HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 03/27/2001 - JointI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Joint
Council Meeting of the City of Corpus Christi of March 27, 2001, which were approved by the City
Council on April 10, 2001.
WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 10th day of April, 2001.
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
SEAL
MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
CORPUS CHRISTI CITY COUNCIL AND
CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
March 27, 2001 - 12:10 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Samuel L. Neal Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem Betty Jean Longoria
Javier D. Colmenero
Melody Cooper*
Henry Garrett
Dr. Arnold Gonzales
Rex Kinnison
John Longoria
Mark Scott
city Staff Present
City Manager David R. Garcia
City Attorney James R. Bray Jr.
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Police Chief Pete Alvarez
Police Cmdr. Bryan Smith
Recording Secretary Rachelle P. Ramon
CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT BOARD
Leon Loeb, President
Larry Baker
Linda Bridges
Eddie Gamez
Adolfo Garza
John Heldenfels
W.L. Hermis
Danny Mora
Isaac Valencia
Mayor Neal called the meeting to order in the Basement Training Room of City Hall. City
Secretary Chapa checked the roll and verified that a quorum was present to conduct the meeting. Mr.
Loeb verified that there was a quorum of the Board of Directors of the Corpus Christi Crime Control
and Prevention District. (*Council Member Cooper arrived at 12:14 p.m.)
Mr. Loeb read from prepared remarks regarding the Crime Control District's achievements
since its inception and particularly in the last year. He noted that the directed patrol program has been
initiated and has achieved very positive results. The Juvenile Assessment Center has had improved
coordination with Municipal Court, which has also made referrals for case management. In addition,
the district board has approved one-time funding for the improved video imaging system, which is
now being implemented. Mr. Loeb also reported that the Finance and Budget departments have
improved the timeliness and accuracy of the information they provide to the district board members.
Mr. Loeb said that at the Crime Control District meeting on March 21st, the board
unanimously approved its FY2001-02 budget and a public hearing is set for April 18th. He said the
board approved a long-term budget plan which commits the district to adding 10 police officers to
the existing complement of 40, which fulfills the promise made in the original district plan to fund
50 officers. He said the FY2001-02 budget also contains increased funding for one-time
expenditures requested by the Citizen Advisory Councils and the directed patrol officers, such as
street lighting, passive traffic control, graffiti -resistant coatings, and miscellaneous expenditures
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Minutes - Joint Meeting
March 27, 2001
Page 2
necessary to eliminate neighborhood nuisances.
The board president said they also approved one-time funding for additional equipment for
the proposed conversion of the Crime Prevention Unit and the DARE Unit into an integrated
community policing group, which would be responsible for directed patrol activities, drug education
and crime prevention at the neighborhood level.
Mr. Loeb pointed out that in order to fund the additional 10 police officers, reductions will
have to be made in several support positions, effective at the end of FY2002-03. In order to do that,
vacant support positions would not be filled and the remaining support personnel would be
transferred to vacant parallel positions in General Fund departments. He said the board considered
several factors in making their budget decisions, including the commitment made to the public that
the Crime Control District would add 50 police officers to the force, and their belief that the Police
Department can reengineer its internal processes to accommodate the resulting reduction in support
personnel. Mr. Loeb also commended Cmdr. Smith for his outstanding work as the administrator of
the Crime Control District.
Cmdr. Smith delineated specific achievements in the Crime Control District's third year:
directed patrol program and the Citizen Advisory Councils (seven officers); Campus Crime Stoppers
program (one officer); street lighting program; expansion of the Juvenile Enforcement Team (10
officers) and Canine Unit (one officer); Juvenile Curfew and Truancy Assessment Center; police
legal advisor (one attorney); pawn shop detail; video imaging system; replacement of high -mileage
vehicles; prisoner transport vehicle; crime scene vans; expanded bicycle patrol (five officers);
walking motors (three officers); and expanded traffic safety section (two officers).
Cmdr. Smith then discussed the long-term plan to accommodate the 50 police officers and
to maintain the Juvenile Assessment Center, which would eliminate 25 support positions. He noted
that staff thinks the 40 -officer plan is the best plan operationally for the Police Department and the
citizens. He also discussed the proposal to convert the Crime Prevention and DARE units into the
community policing plan, which would basically decentralize many operations to carry out a wide
variety of tasks. One of the effects of that proposal would be a cost of $285,800 for vehicles and
equipment for FY2001-02.
A discussion ensued about the proposal to add 10 more police officers and the resulting
reduction in support personnel, as well as the proposed conversion of the DARE unit. City Manager
Garcia and city staff discussed the problem of the high turnover rate in the Dispatch Center and the
difficulty in training and retaining personnel there. With regard to the board's proposed budget, Mr.
Garcia said he understands why the board made their recommendations and he noted that the most
important issue is to ensure that the Crime Control District is reauthorized by the voters. Mayor Neal
said they need to evaluate how the district is fulfilling its mission.
Mr. Garcia, Chief Alvarez and other city staff also responded to Council members' questions
about other aspects of the Crime Control District and the Police Department, including the
Minutes - Joint Meeting
March 27, 2001
Page 3
Metrocom Dispatch Center, child safety fee bill in the legislature, the Police Department and Crime
Control budgets, collective bargaining contract and civilian personnel.
Cmdr. Smith pointed out that the Crime Control District's five-year plan is on track and they
are addressing a budget concern that is two years away with the intention of convincing the voters
that the district is worthy of being reauthorized in the future.
Mr. Abel Alonzo, 1701 Thames, thanked the Crime Control Board for their efforts. He said
if the support personnel reductions are made, it is important to find positions for the displaced
personnel. He said the board unanimously approved funding all 50 police officers and he hopes the
Council will unanimously approve all 50 officers as well.
There being no further business, Mayor Neal adjourned the joint meeting at 1:17 p.m.
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