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10/14/2002 Partners Against Crime District II Minutes

Project Safe Neighborhoods: Tonight's first speaker was Marcia Owens of Project Safe Neighborhoods.  This project is a compilation of 'best practices' modeled in a variety of other cities, particularly Boston.  Boston was the first city to treat gun violence as a distinct problem to be addressed separately from other crimes.  These efforts enjoyed considerable success, including the reduction of juvenile gun deaths to zero.  Other cities, including New York and Kansas City, have adopted similar programs.  The idea has even spread to other countries; Mexico City is consulting NYC on how to adopt this concept. 

            Durham has a serious problem with gun violence.  Of 39 homicides this year to date in Durham County (28 in the city of Durham), 37 of them were gun-related.  In the month of July, Duke Hospital alone admitted 27 victims of gunshot wounds, of which 16 were trauma cases (the most serious injuries).  A local judge recently saw four twelve-year-old children appear in their courtroom in one week—all charged with armed robbery. 

            Essential priorities of Project Safe Neighborhoods are data analysis and coordination among various agencies.  Local hospitals have begun to collect data on nonfatal gunshot wounds.  Assembling and analyzing data is one part of the project's mission; the other is to address re-entry issues.  About 85% of local crime is committed by about 8% of the population.  Project Safe Neighborhoods will work with the police to identify those who are at high risk of becoming perpetrators or victims of gun violence.  A reentry caseworker will work with released gun violence offenders. 

            The budget proposal for Project Safe Neighborhoods goes before the city council on November 4th.  PAC2 voted to give it our support.

Solid Waste: David McCary, who is the director of the Solid Waste department, spoke about the problem of green trash carts being left at the curb all week.  There is a city ordinance (#1066) on this, which stipulates that carts must be brought back to the house after trash pickup day.  Trash carts left at the curb continually are an eyesore for the neighborhood, and also a potential traffic hazard because they obstruct vision.  The current ordinance is extremely difficult to enforce because violation of it is a misdemeanor.  This means that Solid Waste would have to take out a warrant on an offender and the police would have to enforce it.  The police department obviously has more serious issues to deal with and doesn't have the manpower to spend a lot of time on scofflaws who don't wheel their trash back to the house.  It would also be a time-consuming and impractical process for Solid Waste; consequently, they have not attempted to prosecute anyone for this misdemeanor.  Instead they have been attempting to prod people into voluntary compliance by issuing warnings in the form of eye-catching hang tags attached to the offending trash carts that inform householders of their obligations under this ordinance.  Solid Waste has issued more than a thousand of these warnings so far this year, focusing primarily on major arteries or in areas where they have received complaints from neighborhoods.

            What McCary hopes to do is have the violation of the existing ordinance changed from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil penalty with a $25 fine.  Making it a civil penalty would empower Solid Waste personnel to write citations and collect fines.  The process would be similar to a parking ticket and would not require a warrant or a police investigation.  The revenue resulting from these fines would go into the city's general fund.  The real purpose, however, is not to generate revenue from these violations, but to get persistent offenders to change their ways.

            McCary intends to submit a proposal for this change to City Council in November.  He has not yet settled all the logistical issues of exactly how it would work, and there was some discussion of the various possibilities.  A couple of people expressed concern about being ticketed if they went on vacation and left their trash at the curb; McCary emphasized that it was not his intent to go after people in that situation, but rather the hard core of habitual offenders who never bring their trash in.  McCary said that the fine would be charged to the tenant rather than the owner of a rental property.  The process will probably involve some system of issuing a warning or warnings before any actual citation is given.  One possibility, modeled on the way recycling violations (i.e., people who put recyclable materials out in their trash) are currently handled, is to use hang tags similar to the current warning ones, but with a detachable card at the bottom where Solid Waste personnel would record the address of the offender to whom the warning had been issued.  Those cards would be kept on file by Solid Waste and could be used to identify habitual offenders who would then be issued citations. 

            Although there was no stated opposition to the general concept of this proposal, a few people expressed reservations about endorsing a proposed ordinance where the details of the process were not stated and where there was no written statement of what we would be supporting.  However, McCary refused all requests to submit anything in writing to PAC2.

            PAC2 voted 17-3 to support his efforts to take the proposal to council.

