Many needs face residents, city

“What you say, and what you think does matter,” Robert Smith told approximately 40 residents who came out Thursday night to meet their mayor at the Northside Community Center and discuss issues that matter to the city.

“We may not be able to answer a lot of questions,” the mayor admitted. “Our main objective is to obtain input from the community.”

His first question came from Levell Hinton, who suggested the meeting needed with what the mayor, or council members, could actually do.

A member of the public speaks Thursday to city officials during a forum at the Northside Community Center.DAR/Donna Farley

“In a city council government, the mayor has no more authority than any other council person,” Smith answered. “There are seven members and it takes four of the seven to make a decision.”

He works to relay the needs of the community to the council, but it’s best if residents come to meetings to share those needs directly with the entire council, Smith continued.

For Alvina Johnson, the problem is the trash that lines her street. She used to have her daughter help out by picking up, but now that’s too dangerous because of the syringes.

For Travis Williams, it was street repairs, and why more money wasn’t available.

City manager Mark Massingham, who along with city planner Matt Winters attended both forums, answered that the city has about $200,000 each year to devote to overlay, sidewalk repairs and other street needs. It’s $50,000 more than the previous year, and the city hopes to continue increasing that amount each year.

Is it enough for a city this size, Williams asked.

It should probably be twice that, Massingham said.

Ray Aubuchon told the mayor he has approached various city entities about improving playground equipment at Hendrickson Park.

“I don’t have kids, but I look at these kids that go down there, the slide is almost unusable. Something needs to be done,” said Aubuchon.

It was a question the city could provide a solution to. A new park department director is already making plans to purchase additional playground equipment, Massingham said, who didn’t give details on where the new equipment would be located.

There are trees growing over the roads, there is a need for more salt to be put out on roads when winter weather is possible, the city needs animal control resources on the weekends, more code enforcement officers are needed, and what can be done about derelict houses, residents said.

As the meeting began to wind down, Hinton, who spoke first, added he was concerned the scope of the discussion had gotten too wide, when it came to needs of the city as a whole.

“I’m concerned about what can we do for our neighborhood in the Fifth Ward,” he said. “We’ve been on the planning list for 20 years, and we’re still not on the top tier.

“We’re not gong to make it this time if we don’t stay on the issue. What we want to do now is talk about the issues of today and we’re not doing that.”

Kenneth Burnett, a resident who initially spoke to offer his help at the community center, offered another perspective.

“I see a lot of compassionate people here. The same compassion you have for these plans you have, let’s donate to the community,” Burnett said. “Let’s do this, let’s come up with something collectively we can do, before we bring it to the board.

“Let’s address you all with something, instead of coming looking for something. Let’s bring something to the table.”

Smith said he wants to come back to the community with solutions and answers to the problems discussed during the meeting.