CITY OF SALISBURY, MARYLAND

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 26, 1998 MEETING #2

PRESENT

Council President Carolyn Hall
Councilwoman Lavonzella Siggers
Councilman Palmer Gillis
Councilman Frank Himelright

IN ATTENDANCE

ABSENT

CONVENING - APPROVAL OF MINUTES JANUARY 12, 1998

The Salisbury City Council met in regular session at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. The Lord's Prayer was repeated and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Council President Hall called the meeting to order.

On a motion by Mr. Himelright and seconded by Mr. Gillis, the minutes of January 12, 1998 were unanimously approved.

OPERATION MIDNIGHT PRESENTATION

Police Chief Coulbourn Dykes and Mr. David Taylor, Office of Youth Services, presented an overview of the Operation Midnight program.

Operation Midnight is a crime prevention program which is strictly volunteer on the part of parents of juvenile children (age 17 or younger). The purpose of the program is to protect juveniles from being victims of crime and violence and to possibly deter criminal activity on their part. Parents enlisting their children in the program give law enforcement officers permission to pick their children up after certain hours (midnight to 6:00 a.m.). The program will begin with the Church Street area. If the program is successful, they would like to expand it city-wide.

Children who show up from other areas will have their parents contacted to see if they would like to participate in the program. If a child is picked up that would lead to juvenile action, the parents would be contacted automatically to see if they would like to participate. Chief Dykes would like to begin this program as soon as possible, hopefully within a few weeks. The Governor and Lt. Governor are interested in being here when the program is launched.

Mrs. Hall indicated this program was very successful in Charleston. It creates a partnership between the parents, the children, the community and law enforcement.

Ms. Siggers expressed she was not in favor of a program just designed for a particular area of the City. If it was not going to be a city-wide program, then she was not in support of it. She did not believe we should isolate a portion of the City and use it for a testing ground. Ms. Siggers questioned if a public meeting would be held in the community on Operation Midnight. She felt the public should be involved in the discussion in order to get a program of this nature implemented.

Chief Dykes stressed that this program is not a curfew. It is strictly a volunteer crime prevention program by the parents of the children. If someone does not agree with the program, they don't have to participate. Forms will be available in various locations as well as published in the newspaper.

Mr. Taylor felt this was a proactive tool for the parent. He thoroughly reviewed the program to ensure the program was strictly voluntary and not a curfew. Beginning in a small area, will give police officers the opportunity to work out all the rough spots before expanding the program city-wide.

Mr. Himelright and Mr. Gillis commented that it was a good idea to start the program in the HotSpot area and it also gives a chance to work out all the bugs before implementing city-wide. Mrs. Hall noted that this item was placed on the agenda to give the public an opportunity to listen to the proposal.

AWARD OF BIDS

The following item was presented for approval by Purchasing Director Carol Turner, C.P.M., CPPB:

1. Contract A-2-98 (601-4101-533.60-04)
George S. Coyne Chemical Company . . . . . . . . $28,283.66

On a motion by Mr. Himelright and seconded by Mr. Gillis, the above item was unanimously approved.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

No comments were received.