Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: Daily Home, The (AL)
Copyright: 2002 Consolidated Publishing
Contact:  http://www.dailyhome.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1632
Author: Denise Sinclair
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

SYLACAUGA TO PARTNER WITH TALLADEGA COUNTY DRUG AND VIOLENT CRIME TASK FORCE

The Sylacauga City Council is offering its support to create a Talladega 
County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The council approved a resolution 
Tuesday night to fund the task force for fiscal year 2002-2003.

District Attorney Steve Giddens spoke to the council about the task force 
during a work session Monday night.

The District Attorney's Office, through the Talladega County Commission, is 
requesting grant funds from the Alabama Department of Economic and 
Community Affairs Law Enforcement Planning Division. The grant would pay 
the operating costs of the task force, Giddens said.

Giddens and Assistant District Attorneys Barry Matson and Chad Woodruff 
discussed how the District Attorney's Office wants to implement the 10 
member task force. Six officers would come from various agencies in the 
county, including one officer from the Sylacauga Police Department and two 
from the Talladega County Sheriff's Department, Giddens said. The District 
Attorney's Office would hire four officers for the task force.

In applying for the grant, Giddens' office needs a match of $114,000, with 
a total requested amount of $335,567.70 from ADECA, bringing the proposed 
projected cost to $449,567.70.

The money would pay for state-of-the-art equipment, travel and rent for a 
building in Talladega to house the task force.

Giddens asked the council Monday night for a $24,000 cash match from 
Sylacauga. He is asking for $30,000 from the Talladega County Commission, 
$25,000 from the city of Talladega, $15,000 from the cities of Lincoln and 
Childersburg and $5,000 from Oak Grove.

Giddens said his office devised the funding mechanism for each city based 
on population, crime statistics and the percentage each city pays to the 
juvenile fund.

He said Sylacauga's match could be recouped to a certain extent by seized 
assets and forfeitures from drug arrests.

The task force, if funded by the ADECA grant, could begin operations Oct. 
1, which is when the new fiscal year starts.

Matson said the District Attorney's Office had looked at funding the task 
force for more than a year. "We wanted to look at other counties and what 
they did. What works and what doesn't work. We tried to make the funding 
fair for everyone," he said.

Giddens said the task force is based on Calhoun County's. "Calhoun County 
has had a model agency for 14 years. We think we can be a success," he said.

Councilwoman Lois Showers said she had some concerns about the funding 
amount, and Councilwoman Mickey Orton questioned whether grant funding 
would be available in the future if the task force is funded.

Giddens said Calhoun County has been funded for 14 years. "If done right, I 
fully expect it to be going on from year to year. I think it will be 
successful," he said.

Showers said she liked the idea of a task force but believes Sylacauga 
should be paying less than Talladega because of its population and crime rate.

"I know we have a drug problem," Showers said, "but I'm concerned about the 
cost."

Giddens said he understood her concern. "I want Sylacauga to participate. 
What do you think is a fair amount, $21,000?" he asked.

He said the District Attorney's Office is committed to the task force. "I 
want you (Sylacauga) to participate. Somehow I will get the other $3,000," 
Giddens said.

He said he appreciated Showers' handling of taxpayers' money. "I have no 
problem with that."

Council president Doug Murphree said he believes all the council members 
are committed to the task force.

The task force will operate under the District Attorney's Office with a 
board of directors that includes police chiefs in the county, including 
Sylacauga Police Chief Louis Zook.

The council adopted a resolution funding the task force with a local cash 
match of up to $21,000 starting fiscal year 2002-2003.

In other business, the council:

* Adopted a resolution granting a tax abatement to American Foam Cast for 
an expansion project totaling some $1.5 million for all state and local non 
educational ad valorem taxes; all mortgage and recording and all 
construction related transaction taxes, except those construction related 
transaction taxes levied for educational purposes or for capital 
improvements for education. The period of abatement for the non educational 
ad valorem taxes is 10 years under state law. The expansion will create 10 
new jobs over two years.

* Authorized Mayor Bruce Carr to sign certification for matching funds for 
airport improvements at a cost of $14,520 with the city getting some 
$290,000 in the grant process for the project.

* Raised the threshold on fixed assets from $1,000 to $5,000.

* Granted a special events permit for the District Attorney's Office's 
Domestic Violence Unit for June 28 and 29 for "breakfast at city hall" 
ceremony in Sylacauga and a 2 mile run/walk event finishing up with "lunch 
on the square" in Talladega June 29.

* Refunded a $155 license fee for 2002 to W.L. Petrey Inc.

* Set June 18 at 6 p.m. as the date of a public hearing on nuisance 
abatement of property owned by Kenneth Seals on Threatt Road.

* Approved expenses for John Gladness to attend a civil remedies for 
nuisance abatement seminar in Valley in June; for one council member to 
attend Promise Day awards in Salt Lake City, Utah, in June; and for Nora 
Sherbert and Kim Martin to attend a professional administrators conference 
at Point Clear in July.

* Approved accounts payable of $112,280.64 and payroll of $276,182.17 for 
April.

* Heard a complaint from a citizen about hours changing on the inert 
landfill, failure of a burned house to be thrown down and clearing railroad 
tracks of downed signs and unused cross ties.

Prior to the meeting, Carr recognized the Public Works Department for its 
efforts throughout the city; encouraged citizens to shop at home; 
congratulated high school graduates; thanked teachers for their efforts 
during the school year; and mentioned a Sylacauga Beautification Council 
project to beautify intersections down Broadway to the high school with 
hanging baskets filled with flowers.

* Murphree announced the absence of Councilman Don Flippo whose father died 
recently.
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MAP posted-by: Alex