HomeMy WebLinkAbout(4) WEED AND SEED PROGRAMINTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
STEVE FITZGIBBONS, CITY MANAGER I/t /1
PAUL BROWN, PLANNING DEPARTMEN~i~ /'~'~
WEED AND SEED OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
APRIL 10, 2002
Port Arthur Weed and Seed Program
Port Arthur was recently designated as an Officially Recognized Weed and Seed Community. Weed
and Seed is a law-enforcement and community rejuvenation grant program sponsored by the U.S.
Justice Department. This grant program could bring as much as $1.325 million into Port Arthur during
the next five years.
Official Recognition is the first of a two-step process necessary before the city actually receives the
grant funding. City staffand community volunteers are currently preparing a budget and strategy as
part of the second competitive stage in which the Justice Department expects to fund about 50 of 64
newly recognized cities. That means that about 80-percent of the eligible sites will receive funding
during the first year. At, er qualifying for the first year's funding, the money for subsequent years two
through five is considered to be automatic, as long as all program requirements are met. If budget-
phase application is successful, the first-year grant funding should be made available in the 2003
budget year beginning Oct. 1, 2002.
The "Weed" side of the program represents specialized law enforcement in the target area, which runs
~om Woodworth Boulevard to Houston Avenue and firom the Ship Canal up to the KCS tracks north
of 19th Street. The specific enforcement efforts in the target area are determined by a broad spectrum
of program participants, including local residents, neighborhood action groups, Port Arthur Police,
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney, and on the federal level, the FBI, DEA, ATF
and U.S. Attorney Matt Orwig's office for the Eastern District of Texas.
The "Seed" part of the program stands for community rebuilding, rejuvenation, redevelopment and
resident empowerment efforts that otten fit into the category of social services. These programs may
include activities for youth, seniors and the whole community; classes on such skills as applying for
jobs, parenting, anger management, home finances, computer skills, and drug abuse prevention and
treatment, to name but a few.
Prior to this successful 2001 application, the City submitted applications in 1998 and 2000, both of
which required more organizational efforts to qualify for Official Recognition. While the grant does
not strictly require a cash match fi.om the city, it does require painstaking planning and communication
with and among the residents in the target area, law enforcement officials, non-profit organizations and
local and state agencies providing the "seeding" services.
The Weed and Seed Steering Committee is exploring several potential sites in the target area suitable
for the required "Safe Haven." The Safe Haven is an actual physical location within the target area that
must remain open at least six days a week and during the evenings to provide services for residents of
all ages. For a successful budget-phase application, a suitable Safe Haven facility must he determined.
This need represents the most important way the City could participate in the program. Some of the
possible sites include the Port Cities Rescue Mission Resource Mall at 530 Waeo Ave., a building on
Fifth Street across fi.om the school district administration building, the upstairs area at the new Health
Department building, or Jubilation Station pending an agreement between the owner, Mardi Gras, the
City and the school district. A school campus could be used if the school district were interested in
keeping the facility open during the evening and on Saturdays.
The program requires that half of the annual grant amount be used for "weeding" or law enforcement
activities and half on the "seeding activities." In past years, "seeding" activities were eligible for a
greater percentage of the yearly grant funds, but this year Attorney General Ashcroft changed the
funding formula to require that at least half the Justice Department funds be used for law enforcement
activities. The program coordinator must be paid primarily out of the "seeding" half of the budget,
which leaves less for actual seeding activities than in past years. To compensate for the decrease in
grant money for seeding activities, the Justice Department urges the Weed and Seed sites to increase
efforts to partner with non-profits and local and state agencies that offer such seeding programs. This
allows the Weed and Seed funds to be leveraged with other local, state and federal grant recipients and
service providers.
The core grant amount for the first year is $175,000, which increases to $225,000 annually for the
remaining five-year grant period. After five years, the city can expand the target area or select a new
target area and re-apply as a new program. Special emphasis grants are available yearly, which could
increase the annual package by about $50,000.
The budget phase application must be submitted before May 31, so efforts are moving quickly to
advise service providers of the Weed and Seed program needs and requirements and to solicit
proposals for programs and other seeding activities.
Port Arthur Weed & Seed Program
Steering Committee Members
Matt Orwig, U.S. Attorney
*Steve Fitzgibbons, city manager
John Tyler, police chief
Craig Hannah, City Council representative for target area
Felix Barker, City Councilman and president of P0rt Arthur Neighborhood Action Council
Dr. Louis Reed, Port Arthur school superintendent
Bobby Feemster, executive director of Port Arthur Housing Authority; Port Arthur school board
president
Tom Neal, Lamar State College-Port Arthur
Jack Leggett, exec. director, United Board of Missions
*Ken Hill, resident and exec. director of Port Cities Rescue Mission
Mike Kelly, exec. director, YMCA
Jerry Brocato, exec. director, United Way
*Rev. Tim Dinger, pastor and resident in target area
*Joseph Richard, Concerned Citizens of Port Arthur (NAG)
*Fablola Small, resident
*Deborah Khalajabadi, resident
*Anita Ozuna, resident and board president of Savannah Housing Authority
*Doris Guyden, resident and CCOPA member
Verna Rutherford, president of Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce
James Martin, chief juvenile probation officer
Montie Morgan, chief adult probation
Floyd Batiste, SE Texas Workforce