Residents promote Oxford House opening and city alert system; caller urges better campaign information and fewer roadside signs

During the public‑comment portion of the Oct. 14 meeting, several residents described local programs and offered suggestions to improve public information and safety.

Claire Neely told the commission she recently opened a women’s Oxford House recovery residence at 719 Kiowa and said the model provides peer‑run transitional housing with recovery supports. “We are having a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on the 31st from 11 to 1,” Neely said, inviting officials and community members.

Danny Redmond, a Shenandoah neighborhood resident, praised the city’s new AlertSense emergency notification system and urged broader promotion. Redmond said only “300 and now 301 people” had signed up and suggested adding a signup blurb to city water bills and sending a postcard to households. “It’s free, it’s easy, and it could make all the difference in emergency,” he said.

Ashley Pitts, a registered voter, asked the city to make local candidate information easier to find online and suggested posting posters in government buildings with QR codes linking to candidate pages. Pitts also proposed restricting political yard signs at intersections with posted speeds of 30 mph or higher to reduce driver distraction.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged the comments. Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Bowder thanked Oxford House representatives and encouraged attendance at the open house. The mayor’s appointments and announcements that followed included a reminder about upcoming city trunk‑or‑treat on Oct. 18 and remarks celebrating Havens Park as a community asset.