MINERAL SPRINGS — Mineral Springs residents who want to learn more about setting up a community watch program can do so at 7 p.m. today at Town Hall.

Councilwoman Peggy Neill and a representative from the Union County Sheriff’s Office will field questions from residents during the community crime watch program meeting. Neill said she expects Sheriff Eddie Cathey to be there as well.

“We’re trying to give them the information that’s available,” town clerk Vicky Brooks said. “This isn’t a program through the town. It’s informational.”

Neill recently said she was “completely shocked and concerned” when she learned from a Sheriff’s Office report that the total number of residential and commercial burglaries during an eight-month period in 2009 is five times higher than a comparable period in 2008.

Brooks said the meeting tonight might last about two hours, depending on how many people show up.

“This is the first time we have ever reached out to the community on something list large of scale,” Neill said. “I hope we have a good turnout.”