After a bomb went off at the nearby superior courthouse, new bag-checking measures will begin here at city hall just before Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
"We want to make sure the public feels safe coming to these meetings," said Mark van de Kamp, the public information manager for the City of Santa Maria.
He tells me that following the explosion at the nearby courthouse, people feel unsettled.
New bag-checking measures are being implemented to help ease some of that discomfort.
"We will have either one of our police officers or our city rangers ask to see the bag or your belongings to do an administrative search to ensure things are okay, and then you'll be allowed to come into the building," said van de Kamp.
I visited with some Santa Maria residents who said they feel more comfortable knowing extra security measures will be in place.
"I think in general security is a good idea," said one resident.
"I feel like it's important to take matters to keep people safe," said a Santa Maria resident. "So I think I would be okay with someone checking my bags just as we do when we go to concerts or big events like that."
"It does make me feel safer. I think they should do it because we are one big community here, so they should do that. I feel good about it." said another resident.
Van de Kamp says the added security measure only applies to city council meetings for now.
