AUBURN – Only nine residents attended a Ward One meeting Tuesday night in the first of this year’s series of such gatherings by city government officials to hear constituents’ concerns.

Mayor John Jenkins summed up issues voiced during the one-hour session as “traffic, traffic, traffic,” though there were some questions about recycling as well. He noted that the meeting room at Washburn School was filled at the first such session last year, but he said participation by the smaller number Tuesday will receive equal weight in the attention given by officials.

Concern about speeding on Lake Auburn Avenue and on Turner Street were voiced by Kenneth Cote of Coburn Street and Millard Dowd of Turner Street.

Cote asked whether a program of citizen radar monitoring might be adopted.

Police Chief Phil Crowell Jr. called it “a great idea” and said application has already been made for a mini-grant to fund a radar gun kit. The program would train a volunteer citizen group to observe and report violations, and that information would help the Police Department target its enforcement activity.

Ward One Councilor Michael Farrell asked if the radar trailer that flashes motorists’ speeds could be put out. Crowell said snow-lined streets are too narrow to make its use safe in the winter.

Paving concerns were also raised.

Frank Barron of Bradman Place said he drives on North River Road and Stetson Street daily and he complained that the condition of both roads is “terrible.”

“You can stop plowing it, because it’s smoother with the snow on,” he told Bob Belz, director of the Auburn Public Works Department.

Barron also said there are potholes on the northern end of the road “that you could park a Hyundai in and not even see it.”

He pointed out the deterioration and “disappearance” of very old post and cable guardrail along the steep riverbank of North River Road, and he requested a southbound left turn signal on Center Street at Stetson Street between the Lee and Rowe auto dealerships.

Some improvements in recycling also were on Barron’s mind. He asked why more types of plastic could not be placed in recycling collection bins.

Sid Hazelton, assistant director of Auburn’s Public Works Department, said that would require going to a “single stream system,” and he said that’s being investigated by the city’s recycling committee.

Dan Bilodeau of North Auburn Road told officials that he has assisted nine motorists who have skidded off that road in recent weeks. He said the excessive crown on the road is to blame and he requested that some “shimming” be done to remedy the situation.

Belz said complete reconstruction of the road is the appropriate answer, and that work is on a schedule for future attention. He said next fall would be an appropriate time to look at the road to determine if “shimming” would be feasible, and he agreed that it would be considered then.

Bilodeau said he was told that an original corduroy roadbed of logs placed horizontally is still under parts of North Auburn Road. Belz, agreed and said that’s true of several Auburn roads.

Bilodeau, who is an advocate for the L-A Watershed Neighborhood Association, voiced that group’s desire for the L-A Watershed Protection Commission to “adopt an ethics policy.”

He also relayed two reports he had heard of out-of-town motorists “soliciting adult males” at rest areas around Lake Auburn.

Crowell said appropriate enforcement of laws is being carried out and he agreed to assess the situation as needed.

The neighborhood meetings will continue in other wards through February and March.

Jenkins explained that citizens of any ward can attend any meeting, but residents of the host ward will be allowed to speak first.