City sets another residents' meeting
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on June 24, 2007 2:00 AM
By KENNETH FINE
News-Argus Staff Writer
Teens roaming neighborhoods at all hours of the night, drivers speeding down streets with their speakers blaring and flooding -- just a few of the concerns voiced by Goldsboro residents during this year's neighborhood meeting series.
Tuesday, the list will likely grow as elected officials and city staff will take to the H.V. Brown Center for the latest installment.
Residents who live in the area near the center, which includes the blocks of Virginia and Elm streets, are invited to attend.
The event, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., is an opportunity for residents to take the microphone to voice concerns to and ask questions of city leaders.
City Manager Joe Huffman said he is looking forward to hearing what needs to be done to help the neighbors around H.V. Brown, but has no feel yet for what concerns might surface.
"Let us know what's going on in your neighborhood -- your concerns and questions," he said. "We're public servants. It's our job to help."
The meeting will follow a similar format to those that have come before.
After a brief introduction from Mayor Al King, City Manager Joe Huffman will introduce the members of his staff present -- including the fire and police chiefs, investigators, city engineer and more.
City Council members are also scheduled to attend.
Pizza and soft drinks will be provided and residents will be encouraged to take the microphone or meet with officials one-on-one to voice their concerns.
And while officials said the forums have "worked well," Huffman said residents should make it a point to address problems in their neighborhood as soon as they surface.
"There's no need to wait for a neighborhood meeting," Huffman said. "Write them down and send them to me."
The city-sponsored neighborhood meeting concept was implemented to give residents a chance to meet officials and representatives and to open lines of communication between neighborhoods and City Hall.
Once each area of the city has its meeting, Huffman will hold an informal meeting of the Mayor's Neighborhood Committee, a group comprised of members from each community.
No make-up date has been scheduled in the event of rain Tuesday.
Huffman said if bad weather forces cancellation of the meeting, residents will be notified as quickly as possible.