Residents urge speed bumps and action on downtown sanitation during public comment

Residents used the council's public comment period to press for immediate steps on street safety and downtown sanitation.

Mark Serple, who said he lives on McFarland Street, described deep roadside ditches, frequent speeding and a recent crash that knocked down a stop sign and sent a car into a ditch near a bus stop. "Someone's gonna be killed," he said, urging the council to install speed bumps between Exchange and Coolidge to slow traffic.

Dustin Vincent, co-owner of MessyGFC's Barbecue, told the council people experiencing homelessness have been "defecating and urinating next to our dumpsters" and that individuals have cut locks on his business's secured bins. He said staff must remove waste and that he would provide contact information for follow-up.

A third commenter echoed concerns about both speeding and the downtown presence of people without shelter, saying parks lack restroom access and that visible homelessness affects neighborhood quality of life.

Mayor Orr invited the commenters to leave contact information and sign-up sheets were available for follow-up; no formal council action on the specific requests was taken at the meeting. Council members and staff later discussed ongoing efforts around summer coordination with community resource organizations and upcoming town-hall meetings where residents can raise these issues further.