Council to hear out public in meetings

MERCED -- The Merced City Council will hold two public study sessions Friday and Saturday to discuss policies and goals for the upcoming budget year.

The sessions will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Sam Pipes Room of the Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St.

The council holds these meetings annually to prioritize goals for the coming year, according to city officials. The study sessions include time for public comment.

After the Friday session, the council will meet in closed session to conduct the public employee performance evaluation of the city manager.

The City Council also will hold its second town hall-style community meeting Monday in north Merced. The public meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Rivera Middle School, 945 Buena Vista Drive.

The City Council is encouraging residents to attend and voice their concerns and opinions about issues facing the area. The meeting will include public comment, as well as a staff presentation on an emergency alert system and Neighborhood Watch program.

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