By Linda Taaffe

The Los Altos City Council temporarily spared the Neighborhood Traffic Task Force and the Joint City/Schools Traffic Committee from getting the ax earlier this month.

City staff had recommended disbanding both groups and forming a seven-member council-appointed Traffic Advisory Committee in order to cut down the number of staff hours needed to support two separate committees. The city’s engineering department is currently operating with a lean staff due to employee turnover.

The council postponed making any changes until it reviews the city’s budget priorities Tuesday.

The council said its first priority is to address its critical level of service problems within its engineering staff.

“It sounds to me like the real problem is the lack of staff to support (each committee’s) efforts,” said Councilman John Moss.

“Our number one priority is traffic, yet we have only half a traffic engineer. We need to put money where our priorities are.”

The neighborhood task force’s primary duty was to develop the neighborhood Traffic Management Plan and the city/schools charge was to look at ways to improve traffic safety in school zones.

Kurt Ayers, a spokesman from the Neighborhood Traffic Advisory Task Force, said he was concerned that there would be a lack of focus if the council combined both groups.

“There are too many traffic woes for seven committee members to solve, ” he added.

The council could also make the Bicycle Committee a council- appointed committe.

It is currently a staff committee.