Illegal dumping: Mitch Archer gave us the monthly update from the Impact Team, and also spoke about illegal dumping.  Last month the Impact Team responded to 56 complaints and one internal referral in District 2, resulting in 8 trips to the landfill with 8.42 tons of trash.  They investigated 14 illegal dump sites, making 15 trips with 11.94 tons of trash and debris.  They made 11 trips each to the Northgate and Oxford Commons recycling centers.  The grocery cart focus this month was on Food Lion, Harris Teeter, and Wal-Mart; the impact team picked up 11, 4, and 7 carts respectively from these stores.  Graffiti was also removed from several sites.  Lt. Ed Sarvis commended the Impact Team for their quick response; graffiti reported to them by the police was gone within 24 hours. 

            Archer cited the ordinance against sweeping dirt, ashes, leaves, or refuse onto the streets or sidewalks.  (Hence, no blowing leaves into the street with a leaf blower.)  He explained that this is important because heavy rains wash this dirt and debris into storm drains, it clogs them up, and that causes flooding.  Likewise, construction sites are supposed to put down gravel to keep mud from getting into the street.  Dump trucks or any other kind of open truck transporting dirt or debris must have the load covered so stuff can't blow out of the truck onto the road.  To report illegal dumping violations, call the impact team (560-4974) and they will take action.  If it happens outside of regular business hours, they won't be immediately available; take pictures of the violation if you can. 

            Archer pointed out that the city does not own any creeks or streams.  People often mistakenly think that a creek or ditch at the edge of their property represents the boundary line; when in doubt, check your deed to see if the creek is on your land and you are responsible for it.  The impact team has no jurisdiction on private property.  If you own a vacant property, you should put up a No Trespassing sign on it, and also go down to the police substation and fill out some paperwork which will give notice that no one is supposed to be on the property and authorize the police to arrest anyone who is there and charge them with trespassing. 

            Tree limbs that overhang the sidewalk can be cut back for you by Urban Forestry (560-4228).  Public parks are maintained by Property & Facility Management ((560-4198).  All public parks in Durham are supposed to be closed at sundown. 

            Budget cuts have reduced the service the impact team is able to provide.  They can't afford to do the traditional fall & spring cleanups, or to haul trash from creeks to the transfer station. 

            Archer passed around pictures of illegal dumping at recycling points.  Dumping of garbage at recycling points is particularly troublesome because it is likely to attract rodents and wildlife.  Most of these recycling points are at grocery stores or shopping centers.  If you see someone dumping illegal items at a recycling point, call the impact team with a description of their vehicle. 

            Grocery carts are a problem the impact team is working to address.  People take them out of the store parking lots—which, though they may not realize it, is theft—and they end up littering the neighborhoods.  The stores are happy to cooperate with the city in trying to get the carts back to them, because they are costly to replace.   

            If a neighbor is throwing, raking, blowing, or dumping debris from his property onto yours, that also constitutes illegal dumping.  Archer suggested taking out a warrant against the guilty party in that case. 

Campaign for Decent Housing: Our last speaker was Rich Lee, from the Durham Affordable Housing Coalition, who told us about the upcoming celebration for the Campaign for Decent Housing.  The annual celebration will be held on Saturday, October 26, from 10 am to 1 pm at Eastway Elementary School, 610 N. Alston Ave. at Taylor St.  The opening rally will highlight problems and recognize accomplishments; organizations to be recognized include Rebuild Durham and Self Help.  Then there will be a bus tour that takes elected officials, media, and interested citizens to see housing successes and challenges around Durham.  There will also be  lunch, free lead poisoning testing for kids, and a variety of informational and family activities. 

            Lee also briefly mentioned and distributed literature on some of the Affordable Housing Coalition's other services and activities, including the first-time home buyer program (Spanish version coming soon), the rental guide (call them at 683-1185 to get a copy), and workshops at Lowe's and Home Depot on assorted topics such as burglarproofing, carbon monoxide poisoning, winterizing your house, and wills & estate planning.

Vote of no confidence: The PAC2 bylaws (article VI, section 8) provide that any elected PAC2 officer who fails to perform their duties can be removed by a vote of no confidence.  Jeff White, who was elected as cochair in May, never assumed his duties and ultimately proved to have left town.  As announced at the September meeting, we took a vote tonight and unanimously voted to remove him from office. 

