Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Akron Council approves expansion of Credible Messengers violence-intervention program
Summary
The council authorized a one-year contract to operate the Credible Messengers Initiative and approved expanded funding that increases program support to $600,000 for the coming year and adds two credible messengers.
Akron City Council voted 13–0 to authorize the mayor or his designee to enter into a contract with Minority Behavioral Health Group to operate the city’s Credible Messengers street-team program, expanding the initiative and funding for the coming year.
Councilman Lombardo reported a favorable committee recommendation and asked for passage of the ordinance. Council members spoke in support of expanding a program the administration described as showing promising results during an 18-month pilot. Mayor Malek said the pilot’s first 18 months ran on about $185,000; the administration previously proposed $450,000 and increased the figure to $600,000 for the period from July 1 through the following June. Council members said the appropriation would allow the program to hire two additional credible messengers to extend outreach work across the city.
Councilwoman Davis, Councilman McKittrick and others praised Marcel McDaniel and the work of Minority Behavioral Health Group, saying the street-team approach connects at-risk young people with services and reduces violence risk through community relationships. The ordinance authorizes the mayor to finalize the contract without the formal advertising of bids, as specified in the substitute language presented to the council.
The council voted to pass the ordinance as an emergency measure; the clerk recorded the final vote as 13–0. Officials said the funding increase and additional staffing are intended to move the program from a pilot phase into a longer-term, expanded phase in coordination with other community partners.
