Forks Police Department Advisor/Administrator Rick Bart (left) and Mayor Bryon Monohon moderated the first in a series of three community meetings aimed at addressing community concerns about the ongoing crime wave in Forks. The meeting was held on Monday evening, Aug. 20 at the Forks Elks Lodge on Merchant Road. Future meetings are planned for the Elks Lodge on Monday evening, Sept. 17 and Monday evening, Oct. 15, both starting at 7 p.m. with a pot luck community meal.

Mayor Bryon Monohon and Forks Police Advisor/Administrator Rick Bart moderated the first in a series of three town hall meetings aimed at attacking the recent crime wave of burglaries and thefts in Forks and nearby areas.

The meeting was held at the Forks Elks Lodge on Merchant Road. Well over 100 local residents attended the meeting, packing out the main room in the Elks Lodge.

Also attending were Forks Police officers, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputies, a representatives of the juvenile justice department from Port Angeles and members of Bart’s newly formed community advisory board.

Discussion about the city’s Neighborhood Watch program was presented by Diane Winters.

Questions from the audience hit on a wide range of topics including the arrest last week of a  14-year-old and a 16-year-old on theft and other charges.

The meeting lasted almost two hours.  Future meetings are scheduled for Monday evening Sept. 17 and Monday evening Oct 15, both with a potluck meal preceding discussion.

Due to press time constraints, a complete report on the meeting will appear in the Aug. 30 issue of the Forks Forum, and later this week on www.forksforum.com.