice president over Councilwoman Kara McKibben on a 6-3 vote. Grecu will be the council’s representative to the Kokomo Plan Commission.