Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2004
Source: Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register (WV)
Copyright: 2004 The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register
Contact:  http://www.intellnews.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1633
Author: Michelle Blum

WEED, SEED FUNDING IS ELIMINATED

WHEELING - Wheeling's Weed and Seed community leaders will not be
discouraged despite the fact that the program is not slated to receive
federal funding this year.

Thomas E. Johnston, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West
Virginia, announced that the Our Neighborhoods Empowered Weed and Seed
program in Wheeling will not receive funding this year for its efforts.
"We're not going to stop," said Wheeling Police Chief Kevin Gessler. "We
don't want the residents to get discouraged."

Gessler, Les Davidson, executive director of the Wheeling program, and Norma
Dorsch, president of the Wheeling Island Community Association, pointed out
that the decision made by the Weed and Seed executive office will not affect
the designation of Wheeling Island and East Wheeling as Weed and Seed
neighborhoods.

Johnston noted that the Weed and Seed executive office used a competitive
application process for the first time this year.

"There's a lot less money available and a lot more communities applying for
it," Gessler explained.

Gessler noted that he and members of the Weed and Seed steering committee
are "looking at a lot of options." However, he was unable to indicate what
those might entail.

"I have a positive outlook. We're trying to find a funding method," he said.

He described Weed and Seed as a strategy that will survive without the
federal funding the city has received for the past five years.

The basis, he said, is community participation.

"We don't want them to get concerned. Let us do our jobs as administrators
and managers," he commented.

There are two priorities with which to deal, he said.

These include providing funding for Davidson's salary and for overtime
patrols for the two designated neighborhoods - Wheeling Island and East
Wheeling.

Davidson is considered a city employee, whose salary is paid through the
U.S. Department of Justice Weed and Seed funding, he said.

As for the overtime patrols, Gessler couldn't say where that funding might
be found.

Davidson said he's "committed to the Weed and Seed strategy" but said it's
"definitely going to be a challenge" to continue working with the program.

Davidson said the Weed and Seed program has funding from a budget carryover
from the past fiscal year. And its current fiscal year budget has been
extended to March 30.

Congress has so far been able to approve funding for a number of areas.

He suggested that alternative funding might be sought through the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development or other Justice Department
programs.

"Wheeling is still recognized as a Weed and Seed site," he said.

"We will continue to do our work."

Dorsch said she was disappointed upon hearing the news.

"We were hoping to get Weed and Seed to help clean up the drugs on the
Island," she said, noting that there are perhaps four locations considered
"really bad" in terms of drug trafficking.

"I don't know what we're going to do now," she said. "We need to continue
fighting crime."

Dorsch said she contacted Johnston's office but was told he was preparing
for a trial and was unavailable. She doubted whether he would be able to
keep his scheduled commitment to attend the community association's next
meeting Tuesday.

Dorsch said she has encouraging all Island residents to continue watching
their neighborhoods and call police to report suspicious individuals and
activities.

In a prepared statement, Johnston also expressed disappointment.

"Unfortunately Wheeling, a city with a relatively low crime rate, found
itself competing with larger jurisdictions with bigger crime issues," he
said.

"I am confident that a good, competitive application was submitted for this
grant. An independent review of the program by Wheeling Jesuit University
affirms the positive results of O.N.E. Wheeling Weed and Seed. I am prepared
to work with the steering committee of O.N.E. Wheeling Weed and Seed to
address the problems created by this decision and preserve this useful
program for Wheeling," he said.

Johnston noted the program will remain eligible to apply again this year for
funding to be awarded in the 2005 calendar year.
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MAP posted-by: Josh