Vicksburg residents and business owners will be able to give their comments about gunfire in neighborhoods, and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s concerns about violence in night clubs, bars and restaurants in the community at a special public meeting Thursday to discuss gunplay in the city.

The meeting is 5:30 p.m. at the City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. called the meeting in February at the suggestion of North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield to discuss safety concerns in the wake of shootings at two local nightclubs in which people were wounded. In both cases, city and police officials shut the bars in the businesses down until the owners developed plans for increased safety and security.

“I think it would be good for us to do so they can understand the position that this is putting us in; we’re all getting calls,” Mayfield said at the time. “I think it behooves us as an elected board to sit down with these individuals and make sure they are aware how we feel about what’s going on. They may be able to give some pointers to us on what we need to help them and vice-versa.

“I want to know for myself that we have done our part in trying to get these things under control, because if we sit idly by and expect some of these issues to work themselves out, I think it can only get worse.”

Flaggs decided to open the meeting to all residents.

“Let me tell you what the subject matter is, the subject matter is security and shooting, because that’s what’s causing problems in the neighborhood, because I’m getting calls about it. So we’ll talk about crime as it relates to firearms,” Flaggs said.

The city has had incidents at two nightclubs between December and March.

Five people were wounded in a Christmas Eve shooting at L.D.’s Restaurant and Lounge, 1111 Mulberry St. A man was wounded Feb. 21 when he was shot in the chest during an argument in the parking lot at the Klondyke, 100 North Washington St. Police made arrests in both shootings.

In both cases, the owners developed policies for improved safety and security at the businesses before they could reopen their bars.