Issues facing Hinesville were discussed at A District 3 town hall meeting, hosted by Pastor A.D. Shaw and Councilwoman Vicky Nelson, Saturday.

Interim City Manager Kenneth Howard discussed the upcoming $38 million city budget got approved.

The manager said the city would like to implement an initiative to fund after-school employment for youth. One of the goals is to organize a youth council to talk issues with the mayor and council and to represent youth.

Howard also touched on developing a family entertainment center, plans for a business incubator at what is to become part of Georgia Southern University next year, a minority and business women’s enterprise program aimed at diversifying who gets city contracts.

Steve Welborn, who heads the city’s geographic information systems, explained code enforcement, which he said is to promote a safe, clean and healthy living environment for all and to help protect and maintain property values.

He said code enforcement is working with the police department to identify abandoned and dilapidated buildings in hopes of getting owners to secure and clean them up.

Assistant Hinesville Police Chief Maj. Bill Kirkendall talked about crime.

He said strategies the department is adopting to prevent crime is to have officers walk through neighborhoods and stores in to increase visibility and apprear approachable.

Kirkendall and Cpl. Kevin Remulad, who runs the HPD’s Neighborhood Watch Program, spoke.

“Realistically, in a perfectly functioning Neighborhood Watch, you only have to account for three houses, your house, the house to the right and the house to the left because we all cover down on each other,” Remulad said. “So it’s just important to know what’s going on in your neighborhood and get out there.”

Anyone interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch can call 912-368-8211.

Curless Butler, a construction specialists with Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission, talked about building inspections and permits.

Nelson detailed some of the construction and maintenance work done in the district in the past year.