JAMESTOWN – Attendance at Jamestown City Council meetings will likely see increased numbers in the future.
During Monday’s meeting a contingent of community members from the Hispanic Community Council were on hand to attend the city council meeting.
Following the meeting, council president and CEO Max Martin said the purpose was to remind city officials of the Hispanic community in Jamestown.
We have a very vibrant and growing community. The thing that we have to be aware of as Latinos is that we don’t have a community, we have a population of us. We’re trying to work to create the community, but we need the community of Jamestown to be part of us. We can’t have separate a community. We need to have one community and that’s what makes a difference. That’s why where here. We don’t have to speak. Showing up is good enough.
None of those in attendance from the council spoke or addressed the city council. But Martin said the Hispanic Community does have concerns it wants the city to know about, including addressing the problem of housing, crime, and poor streets in many neighborhoods.
“I just spoke to a gentleman that lives on Franklin Street and he said they haven’t touched that street in 10 years, so tomorrow I’m going to go by there to take some pictures and find out what he’s talking about,” Martin said. “He said it looks like a third world street in Jamestown because in 10 years, nothing is done.”
Martin adds that while no one from the council or Hispanic community is running for office in this year’s election, it doesn’t mean they want to be disengaged in city government and affairs. He says they will continue to try and serve as a unified voice and will continue to attend future city council meetings to make their presence known.
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