MEMBERS PRESENT

Gayle Weaver Old West Durham

Fred Mowry Colony Park

Johnea Kelley Duke Park

Cheryl Sweeney Northgate Park

Pat Carstensen Cross County

Jennifer Albright TLNA

Shela W. Wilson Parkside

Rosemarie Kitchin Grove Park

Dale Stouch Placid Valley

Erick Larson TLNA/City Council

Karen Hassall Northgate Park

Lynwood D. Best City of Durham Housing & Community Development

Jennifer Bullock Gateway

Patricia Stubbing Lakewood Park

Mike Shiflett Watts Hospital/Hillandale

Administration and announcements

Mike Shiflett called the meeting to order at 7:12.

Jennifer Bullock spoke about the upcoming computer classes for newsletters and websites that they are co-sponsoring with INC.

The County Commissioners passed the Capital Improvement Program. It was noted that approximately $545 million is required for schooling and other infrastructure expansion just to meet today's population needs. The City of Durham still has a bond rating of AAA.

Program:

November's program on the newly created 5^th District was presented by Major Chalmers of the Durham Police Department. He stated that two main problems needed to be solved:

· The downtown was fragmented with three commanders.

INC Meeting November 2000 2.

· Staffing could not consist entirely of `New Hires'.

There was major emphasis on not fragmenting existing neighborhoods by their partial inclusion in the 5^th District. Only those areas, which clearly met the commercial/retail definition of the District, would be annexed. Staffing would come from the addition of eight officers gained through a grant. Several positions in the department were civilianized to bring the additional four needed sergeants back into service. Because the 5^th is a totally different type of district, its configuration reflects this. During daylight hours a total of 10 to 12 officers will be on duty, with the force dropping to 3 to 4 officers after 2AM. The effective date for actual implementation was January 1, 2001.

Major Chalmers also spoke about the DRAGONS unit used to deal with gang activity in our city. He mentioned knowing the signs of gang encroachment into a neighborhood such as tennis shoes tied and thrown over an overhead utility wire. The STARS program was also highlighted. This program, designed to identify habitual and violent offenders and to work with other agencies to rehabilitate them through education, housing, employment and other means, is having some success. Major Chalmers noted that those chosen for this program who still do not respond to the rehabilitation offered them will then be referred to other agencies with the goal of incarcerating them for as long as is legally possible.

Reports

Cheryl Sweeney gave a report on the Industrial Areas Foundation Triangle Sponsoring Committee - Durham Chapter. Their goal is to build their organization in a 6-month time period. Their emphasis is on a `Faith Based Approach". During the meeting she attended, speakers talked of being broad based; church affiliated and focused, and grass roots in composition with a strong political voice. They site unity and working together, and finding an answer to our city's discrimination problems.

Closing

The meeting was adjourned at 9:25.

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11/28/00