AUBURN – If Mayor John Jenkins has his way, a small army of residents will start keeping tabs on their neighbors’ welfare.

It’s part of Jenkins’ community plan to make sure no one freezes this winter. He unveiled a Winter Economy Summit on Tuesday in Auburn Hall.

Jenkins’ plan is heavy with neighbors helping neighbors and officially sworn-in residents checking up on people in their wards. Called the Neighbor’s Keepers program, the volunteers would provide information to residents about city programs while keeping an eye on their neighbors. If they notice someone in trouble, they could alert the city or social service agencies.

“If you run out of heating oil, your neighbors are going to know about it a lot sooner than City Hall,” Jenkins said. “That’s the idea, to get people in the community inspired to help each other.”

Each volunteer would have to pass a background check performed by Auburn police. Jenkins imagines between five and 21 volunteers working in each of Auburn’s five wards.

He begins looking for volunteers Wednesday night at a meeting in the Washburn School. That’s the first of five ward meetings designed to meet with residents, figure out their concerns and give them information about winter programs.

Tuesday’s forum was designed to find out what kind of services are available and come up with new ways to get help to people. The forum drew 41 representatives from churches, businesses and social service agencies.

Jenkins first asked the group to talk about who will need help this winter. Poor people, those who depend on food banks and clothing donations, they said. Landlords squeezed by high prices, middle income families living paycheck to paycheck and social service groups watching their pools of volunteers and financial aid dry up.

“I’m not sure we can exclude anyone from this list,” City Councilor Bruce Bickford said. “Even people that make decent money can find themselves squeezed if their energy bill doubles. It’s a lot broader problem then ever before.”

Jenkins called for a two-prong approach. First, there is an emergency response, making sure that nobody freezes this winter. State and federal aid programs, including LIHEAP and general assistance, will help the low income residents.

He proposed creating a loan program with area banks and credit unions to help middle income residents.

Secondly, it’s just as important to make sure people don’t run out of heating fuel in the first place, he said.

“We need to think preventative and pre-emptive, getting people to think about these problems, their reactions before they happen,” Jenkins said. “There’s a lot of anxiety now, too, and this should help cut back on some of that heartburn. People won’t worry as much if they know where the help is coming from.”

Tuesday’s group came up with more ways to help – getting local vocational college students to help make homes more energy efficient or asking hardware stores to stock weatherizing kits. They suggested spreading the word about programs in any way possible – in newspapers, in handouts at grocery stores and posters in bathroom stalls. Bradford Knowles, a candidate for the state representative in District 68, suggested the candidates themselves carry heating program information with them as they campaign.

“We’re all going to be going door-to-door in several wards,” Knowles said. That’s one way to get the word out.”

Jenkins formed a steering committee to work on the group’s recommendations, but said he planned to invite everyone back for a second forum this year.