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272 <br /> <br />comprehensive muki-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and <br />community revitalization. Weed and Seed is a strategy which aims to prevent, control, <br />and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted neighborhoods. <br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Crouch, U. S. Attorney and Chairman of the Weed and Seed Steering <br />Committee, explained that the Committee has met monthly since November of 1997 to <br />guide the program. Mr. Crouch said that the Weed and Seed Strategy is to complement <br />law enforcement efforts while providing support programs for community needs. <br /> <br /> Chief Rittenhouse said that the Weed and Seed program will supplement current <br />drug enforcement efforts and community pOlicing. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Ms. Daugherty, ChiefRittenhouse said that funds <br />will be used mostly for overtime for community policing. <br /> <br /> Mr. Rory Carpenter, Juvenile Justice Coordinator for the Commission on Children <br />and Families, explained that a Clark School Initiative Steering Committee has met to <br />identify issues in the Clark School district which will dovetail with the Weed and Seed <br />program. <br /> <br /> Ms. Valerie Gregory, Principal at Clark Elementary School, said that she is <br />excited about the program and about being able to focus on teaching children, noting that <br />often things happen in families which prevent this from happening. Ms. Gregory said <br />that the program wilt help create healthy neighborhoods, which will create healthy <br />families, which will create healthy children. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Ms. Daugherty, Mr. Churchill said that. a program <br />director will be hired and existing staff at Clark will also work on the project. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Ms. Richards, Mr. Crouch said that the future of <br />the program is contingent on federal funding, but noted that the pattern has been of <br />ongoing funding if the program is moving forward and showing results. Mr. Crouch said <br />that he is confident that the funding will continue and even increase. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said that an impressive group of people and grant writer have been <br />pulled together to work on the program and he commended them for their work. Mr. Cox <br />said he thinks the program will make a considerable change in the neighborhood. <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Toscano, seconded by Mr. Cox, the $250,000 appropriation for <br />the Weed and Seed Program was offered and carried over to the next meeting for <br />consideration. <br /> <br />ORDINANCE: ALLOWING PHARMACY RETAIL SPACE BY SPECIAL PERMIT <br />IN B-1 ZONE (2~d reading) <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty said that she feels the special permit process required by the <br />ordinance offers a number of safeguards for the neighborhood before final approval of a <br />special permit by Council. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano noted that the Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association wrote a <br />memorandum to Council saying they would tike assurance that the main focus of the <br />pharmacy remains and that it will not evolve into a convenience store. <br /> <br /> Mr. Ron Higgins, Acting Director for the Department of Community <br />Development, said that under the existing regulations, any use will have to be primarily a <br />pharmacy. Mr. Higgins said that one concern expressed has been the hours of operation, <br />and he explained that this can be regulated in the special permit. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards asked why a definkion of pharmacy cannot be included in the <br />ordinance, and proposed that no more than 50% of the business be allowed to be non- <br />medical. Ms. Richards asked if this could be done on the basis of inventory. <br /> <br /> <br />