OPINION ON ORDINANCE REQUESTED

The feasibility of a proposed methamphetamine ordinance was discussed
during Monday's meeting of the Winchester Public Safety Committee.

The purpose of the meth ordinance would be to track those buying large
quantities of products used to create the illegal drug. The proposed
ordinance would require businesses that sell these products to ask a
customer buying a large quantity of one of these products to sign a
log sheet.

The Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) advised the
committee that the ordinance might not be legal. The Committee
therefore decided that the next action to take would be to ask the
opinion of the State Attorney General about the legality of the
ordinance. Any further action toward implementing the ordinance will
be on hold pending the response from the State Attorney General. The
Committee also discussed the Weed & Seed Grant that could bring in
$250,000 per year for up to five years if Winchester is approved to
receive it. The city is still in the early stages of the application
process for this grant. The grant money would go to weed out criminal
elements in town and support and encourage these areas with more
positive growth. "It is a federal grant that weeds out the bad and
seeds in the good," said Keith Henshaw. If received, the grant would
have to be re-applied to every year. However, Henshaw stated that,
"once you get your foot in the door, it is a very simple process from
them on." Also mentioned in the meeting was the success of Kids Day on
Oct. 14th and 16th. The Committee hopes to hold three Kids Days next
year, one at spring, summer and fall breaks. Present for the meeting
were Councilman Bobby Scharber, Keith Henshaw, Dennis Young, Morris
Rogers, Juanita Syler, Cindy Kilpatrick, and Jonathan Hammer. The next
Public Safety meeting will be held on Dec. 1 at 12 noon.