Community Forum to update the public
MERCED – The Merced Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Task Force will give a progress report to the public on its goals and programs at a Community Forum, and seek additional public direction.
The group will hold the Community Forum in the Golden Valley High School cafeteria, 2121 E. Childs Ave., at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2008. The public is encouraged to come to this free event.
The Forum will include a discussion on the status of the on-going programs and also provide an opportunity for additional community input and comments.
A slogan and logo design contest also will be announced, encouraging the community to come up with a new name for the Task Force and a logo to give it instant recognition.
At the Forum the public will be encouraged to sign up to participate in the programs and activities supporting the goals of Merced ComVIP.
Agencies involved with Merced ComVIP also will hold a Resource Fair that night, providing members of the public with information and contact numbers for groups and organizations that provide help for troubled youths, gang intervention, family counseling, parenting classes and other educational opportunities.
Merced ComVIP grew out of an August 2006 meeting of community leaders exploring the problem of violence, gangs and drugs in the City.
As a result of that meeting, a community task force – Merced ComVIP – was created with leaders from local school districts, law enforcement, courts, probation, social services, faith-based groups, youth and non-profit organizations and the City.
Merced ComVIP has focused on bringing the member’s resources together to solve the violence problems impacting the community.
The Task Force has been a sponsor of the Gang Awareness Workshops put on by the Merced Police Department with the cooperation and support of the Merced City School District and the Merced Union High School District.
Merced Com VIP representatives testified in support of the change in schedules for Merced’s middle school students to let them out later in the day, giving them less chance to be recruited by gangs and fall victim to drug dealers.
The Task Force is preparing a summer jobs program, a series of summer camps for youths in first through eighth grades and ninth through 12th grades, and a summer activity guide listing the community’s youth programs. Details on these programs will be announced at the Forum.
Members of Merced ComVIP are:
Michelle Allison, Community member
Lee Anderson, Merced County Office of Education Superintendent
Steven Becker, Weaver Union Schools superintendent
Terry Brace, Merced City Schools Superintendent
Maria Botright and Nick Navarrette, UC Merced PD
Brian Cooley, Merced County Probation Department
Bob Fore, MUHSD Superintendent
Alexander Hall, Director of Parks and Community Services, City of Merced
Flip Hassett, United Way Director
John Kirihara, Merced Superior Court Judge
Jim Marshall, Merced City Manager
Daniel Nielson and Ana Pagan, Merced County Human Services Agency
Mark Pazin, Merced County Sheriff
Al Schaap, Pastor of Gateway Church, representing the faith-based community,
Jim Sanders, Merced City Council member, MCAN Director
Tony Slaton, Boys and Girls Club Executive Director
Russ Thomas, Merced Police Chief