Minutes 08/14/2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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August 14, 2012 At a Regular Meeting of the City Council on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, there were present: Mayor Kenneth I. Wright, Vice Mayor Charles B. Whitehurst, Sr., Stephen E. Heretick, Paige D. Cherry, Dr. Curtis E. Edmonds, Sr., City Manager Kenneth L. Chandler, City Attorney G. Timothy Oksman. Councilman Curtis E. Edmonds, Sr., opened the meeting with prayer, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Mayor Wright called the meeting to order and welcomed all in attendance. Motion by Mr. Whitehurst, and seconded by Mr. Edmonds, to approve the minutes of a Called Meeting of July 23, 2012, of a Called Meeting of July 24, 2012, and of a Regular Meeting of July 24, 2012, and was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Cherry, Edmonds, Heretick, Whitehurst, Wright Nays: None - City Manager's Report - 12 - 321- Adoption of an ordinance accepting a grant in the amount of $323,872 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and appropriating said amount in the FY 2012-13 Grants Fund for use by the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for the Victim Witness Program. Vision Principle: Neighborhoods and a Sense of Community. Background: • The City of Portsmouth has received a grant from DCJS for continuation funding of the Victim Witness Grant, administered by the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. • This grant program has grown over the last 20 years to comprise six full-time appointees who served over 1600 victims last year. • This program provides for comprehensive information and direct services to crime victims and witnesses. Discussion: • The Victim Witness Grant will provide for six full-time appointees dedicated 100% to the Grant's objectives. • It is estimated that this program will serve in excess of 1850 victims annually. Financial Impact: • There is no cash match required of the City. Staff Recommends: • Adoption of proposed ordinance. Vision Principle: Neighborhoods and a Sense of Community. Next Steps Following Council Action: • The continuation of our Victim Witness Program focusing on serving victims of crime in our City. Motion by Mr. Edmonds, and seconded by Mr. Heretick, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: "ORDINANCE ACCEPTING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $323,872 FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT IN THE FY 2012-13 GRANTS FUND FOR USE BY THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS PROGRAM." Ayes: Cherry, Edmonds, Heretick, Whitehurst, Wright Nays: None