The Greensboro City Council at a work session on Tuesday, Oct. 6 revisited the strategic goals it set at the annual City Council retreat in February.
Tuesday, City Manager David Parrish reminded the City Council that it had spent January and February developing strategic goals and the first part of that process was to come up with new vision and mission statements.
The vision statement the City Council reached, after much discussion, was “Building on our history as a diverse and forward thinking city, Greensboro is a community with endless economic opportunity and exceptional quality of life.”
And the mission statement, “The mission of the City of Greensboro is to shape an inclusive future for equitable economic opportunity and sustainable, safe neighborhoods through resident focused services and programs.”
The vision and mission statements led to the development of seven strategic goals. One of those strategic goals that several councilmembers commented on was, “Reduce violent crime overall by 20 percent by 2022.”
According to the presentation, violent crime in Greensboro has increased by 8 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. The homicide rate has increased by 29 percent and aggravated assault by 15 percent. However, rape is down 19 percent and robbery down 9 percent.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan said that the city really needed to focus on the violent crime. She said, “It really has to have that laser focus.”
Assistant City Manager Trey Davis said that the Police Department was working on some policy changes where, “Ultimately the whole department will have a part in violent crime.”
Councilmember Sharon Hightower said that violent crimes are often the result of economic conditions. She said, “We can’t just look at violent crime in a bucket.”
Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter said, “My biggest concerns are the crime stats. As much as we want to reach that goal it may not happen.”
Where are the results for the 500K the city council “gave” councilwoman Johnson? Where is the accountability! Oversight? How many lives has this saved? ( If 1 life saved them well worth the cost) Anybody? How will the city council reduce violent crime when several members are so in favor of “ defunding the police”? You should be hiring more officers and flood the neighborhoods with police presence!
The money that was given to Johnson will probably never be seen or heard of again. And heaven forbid if you ask her for accountability because she will call racist , sort of how the museum runs with no accountability or records on how they spend the millions of dollars given to them. Proper business practice knows no color or gender, either you are doing the correct thing or you are not. This city deserves real business people to run things but nobody with any experience would be willing to lose money by being on this council. Do away with all of them and let the city employees, who are paid, run this city like a fine, well oiled machine. Greensboro could be great, needs common sense.
Hello City Council! Are you listening?
This will NEVER improve until you let the Police do what they need to do! You choose instead to apologize for things of the past (wha a joke) pacify Nelson Johnson and his communist buffoons, befriend rioters & looters, and kiss the rumps of “peaceful protesters.” Meanwhile those of us who still have morals and family values watch the decay of what could be a great city. But we can’t watch and wait forever. Election day is coming for you!
Amen ,,, we will use the vote to get rid of every last one of them.
No, we probably will vote every one of them back in. The city council is a major problem, but the far worse problem is a large population of voters who approve of their malfeasance and hope to live better off the tax dollars the council throws at them.
Greensboro WAS a great place to grow up. We left our homes unlocked. We went pretty much everywhere unmolested. Police didn’t take no B.S off anybody.
Exactly. They pander to everyone except the taxpayers, who they’re supposed to be serving.
Why not take the Chief’s conclusions, and act on them? Patrol the areas with the highest crime rate. Enforce laws on the books, and prosecute.
Encourage citizens to take responsibility for their own personal safety until help arrives. Unless, or course, if you work downtown where govt buildings have security checkpoints. I can’t afford a 24/7 private guard, but I do have the right to defend myself and family.
Who’s running for mayor next year? Who would be a dream candidate from your point of view? Thank you!
Any one other than what we have now .. this woman has stirred up so much trouble I don’t think it can ever be remedied
I’m thinkin’ Dolly Parton.
If you have blinders on with your eyes closed, you can’t see the forest for the trees.
everybody should carry a handgun. It takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy. When seconds count, the police are minutes away. Prepare to defend yourselves folks. Gun free zones attract the nutballs as they know they will not be shot at in a gun free zone … get the idea? It’s kind of like a magnet for violence, a gun free zone. Just say’n.
Jack
Some people are more prone to violent crime than others.
The Greensboro City council can’t change that.
Give Hightower the award for not being the brightest bulb in the chandelier .She said violent crimes are the result of economic conditions.Please the main reason we have a problem with crime: Take the police off the street and turn the streets over to the ‘Peaceful Protesters’.. We have seen that scenario in Portland for 100+ days that the peaceful protesters are rioting and burning to the tune of 30+ million dollars.Look in the mirror and see who may be responsible for the mess going on in Greensboro:Fayetteville .Please Greensboro lets go to the polls Nov 3rd and vote this group out of office and get a group that will work for the people of Greensboro. If you don’t vote them out then you are just like them, being pulled around by the Dems!!!!! They tend to really stretch the truth a lot,did you see Kamala in the debate she was so proud to tell about Abe and his selection for a judge appointment in which she LIED about.If a person lies about some things you wonder if ,they lie about all things.Please help me vote out these folks .By the way where did the $500,000 go that the ex mayor got and no records to back up where it was spent!!They are hoping that you will forget and the money just disappears.
“lets go to the polls Nov 3rd and vote this group out of office”
Sorry, but we are stuck with them for another year. They don’t face reelection until next year.
Ms Hightower HAS THE COPS HAND CUFF AND ITS A SHAM. We need to VOTE THEM ALL OUT NEXT YEAR……….