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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 03/31/1998 - JointI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Joint Meeting of the Corpus Christi City Council and the Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District Board of Directors on March 31, 1998, which were approved by the City Council on April 14, 1998. WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 14th day of April, 1998. Armando Chapa City Secretary SEAL MINUTES JOINT MEETING OF THE CORPUS CHRISTI CITY COUNCIL AND CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS March 31, 1998 12:17 p.m. CITY COUNCIL Mayor Loyd Neal Mayor Pro Tem Dr. David McNichols* Javier D. Colmenero Alex L. Garcia Jr.* Dr. Arnold Gonzales Betty Jean Longoria John Longoria ABSENT Melody Cooper Edward Martin Terry Baiamonte (Crime Control District) Mike Hummel (Crime Control District) CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT BOARD Rose Vela, Chairperson Leon Loeb, Vice Chairperson Jeanette Bazar* Rex Kinnison Dr. Sandra L. Lerma Arthur Serrano Jr.* Isaac Valencia City Staff Present City Manager Bill Hennings City Attorney James R. Bray Jr. City Secretary Armando Chapa Police Chief Pete Alvarez Mayor Neal called the meeting to order in the Basement Training Room of City Hall. City Secretary Chapa called the roll and verified that a quorum was present to conduct the meeting. Ms. Vela called the roll of the Board of Directors of the Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District. (*Council Member Garcia arrived at the meeting at 12:20 p.m.) Ms. Vela said the board had met several times previously and had elected the following officers: Ms. Vela, Chairperson; Mr. Loeb, Vice Chairperson; and Mr. Kinnison, Secretary. She said the statute requires the city's Finance Director to serve as the Treasurer of the Crime Control Board. Ms. Vela noted that Mr. Jorge Cruz-Aedo, Finance Director, will be leaving the city. Ms. Vela went on to explain that the first several meetings of the Crime Control Board were spent going over the district's budget, discussing the crime control plan that was presented to the voters, and orienting the new board members. She said subcommittees have been formed to address different topics and the Board has entered into a contract with the City of Corpus Christi to provide legal services and other administrative services to the Crime Control District. Ms. Mary Ann Robinson of the city's Finance Department then distributed a copy of the District's budget, and Ms. Vela pointed out that the budget has moved from a cash basis to an accrual basis at the recommendation of the Finance Director. Ms. Vela said the two main projects the Board would be focusing on were the juvenile curfew and assessment center and the school/police partnership program. The Chairperson said the Minutes Joint Meeting March 31, 1998 Page 2 District has funding for 10 officers for the school/police partnership, and there is a discussion among the Board members how to determine in what schools those officers will be placed --whether the decision should be based on need, per capita, or location. Mr. Loeb further explained the various issues involved. (*Board Member Jeanette Bazar arrived at the meeting at 12:28 p.m.) Police Captain Wayne Tisdale distributed data illustrating the police calls that are made to the schools in the city, and a discussion ensued on the issue of the school/police partnership program. (*Board Member Arthur Serrano Jr. arrived at the meeting at 12:40 p.m.) Mayor Neal noted that the City Council was awaiting responses to the request for proposals for an outside study of the Police Department, and he asked who on the Crime Control Board was overseeing the issue of community policing. Ms. Vela replied that Commander Bryan Smith, head of the Police Department's Community Relations Division, would be doing that. She added that there is concern about insufficient funding in the Crime Control District's budget for Citizen Advisory Councils. (*Council Member McNichols arrived at the meeting at 12:45 p.m.) Mr. Loeb, who is serving on the subcommittee regarding Citizen Advisory Councils, explained why he felt there was not enough money budgeted for that issue. Another discussion ensued, during which Police Chief Alvarez commented on the fact that Citizen Advisory Councils are a new concept, and the program most similar to it in operation now is Neighbors on Watch. Mayor Neal noted that the Crime Control District was approved by the voters for a five-year period, and if the community feels it has not had an investment into the concept of the District and its programs, it will not be renewed by the voters. The Mayor and other Council Members and Board Members also commented that since the Crime Control District is being funded through sales taxes, citizens will be expecting a decrease in crime and a more visible Police Department as a result. Ms. Vela urged the other Board Members to make their presence known at various functions to establish the perception that they are working for the community. In response to a question, Chief Alvarez and Captain Tisdale briefly discussed the mobile data terminals and the radio system. Other comments were made regarding the importance of publicizing the District's efforts, including coming before the City Council with regular reports. Many of those present emphasized that the Crime Control District cannot provide all of the additional staffing needs for the Police Department --that still needs to come from the city's budget. Ms. Vela suggested that the Crime Control Board meet quarterly with the City Council as there are many other topics to discuss, including the juvenile truancy and assessment center. Mayor Neal thanked the Board members and city staff for their efforts with the Crime Control District. There being no further business, Mayor Neal adjourned the meeting at 1:25 p.m.