DIXON, CA (MPG) - At each City Council Meeting, the public has an opportunity to bring issues forward that are not already on the agenda for council to hear and possibly put on the agenda for a later meeting.

Ideally, a citizen would approach their District Representative first but that is not the only route as demonstrated by locals at the last City Council meeting.

For example, an elderly couple brought their frustrations of a neighbor playing very loud music for hours through the night and asked for a noise ordinance to be considered. By the council meeting after that, there was a proposal and it passed.

Public comments on non-agenda items included a new resident to Dixon, Kelly Pidgeon James, who reported that in the past six months, her brand-new home and neighborhood near Harbor and East Parkway had significantly filled with weeds and trash. She brought with her construction receipts and tags from building supplies from nearby Richmond American construction workers.

"I have picked up pounds of screws and nails. It's been really bad," she said and told of neighbors pitching in to regularly clean up and that weeds were 5- and 6-feet tall but that "it's become completely unmaintainable." She asked for help in getting it returned to its "former glory."

Another issue--this one about the Senior Center and it's broken stove--was brought up by former Councilwoman Yvonne McCluskey. She spoke on behalf of the Senior Club that has 103 members and explained that the kitchen at the senior center is in need of repair and is "inoperable" and that they'd like to use it. This situation is also one of the reasons the hall is not renting out for receptions, parties, or other gatherings because people want a facility with an usable kitchen.

"It has been brought up before, but we were told 'it is expensive' and 'we can't find the money," she said. "Now you need to put it on the front burner." She then invited them to come for a tour at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 12 at 11 a.m.

A burnt piece of shrub was brought for the Mayor and the Council to see what was left from a front-yard shrub thanks to a wayward firework from neighbors taking part in a celebration in the street near her house on the recent holiday. When a different neighbor saw the burning bush, he grabbed a fire extinguisher and put it out. She was not at home because she is a member of Rotary and was helping at the Hall Park Fireworks Show but learned of what happened afterwards through a video.

"I'm thankful that it wasn't worse but I'm angry," she said, blaming the council for legalizing fireworks. "We're going to have to protect the property and citizens of this community. It is way past time to outlaw all fireworks."

Because issues brought up are not on the agenda, these concerns will have to wait for a future meeting if the Council feels that they can't be resolved by simpler methods--like talking to a different department head that might have detailed knowledge or quick resolution. To review the council's immediate responses to these concerns, log onto the cityofdixon.us and review the video of the meeting for July 5, 2022.