Merced City Council members Mike Harris, Shane Smith and Ronnie De Anda listen intently to the concerns of residents who spoke up during the Town Hall meeting at Merced High School.
A Mercedian speaks about his issues with the current quality of the city’s care and maintenance.
Merced Police Chief Steven Stanfield spent a good deal of time responding to the many safety concerns of the public.
Local business owner and community activist Necola Adams was among the eager citizens to voice their opinions.
A number of city department heads were available to respond to comments and concerns.
A number of city department heads were available to respond to comments and concerns.
The three-part Town Hall series hosted by the Merced City Council will conclude this week with a meeting at Stowell Elementary School on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. Residents who would like to voice concerns or ask questions about city services are urged to attend the meeting.
This week’s meeting follows the one on Jan. 30 at Merced High School where residents gathered and brought up issues regarding public safety, city maintenance, code enforcement, food security, and the well-being of undocumented residents living in the city.
One major topic of the night had to do with illegal and unsafe activities by pedestrians on the road, primarily panhandling and wandering along medians. The speaker who brought this topic up related the fear and frustration with having to actively avoid people wandering while driving around town, and was wondering if there is anything that could be done.
Police Chief Steven Stanfield admitted that, due to new California laws regarding pedestrian movement (such as jaywalking) code enforcement and prosecution is difficult. However, due to recent expansions of the police department staff, he believes that the issue is already making progress. Additionally, he also stated that many of our roads are in dire need of new and clearer signage that denotes what is properly walkable infrastructure, which will help to both prevent this issue and prosecute those who continue to do it. Another thing that is currently in the works, is a road speed survey, which will help officers track and enforce primary areas of concern.
The Town Hall comments were made as the issue of traffic and pedestrian safety in town continue to make local news headlines. On Monday, a man died after being hit by a car on the on-ramp to Highway 99 from Yosemite Parkway just before 9 p.m. The California Highway Patrol says the man walked into the path of the vehicle before he was hit.
Other speakers voiced concerns about illegal parking and vehicles on the road, city cleanup, as well as homelessness encampments. Mayor Matt Serratto, City Manager Scott McBride, and Chief Stanfield reassured attendees that they are doing everything possible with the resources available to them, and that by every metric, things are already steadily improving. And, for those who want to help, there are numerous programs throughout the city for hopeful volunteers as well as the new Merced Connect app which allows citizens to share photos and information to help city workers address issues more directly, such as road work, vandalism, waste management, and more.
For the second time in the Town Hall series, the issue of residents hearing “explosions” throughout the city was brought up. City leaders believe the primary cause of these alarming sounds are illegal, low-altitude fireworks. They are aware of many people who have seen them directly, and have even found evidence that proves such devices have been used in various places.
Another area of concern brought to the attention of city leadership had to do with the possibility of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entering the city in search of people who are living here without documented U.S. citizenship. Leaders were asked about taking action to help reduce stress and worry for those who are undocumented, as well as their family members.