Nixon to start neighborhood watch program

NIXON — City council on Monday approved a new neighborhood watch program to help report and prevent criminal activity in the community.

Pct. 4 Constable John Moreno told the council that a program was established in the Smiley area years ago, and that he and Deputy Constable Community Liaison David Alison plan to help prepare the Nixon program.

“What happens is you have to have the leadership to keep the organization going,” Moreno said. “It’s run by the citizens, and it’s up to them to keep it going. Law enforcement will assist by bringing programs to their meetings so they can have presentations at each one.”

Moreno said such programs include how-to information on topics such as self-defense and how to keep safe while doing day-to-day activities.

“People need to know what to watch out for like for instance, when they’re out shopping and going to their car, things like that,” Moreno said.

Moreno added that Alison helps neighborhood watch programs in the Thompsonville area, and that he has 40 years of law enforcement experience.

“We’re going to keep in touch with city council on when they want to have the first meeting so we can assist them with that,” Moreno said. “The whole idea of neighborhood watch is to get the community involved in helping law enforcement to stop crime. When they see something we don’t, they can help us.”

In other business, the council voted against making the one-way street between the post office and Main Drug Pharmacy at the corner of Main and 2nd Sts. into a two-way, at least for the time being. The council did however say that the street will be made into a two-way after construction at the intersection of Highways 87 and 80 is complete.

“They decided it would be too confusing to the citizens of Nixon to change it back to a two-way at this point,” Mayor Gladyne Finch said.

The council also voted against installing a drip watering system for the city’s gazebo. Officials said the reasoning behind this was that excessive water could flood onto neighboring properties, and that such an occurrence could make the city liable.