Election of new cochair: Katherine O'Brien was nominated last month for the replacement cochair position.  The floor was opened to further nominations tonight but none were made.  Katherine was unanimously elected to the cochair position.  She will finish out the remainder of Jeff's two-year term.

2003 legislative agenda: This is Durham's opportunity to have some input into the making of state law for the coming year.  All Durham citizens are welcome to submit any suggestions they have to the city council, which will review their own ideas and those received from the public and come up with our legislative agenda.  This agenda is communicated by council to our delegation to the state legislature.  Copies of last year's legislative agenda and its results were distributed.  Suggestions need to state the subject, proposed changes, and a description of potential effects on city services or financial condition.  Suggestion forms were available at the meeting, but it isn't necessary to fill out the official form—just get your information to Newman by Wednesday, October 16.  Everyone is encouraged to submit any ideas they have.

ABC permit applications: Officer Scott Baker presented four ABC applications for our consideration. 

The Italian Café application was a renewal for wine & beer on premises.  PAC2 unanimously approved it. 

The Lecoco Restaurant (Roxboro near Latta Rd.) application was for off-premises catering.  PAC2 unanimously approved it. 

The Ali's Food Mart (2905 Hillsborough) application was a renewal under new ownership.  PAC2 approved it 7-2. 

The Lucky's Bar & Grill (26270Hillsborough Rd.) application was a renewal for beer, wine, & mixed drinks on premises.  The holder of their previous permit, their former chef, had been dismissed for embezzling from the business.  Lucky's is currently without an alcohol permit but still open as a restaurant.  The owner is applying for the permit in his own name, which he was previously prohibited from doing due to a felony conviction that was less than three years old.  He and his partner were present to speak on behalf of their application.  After some discussion, PAC2 voted to approve it. 

Grant update: All the grant expenditures we voted on in September have been duly approved.  Grant coordinators should expect to hear from the new funds coordinator, Pamela Majette.

East End Connector hearing: Thanks to all who have been active in support of the East End Connector.  It's time to pitch in again for what will hopefully be the final hurdle.  There's a public hearing Thursday, October 17 at 7 pm, at City Hall.  The hearing will be before the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), which voted at their last meeting to prioritize the East End Connector and kill off Eno Drive.  Please come to the hearing if you can, sign up to speak, and support the TAC in this decision.

           

Free safety classes: On Saturday, October 26, from 11 am to 3 pm, there will be a Community Safety Day at the Hall of Fitness health club in Willowdale Shopping Center.  Officer Hester will be there conducting a crime prevention program, and there will be self-defense classes, a safety program for kids, and a variety of other activities.  For more information, call the Hall of Fitness at 477-6546.  All events are free and open to the public.

Neighborhood Watch: Eric Hester, our crime prevention officer, has been very active of late in working with neighborhoods to revive their Neighborhood Watch effort.  In the past month or so, he has held five Neighborhood Watch meetings in Trinity Park and Watts-Hillandale, attended by 189 residents.  Also, a group of Neighborhood Watch leaders from the various neighborhoods is being formed to share ideas and experiences.  Anyone in charge of Neighborhood Watch efforts in your neighborhood, please contact Lori Harris (ellephai@aol.com) to get involved.  A new Neighborhood Watch logo has been designed and a sample was passed around; this logo will be going on the new signs.

Police update: Lt. Sarvis reported the clearance of one of the recent sexual assault cases.  Police have made an arrest.

Housing update: Dave Stark is our new housing inspector, replacing Larry Rochelle.  Sharon Winstead-Scott, new supervisor in Housing and Community Development, was also introduced tonight.

Durham Voter Coalition: Fred Foster of the Durham Voter Coalition (DVC) briefly introduced his organization and their activities.  The DVC was organized last April to reenergize Durham voters.  They sponsor breakfasts on the fourth Saturday of every month to which candidates for office are invited.  Foster distributed a copy of the DVC crime prevention wish list; major items on their agenda include nuisance housing, vacant houses, abandoned vehicles, and the fact that Durham has no available drug/alcohol detox programs.

Herald-Sun: Reporter Virginia Bridges was present and introduced herself.  Bridges will be covering the newly created neighborhood affairs beat for the Herald-Sun.  She can be reached at vbridges@heraldsun.com.

The meeting was adjourned at 9 pm.

***

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