In every neighborhood, there are going to be concerns such as traffic issues, noise complaints and code enforcement issues and it is important that these issues are passed on to the appropriate authorities so that they can be remedied.

That is why we believe that the Summer Stroll program, in which city leaders walk through neighborhoods with their residents, is a great opportunity for residents to express their concerns.

Since the Summer Strolls began in 2001, it appears that many issues have been resolved as neighbors meet with city commissioners, the mayor, code enforcement officers, public works officials and police officers as they walk through these neighborhoods during the summer months.

More than 80 Summer Strolls have taken place since it began and many issues relating to code enforcement in certain neighborhoods have been fixed, including work on traffic signs and stormwater issues.

It is likely city officials wouldn’t perhaps know about many of these problems if it weren’t for the program.

We believe the strolls program is a success. These events allow city commissioners and other city officials to interact with citizens in their neighborhoods in more one-on-one settings where city leaders can see firsthand what citizens are concerned about.

When these officials see a neighborhood up close, they can visualize it when capital projects are proposed, as opposed to a project just being one more item on a list.

Also, seeing a problem up close certainly gives leaders a better idea of the urgency to fix it rather than relying on information provided during a phone call or through a memo.

Summer Strolls can have the potential to generate ideas for capital projects that could occur down the road.

We are fortunate in this community that we have elected and public officials who take time out of their busy schedules to walk through the neighborhoods in our city and identify problems and needs in the area’s visited.