Norwalk : Citizen Forum Was ‘Worth Every Nickel,’ Mayor Says

More than 100 people turned out for a daylong Community Congress last Saturday that had participants break into discussion groups and brainstorm ways to combat crime and other major problems facing the “Keystone City.”

Norwalk officials spent much of the day just listening to residents, and in the end declared that the $12,000 city-sponsored session had been valuable. “It has been worth every nickel,” Mayor Marcial (Rod) Rodriguez said.

Two topics often raised by participants were public safety and human services. Several people recommended that City Hall do a better job of making residents aware of available services. And they also called for city officials to pay more attention to drug-abuse problems, improve Neighborhood Watch programs and increase police emergency response time.