Agenda Item # 2
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
Agenda Report # 366
To: Mayor and Council
Subject: National Crime Victims? Right Week Community Awareness Project
Grant
Initiated By: District Attorney?s Office ? Victim-Witness Assistance Program
Recommendation: Approval is requested to accept a 2009 National Crime
Victims? Right Week Community Awareness Project Grant from the U. S. Department
of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime awarded by
the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators grant for $5,000.00
and to amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by the amount awarded.
Background: Funds from the grant will be used to raise public awareness about
crime victims? rights and services available in our community as well as the
entire Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Promotional items will be developed
within the grant guidelines.
Analysis: We have planned three events. The first event to raise awareness
is directed toward high school students in the Muscogee County School
District. The Victim-Witness Assistance Program has teamed up with Columbus
Police Department?s DARE Unit during their Alcohol Awareness Weeks beginning
March 23, 2009, we will visit one high school a day with ?stations? for 11th
Graders to learn the negative and life-altering effects of alcohol. At the
Victim-Witness station, we will show drinking and driving from a victims side,
explain victims rights, introduce a contest called, ?Create Our Website? and
hand each student an informative bag of freebies.
The second event will be a Butterfly Release held at the Riverwalk Homicide
Memorial held in honor of all crime victims. This will occur on Sunday, April
26, 2009 with Kellie Wiggins speaking about the murder of her sister in 2004
and how Victim Services has played a vital role in her life since that time.
There will be a light reception following the butterfly release.
The final event will be held at the Columbus Civic Center on May 2, 2009 with
Crime Victim Resource Expo. This event will feature tables/booths set up by
community resources, educational institutions, businesses, medical facilities
and agency that offer a service to a victim.
We have partnered with the Columbus Lions Football Team to help raise awareness
of Crime Victims Rights. There will be advertising spots, promotional
interviews and commercials done to spread the word of this event. The Team has
agreed to put a ticket in each one of the high school student?s bags and to
have a football player there at the DARE event as well.
Financial Considerations: This is non-matching $5,000. There will be no
additional financial obligation on the part of the City.
Recommendation: Approval is requested of a resolution to accept a 2009 National
Crime Victims? Right Week Community Awareness project Grant from the U. S.
Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime
awarded by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators grant for
$5,000.00.
A RESOLUTION
NO._________
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TO ACCEPT A 2009 NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS? RIGHT
WEEK COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROJECT GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 FROM THE U. S.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME
AWARDED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF VOCA ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATORS GRANT AND
TO AMEND THE MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY THE AMOUNT AWARDED.
WHEREAS, this National Crime Victims? Rights Week grant is needed to
educate the general public of crime victims? rights, as well as specific target
groups such as high school ages, elderly, Hispanic, Asian and other non-English
speaking, domestic violence victims, and others not in mainstream media.
WHEREAS, funds from this grant will be used to raise public awareness
about crime victims? rights and the services available in our community as well
as the entire Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Promotional items will be
developed within the guidelines of the grant.
WHEREAS, this grant does not require matching funds.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS
FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to accept the National Crime
Victims? Rights Week grant for $5,000 for the District Attorney?s Office Victim
Witness Program to promotion National Crime Victim Rights Awareness Week and to
amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by alike amount.
___________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held
the _________day of _____________, 2009 and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of _____________members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting ______________
Councilor Anthony voting ______________
Councilor Baker voting ______________
Councilor Barnes voting ______________
Councilor Davis voting ______________
Councilor Henderson voting ______________
Councilor Hunter voting ______________
Councilor McDaniel voting ______________
Councilor Turner Pugh voting ______________
Councilor Woodson voting ______________
___________________________________ _____________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Jim Wetherington, Mayor
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