As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel often gets the grease.
And at Durham City Council's first of seven Coffees with the Council Saturday, Durham residents gathered at the Irwin R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center to "squeak"-by giving direct input to Council members on budgetary concerns for the upcoming fiscal year.
The Council and a small group of other city officials fielded questions about issues ranging from street maintenance and repairs to gang violence and city traffic.
"Keep on squeaking," Durham Council Member Howard Clement advised local residents, adding that the purpose of the meetings was to raise awareness of issues in the community that might otherwise be left unanswered.
The forum-intended to be less formal than City Council meetings and work sessions and allows community members to broach topics for longer periods of time-was established in 1997 for residents to give their opinions on how the Council can best utilize its budget to improve city services.
Council Member Michael Woodard said that although all posed questions would not be directly answered at the sessions, the Council would investigate recurring issues more closely as a result.
"A lot of what we heard today were issues that we've heard a lot," Woodard said. "We're prioritizing the issues we see."
Katie Kalb, director of Durham's Public Works Department, responded to several questions that dealt with the safety and aesthetics of specific city streets and discussed where money from the city budget goes.
"Here in Durham, we have more needs than resources," she said. "[Looking back], we should've put more money into [streets]."
Similarly, representatives from the Durham Police Department addressed problems concerning security and traffic in the city.
The representatives said they would continue to monitor specific incidents including cases of vandalism and break-ins as well as reports from residents who were worried about speeding drivers.
"I would like to see more patrolmen out here," said one resident of South Alston Ave. "If you have a quota, you can make it."
Other concerns brought up by community members included the process of water sewage treatment billing, the potential outcome of Wal-Mart leasing land in Durham and a range of other broader issues.
"Are we going to stop the gang violence?" one resident asked.
Another resident discussed the issue of prostitution in Durham, noting that it was a problem that should be considered nationally, as well as locally.
Barbara Loftoe, president of one of the five area Partners Against Crime groups, said she was pleased by the number of questions raised for consideration and believed that the session went well.
"I'm for any meeting with city government that affords citizens to voice their concerns," said a member of PAC 3.
Other community members said they would have preferred for the Council-not other city officials-to serve as the primary source of response.
"I would like to have the Council do more answering of questions," said a member of PAC 4. "This is Coffee with Council, not Coffee with Staff."
Regardless of where budgetary funds end up, Woodard said the Council would actively pursue the questions raised.
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