RESEARCH DIVISION
SPECIAL PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES
September 7, 2016
Lynwood Roberts Room
Ground Floor, City Hall
117 W. Duval Street
Attendance: Council Members: Sam Newby (Chair), Bill Gulliford (Vice Chair), Aaron Bowman, Anna Lopez Brosche, Katrina Brown, Tommy Hazouri, Joyce Morgan; Assistant General Counsel Paige Johnston; Assistant Council Auditor Kyle Billy; Jordan Elsbury, Administration; John J. Jackson, Yvonne Mitchell, Council Research Division; Legislative Assistant Philip Zamarron.
The Chairman called the special committee meeting to order at 9:08 a.am.
The Chair announced that the first topic that the Special Committee would focus on is an update on the Zika Virus.
Dr. Kelli Wells, Duval Public Health Department, announced that the number of Zika Virus cases reported continues to climb. 576 cases in Florida have now been reported, 80 of which involve pregnant women.
The Health Department continues to closely follow developments in Miami-Dade County. Duval County Health Department staff that had been sent to Miami-Dade have returned. The department is still concerned about the protection from mosquitos in Duval County; Dr. Wells has recently met with the Mayor.
John Shellhorn, Mosquito Control Division, explained when and how his staff sprays.
Dr. Wells underscored the importance of regularity in emptying standing water from birdbaths, boat tarps, children’s toys, etc., and the consistent use of mosquito repellant when out of doors.
The Committee next heard a presentation on the Jacksonville Journey from Attorney W. C. Gentry, Chairman of the Journey’s Board.
Mr. Gentry opened his remarks by describing the guiding principles and mission of the Journey, namely combatting crime, with an emphasis on violent crime.
One of Journey’s programs that Mr. Gentry emphasized was its focus on making children proficient in literacy. He indicated that if children are not reading proficiently by the third grade, the likelihood of criminal activity in their future is high. Reading proficiency is a key component of the Journey’s summer camps. Mr. Gentry emphasized that the link between illiteracy and crime is a valid one.
Early learning was another facet of the Journey’s work. Early learning is a long-term program. The focus is on encouraging parents in public housing to send their children to learning centers.
Mr. Gentry underscored the significance of monitoring all of the Journey’s children’s programs. Periodic assessments throughout the year and yardsticks with which to measure progress, or the lack thereof, were paramount if programs were going to be successful. Vital elements in successful programs are reporting, oversight and assessment.
The Journey was alarmed when it learned that a significant amount of crime committed by young people was attributed to the school system’s suspending scores of young people; these young people ended up on the streets, unsupervised. The school system had been suspending a considerable number of students during the school year. The Journey created an out-of-school program, ATOSS (Alternative to Out of Schools Suspension).
Council Member Katrina Brown inquired about the Journey making any outreach to the community for feedback. Mr. Gentry explained that the Journey recently ventured to one of the public housing projects where residents had an opportunity to ask questions and air their views.
Council Member Anna Lopez Brosche suggested that the Journey place information about its work on the City’s website.
Mr. Gentry explained that the Journey has been working with the Duval County School System, the Department of Children and Youth Services, the Jacksonville Children’s Commission and others to reach children at an early age, at the K-5th grade level, to make sure that the children had the skills and tools that they needed to succeed. He reiterated that the children’s programs had to have measureable outcomes. Too often, he noted, programs have amounted to mere babysitting operations.
Parental engagement was another facet that Mr. Gentry discussed.
There being no further business, the Special Committee was adjourned at 10:11 a.m.
John J. Jackson, Council Research Division (904) 630-1729
09.12.16
Posted: 12:00 p.m.