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FEB N <br />BOOK 76 FACE 168 <br />Commissioner Eggert commented that we are trying to set up a <br />Community Development organization in Gifford, and that is the <br />type thing they can do. <br />Mr. Lundy next stressed the need for a Crime Prevention <br />Center. He noted that what is disturbing him is that we are <br />talking about building new jails, but the Board is not doing <br />anything about spending any money for crime prevention programs. <br />Gifford will be contributing millions to this tax over 15 years; <br />they are trying hard to do something about drugs and crime and to <br />keep the young people off the street. That is why they are <br />asking the Board to include a facility in their spending program <br />so Gifford could have a crime prevention center that would offer <br />some type of vocational training and rehabilitation programs. <br />Mr. Lundy brought up the eyesore on 45th St. and 33rd Avenue that <br />is a drug haven, stressing that it is their hope that could be <br />torn down and something good built there. <br />Commissioner Bowman believed demolition of the building is <br />in the works, and Mr. Lundy continued to stress that they want <br />something good on that corner. <br />Chairman Wheeler understood Mr. Lundy's comments about crime <br />prevention and believed they have merit, but he took issue with <br />the statement that nothing is being done. Among other programs, <br />we have the "Just Say No to Drugs" program in the school system; <br />we have "Crime Watch" programs in many areas; many programs are <br />in place and being used and things are being done. The Chairman <br />emphasized that he is for anything that can clean up crime, but <br />he believed that until people start building a family unit, <br />teaching children the right values, and sending them to school, <br />we can do only so much. There are many programs to try to get <br />the young people's attention, but so far nothing seems to be <br />working very well. He stressed that this is not an ethnic <br />problem; it is countrywide. <br />Commissioner Scurlock pointed out that we are spending <br />almost 12 million now on law enforcement in the county, which <br />8 <br />