HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-22-19 Task Force MinutesMeeting opened at 5:42PM
Attendance:
Leadership Team
Vice Mayor, Joe Cobb
Shikara Williams, Chair
Courtney Penn, Vice-chair
Taisha Steele, Secretary
Ryan Bell
Natasha Saunders
Antwyne Calloway
July 22, 2019
Task Force to Reduce Gun Violence
Leadership Team
Community Solutions Center
2328 Melrose Avenue, NW, Roanoke, VA
Welcome-Shakira Williams, Chair
Leadership team reviewed minutes from meeting on July 1, and will present minutes to body at next
meeting for formal approval and posting
Vice Mayor Cobb reminded the group of our November target date for us to have goals set by then.
Shakira Williams is asking if it is possible to have an immediate action plan or an immediate response
before November
• Direct people to counseling
• Is protection needed
• Does the family need alternate housing
• What does the family need?
• Should someone from the task force meet a represented from the family to find these things out
(representative should be selected well)
Vice Mayor Cobb suggested identifying people from the task force who can work specifically on an
immediate action plan
Antwyne Calloway agrees with the idea of an immediate response team because families do not know
what their resources are the first few days. He suggested to also include people who have been through
this to also be part of the immediate team that dispersed. He also suggested intermittent follow up with
the families.
Taisha Steele suggested a database of people to call when there is an incident.
The committee agreed that the overarching theme of an immediate response team would fall under
"Coordinated City Services and Planning."
Taisha Steele requested talking with families that have experienced violence be able to share what may
have helped in the initial days of their experience.
Courtney suggested having someone from "Victim Witness" attend.
Review Leadership Team Roles and Responsibilities-Discussion Lead by Vice Mayor, Joe Cobb
Role of team is to create the agenda, then post it. Secretary will send the agenda to Stephanie Moon to
post. The same would be true of the minutes, after minutes have been posted.
Gun Task Force agendas and meetings (including leadership) will be posted for the public.
There was some discussion about opportunities for Zoom meetings due to conflicting schedules.
The leadership team agreed that our meetings will be held on 2nd and 4th Mondays at 5:30PM at the
Community Solutions Center. The suggestion was made that if there is no content to cover on the 4th
Monday, we will only meet on the 4th Monday.
Public Hearings must be held to hear public comments from citizens. Recommendations should be
submitted for these dates. The committee suggested an early meeting to hear from citizens, and a later
meeting before we submit our reports to city council on October 28. Include city attorney, city manager,
officers, and city clerk. Public must be made aware of public meeting at least 10 days prior. August 22,
2019 was suggested for the first public hearing, and October 17 for the second public hearing date. Joe
Cobb will check on the availability of these dates. Shakira suggested that August 22 would be a good
deadline for the team to establish the Roanoke Valley Gun Task Force Quick Response Team.
Vice Mayor Cobb mentioned checking into looking for a platform on the city council's webpage where
we could post meeting dates, suggestions for the committee, community activities, groups and etc. Joe
will check with the city manager to see if this is a possibility.
Vice Mayor shared that we are getting more feedback from community members who are asking to be
on the committee. The committee recommends that guests can attend the meetings and observe. There
may or may not be areas on the agenda where they can participate. Ryan Bell suggested having ten
minutes at the end of the meeting for guests to speak and contribute.
Vice Mayor will look into getting a separate email account for the task force.
Review of Current Strategies
Next meeting, pick two recommendations we would like to review in each area and hone in on those.
Courtney Penn will condense actionable items and share with leadership group. The leadership group
will narrow down options, and encourage the general body to vote and select two items to begin
working on immediately.
Will Quick Response Team be retroactive and reach out to families that have experienced violence in the
past month? The leadership team agreed this is a good idea.
Recap and Review of Roanoke Remembers Event-Lead by Vice Mayor, Joe Cobb
Vice-Mayor Cobb mentioned that he talked to Mayor Lea, and they talked about the idea of doing a
"walk" from Morehead to Belmont. Macklin Mosley contacted Vice Mayor Cobb about having a talk
(Porch Talk on RGV at Melrose Library) about recent shooting events. Councilman White-Boyd is having
a conversation with clergy tonight to discuss holding a prayer vigil.
The following is also planned:
Mt. Zion AME Church-Grief Counseling Session, Friday, September 13, TBD
Price Memorial AME Zion Church-"Heal the Wounds" session, Thursday, July 25, 6:00 PM
What can we do to teach a man to value another man's life? Shakira stated that this is an emergency.
Upcoming Dates:
August 12: 5:30PM, Leadership Team Meeting & 7:00PM General Meeting-Community Solutions Center
August 22: 7:00PM, Public Hearing, Council Chambers
August 26: 5:30PM, Leadership Team Meeting
September 9: 5:30PM, Leadership Team Meeting & 7:00PM General Meeting-Community Solutions Center
September 23: 5:30, Leadership Team Meeting
October 14: 5:30PM, Leadership Team Meeting & 7:00PM General Meeting-Community Solutions Center
October 17: 7:00PM Public Hearing, Council Chambers
October 28-TF Leadership Team, 5:30pm (Written Recommendations due to Clerk's office for inclusion in City
Council Agenda for November 4)
November 4-Task Force to Reduce Gun Violence Presentation to City Council, 2:00pm
Questions emerged asking about hospital protocol when there are gunshot victims.
Shakira asked for input for the upcoming agenda.
Meeting was adjourned at 7:13 PM
Respectfully Submitted by:
Taisha Steele, Secretary