City Council town hall event today

MERCED -- In an effort to reach out to the residents of south Merced, the City Council will hold its second ever town hall-style meeting next week.

City officials will hear from residents today at Tenaya Middle School starting at 7 p.m.

Topics of discussion will include a neighborhood update and the city's emergency notification system. The City Council will hear a follow-up report to several ongoing topics of concern, including Operation Ceasefire, economic development in south Merced and the reopening of the McNamara Pool.

The city's first special meeting held outside City Hall took place last April at Sacred Heart Catholic Church's social hall in south Merced. Concerns discussed included McNamara Park, which has subsequently benefitted from significant city and community attention.

Tenaya Middle School is at 760 W. Eighth St. The City Council will hold a second special meeting in the northern part of the city at Rivera Middle School, 945 Buena Vista Drive, Feb. 25.

The council, with ballot approval from voters, amended the City Charter in 2007 to allow special meetings to be held outside City Hall.

Reporter Joshua Emerson Smith can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or jsmith@mercedsunstar.com.