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75 <br /> <br /> Mr. Gary O'Connell, Deputy City Manager, questioned <br />whether any alternatives existed for the action planned by <br />Virginia Power and Mr. Roop stated that the only alternative <br />would be to underground the lines at a cost of $300,000 per <br />block. <br /> <br /> Mr. Mike Burks of Virginia Power stated that there is no <br />conclusive evidence that the electric or magnetic field <br />causes harmful effects. Mr. Burks stated that increasing the <br />voltage will reduce the magnetic field along the lines. <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell recommended that City staff and Virginia <br />Power staff meet individually with Park Street residents and <br />if after these meetings the residents continue to be <br />concerned then the matter would be brought back to Council. <br /> <br /> Mr. Stan Tatum of 540 Park Street, supported the <br />concerns expressed by Mr. White. <br /> <br /> Council members concurred with Mr. O'Connell's <br />recommendation. <br /> <br /> Mr. Edward Strickler announced a forum sponsored by the <br />AIDS Support Group regarding substance abuse. <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT: DRUG STRATEGY <br /> <br /> Mr. Gary O'Connell reviewed the City Manager's proposed <br />drug strategy process as follows. The City Manager appoint <br />an 11 member task force whose charge would be to develop a <br />community-wide strategy within 90 days. The City Manger will <br />serve as chairman of the Task FOrce. The members should be <br />made up of representatives from the medical, community, Region <br />Ten Community Services Board, the University of Virginia <br />Substance Abuse Program, the legal community, the business <br />community, the Interfaith Alliance for Youth and Albemarle <br />County government as well as the Chief of Police, <br />Superintendent of Schools, Director of Parks and Recreation <br />and a citizen at-large. Prior to the final report of the~ <br />task force, hold a community-wide forum to allow citizen <br />input to the proposed drug strategy and consider holding a <br />second forum in early November to discuss the final strategy <br />developed by the task force. The following matters would <br />be taken into consideration by the task force:~fUrther law <br />enforcement efforts; drug treatment, counseling, <br />rehabilitation programS; coordination of substance abuse <br />programs; drug hot-line; recreational programs and activities <br />for young people; drug education programs; changes needed in <br />State laws; impacts of sentencing; drug awareness programs; <br />institutional changes'needed; evaluation of short-term and <br />long-term implementation of strategies; community and <br />individual financial impacts. The issues of whether to <br />employ someone full time wOuld be discussed as part of the <br />task force%s work. <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell stated that staff also recommended <br />immediately adding recreational programs for youths. <br /> <br /> Rev. Raymond Hailes, Chairman of the Interfaith Alliance <br />for Youth, stated that he felt the task force should include <br />additional representatives from neighborhoods where drugs are <br />a problem. Rev. Hailes noted concern about the ~90 day time <br />frame for the task force and questioned whether the City <br />Manager would be able to devote adequate time to the matter. <br /> <br /> Ms. Alicia Lugo also noted concern with the~time the <br />City Manager could give the issue and questioned whether the <br />matter was being taken seriously by the Council. Ms. Lugo <br />stated that she felt that a full time employee should be <br />hired to work with the task force. Ms. Lugo recommended that <br />Council not take final action on the matter until the <br />community can look further into the City Manager's proposal. <br /> <br /> <br />