Reports from a recent community meeting at Allen Park to discuss public safety issues are quite interesting.

The forum — and forums scheduled for 6 p.m. July 20 at Jackson-Taylor Park, followed by July 26 at Lillian Dickson Park and Aug. 2 at Bergman Park — are organized in response to funding received through the state Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative.

Yet, at least among south side residents who attended last week’s forum guns were far from the most pressing matter on people’s minds. Residents who took the time to attend the forum shared concerns about speeding cars, noise, drug use, people breaking into and squatting inside vacant city homes and how derelict properties are handled– but not guns.

That’s really saying something when you consider the hand-wringing that comes when there is a shooting in Jamestown. Guns, drugs and the issues they bring are obviously issues in Jamestown and all cities, but the first community forum on public safety was interesting for the range of issues on the minds of city residents. They’re fed up with fear their child may be struck by a speeding vehicle, fed up with little things like people riding bikes or skateboarding down the middle of the street with no regard for their neighbors and frustrated with fireworks in the middle of the night when they have to get up and go to work the next morning. They’re tired of having their homes broken into or having squatters next door in a home that has been deemed not to be occupied.

We should continue to take the scourge of drugs and gun violence seriously in Jamestown. At the same time it’s worth remembering that the supposedly minor issues are the ones that are often the most frustrating to the majority of Jamestown residents.

Public safety issues faced in the south side may be different throughout the rest of the city. We hope those with concerns are able to take the time to attend the other three scheduled forums or, if need be, attend a City Council meeting and make your voice known there.