The Citizens Task Force on Violence appointed by Mayor Sly James will hold its first monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12, Fourth District Councilwoman and Task Force Chair Jolie Justus announced today.
The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Gregg-Klice Community Center, 1600 John “Buck” O’Neil Way (East 17th Terrace and The Paseo, near the 18th & Vine Jazz District), Justus said.
“We’ve done some preliminary research and internally outlined some ideas on how to organize our work,” Justus said. “The first Task Force meeting will discuss structure and action items and explain how we intend to engage any Kansas Citian interested in the topic.”
Justus stressed that all citizens are invited to be part of the Task Force’s work. Persons can contact the Task Force by sending correspondence to Councilwoman Jolie Justus, City Hall, 22nd Floor, 414 E. 12th St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The public also will be able to provide input via email and the internet using an email address and an online comment form that will be established and publicized later this month.
“Our initial Task Force meetings will be procedural and informational,” Justus said. “We definitely plan to take public testimony so anyone will have the opportunity to share information, views or feelings.”
Justus has collaborated with Task Force Vice Chair Andres Dominguez, a program officer at the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, to identify direction and scope and to initiate the work of the group.
Justus also announced that James has added Pat Clarke, a consultant, to the Task Force. Other members were announced on Nov. 18.
The mission of the Task Force is to gather facts and data and recommend pragmatic policies and best practices about how Kansas City can prevent, address and respond to violence in all its forms, including but not limited to active shooter situations, violence-driven street crime, illegal use of weapons, domestic violence, child abuse and other violent situations.
Subsequent meetings will be held at Gregg/Klice Community Center from 6-8 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month until October 2016. The Task Force plans to complete its work and issue recommendations by November 2016.
Note to editors and reporters: Requests to receive formal public notice of Task Force meetings may be submitted at http://webfusion.kcmo.org/
