LOMPOC, Calif. - In wake of the school shooting in Connecticut, the city of Lompoc wants to hear from concerned citizens on ways to prevent these tragedies.
Lompoc city council member Bob Lingl was the one to suggest the idea of having a community forum. He says he wants to alleviate parent fear of having their children at school, by letting them speak their minds.
"I can't think of anything that's more important than taking care of our children," says Lingl.
Lingl wants city community members to be able to openly express their concerns or suggestions regarding school safety. Lingl got the idea after one of his daughter's, who has children, called him worried after news broke of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.
"She was fearful even taking her child to school the next day," says Lingl.
And so Lingl went to the city administrator with an idea.
"Let's have a public forum and get the word out," says Lingl. "Let the people know what we are doing, what we can do, what we hope to be doing."
Lingl says planning for the forum is in the preliminary stages, but the Lompoc Unified School District is on board with the idea. Lingl says he wants "two-way communication" during the meeting, where the public can ask questions and receive answers face-to-face from city and school district officials.
"I just want the parents to be assured that they are taking steps, not only the school district but the city, in protecting their children," says Lingl.
Steve Morales, a parent of a child who attend Buena Vista Elementary in Lompoc, says he believes his son is very safe at school. But Morales also says he was open to the idea of concerned voices being heard.
"I'm all for it. With everybody getting involved in this, hopefully we can always maintain a safer environment for our children," says Morales.
Lingl says that although no date has been set, he is hoping that the city and school district can get this town forum set sometime within the first week of January.
