The Greensboro City Council will hold a special public forum on the recent increase in violent crime on Wed. Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at Windsor Community Center at 1601 E. Gate City Blvd.

The City Council will be looking to the public to hear ideas and solutions on reducing violent crime in the city.

This special City Council meeting was put together by City Councilmember Yvonne Johnson during the Sept 3, City Council town hall meeting at the Public Safety Training Facility.

The City Council had heard a report during the work session prior to the meeting from Assistant City Manager Trey Davis on public safety and a report on the Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Commission from Steve Friedland.  Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott also became involved in the conversation about what the police could do in particular about violent crime.

Toward the end of the town hall meeting Johnson said that Mayor Nancy Vaughan and councilmembers Sharon Hightower, Tammi Thurm, and Michelle Kennedy had all agreed to attend the meeting she was putting together on Sept. 11.

Government often seems to move at a crawl.  Scheduling special meetings when nine councilmembers can attend can be a tedious process that takes days.

However, Johnson has never worried with all of that stuff and put this meeting together during a meeting.

About the reason for the meeting City Manager David Parrish said, ““We recognize the impact violence has on the friends, family and neighbors of those who’ve been victimized.”

And Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “As a community, we must be willing to work together to identify the root cause of this violence and develop real solutions to bring our city together, making it a safe place for all.”

The city press release didn’t include a quote from Johnson who organized the meeting, setting the time and place, but Johnson has always preferred to go ahead and get things done.

 

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