VOICE SEEKING ENDORSEMENTS TO APPLY FOR WEED AND SEED GRANT

City Manager Eric Williams received Thursday what he hopes will be
one of several endorsements of the Vance Organization to Implement
Community Excellence's (VOICE) plan to proceed with applying for
federal "Weed and Seed" designation.

The Weed and Seed strategy involves weeding out violent crime, drug
trafficking and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods
and then seeding the area with human services, including prevention,
intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization.

Williams received the nod from the Vance County Coalition Against
Violence during its regular meeting at Gateway Community Development Center.

What Williams actually sought was the coalition's endorsement of the
geographic area selected for the application.

Williams said VOICE is trying to get as many community endorsements
as possible before a letter of intent is due to the Department of
Justice Aug. 31. He will also seek endorsements from the city
council, county commissioners, school board, chamber of commerce,
Clean Up Henderson Committee and NAACP.

"Bringing the whole community together in this is absolutely
essential," Williams said.

Applicants usually select the most crime-ridden neighborhood and
include its crime statistics in the application packet. Target areas
must have at least 3,000 residents.

The area selected wraps around the downtown, north and south mill
areas and includes points outside the city limits. It has roughly
5,300 people and accounts for about 40 percent of the city's serious
crimes - rape, murder, drugs and robbery.

"We're trying to encompass the areas we think need the most help,"
Police Chief Glen Allen said, noting other areas could use help also.

Allen said the police department submitted a Weed and Seed
application on its own in 1998, but was not successful.

"This is a very competitive thing," Allen said, adding that according
to projections only 31 new sites will be selected this year nationwide.

A designation could mean wonders for the city but it's no guarantee,
nor is it a quick fix.

The city is applying only for a designation, which does not bring
up-front money but would put Henderson in the running for Weed and
Seed as well as other federal grants. If designated, the city at best
could hope to see some funding in 2006.

The good thing about the application process is that the city has
nothing to lose. There are no up-front costs.

Coalition member Marolyn Rasheed attended a regional Weed and Seed
meeting last month with several other community members.

She said Thursday that representatives she's talked to from Weed and
Seed-designated communities say it's the best thing that's ever
happened to them.

Coalition member Cathy Ringley called it a "no brainer," which led to
a motion introduced by Bill Edwards and a unanimous approval.

After submitting the letter of intent, the VOICE group will
concentrate on the full application. It is compiling census data from
the target area.

Williams hopes to get state and national officials involved, or at
least aware of the city's intentions. Congressman G.K. Butterfield
has expressed a high level of interest in the city's efforts. Dolly
Burwell, regional district director for Butterfield's Weldon office,
has attended almost all the VOICE meetings.

There is no designated Weed and Seed community in the first
congressional district.

The Henderson City Council and Vance County Commissioners will be
asked for endorsements at their regular meetings Monday.