After a long discussion, the City Council voted 7-1-1 on Tuesday night to approve a $229,787 contract with Father to the Fatherless for the Violence Reduction Initiative.
Councilman Larry Grohn voted no, saying he had been trying for months to get information about the effort without success. He said he had filed numerous Open Records requests that were suppose to go to Police Chief Fred Fletcher. Chief Fletcher said none had made their way to him.
Councilman Ken Smith abstained.
However, Council members Yusuf Hakeem and Russell Gilbert spoke highly of the work of the group, which has a mentoring program and also works with United Way to get services to troubled youth.
Councilman Gilbert was not so complimentary of Hope for the Inner City, which had a richer contract than its successor. He said he was not satisfied with the results "at all."
Chief Fletcher said there would be a saving for taxpayers in the agency switch. But he said the social service aspect of the VRI needed to be retained.
Asked by Councilman Grohn if the continuing violence indicted that the programs were working, Chief Fletcher said any blame should go to him. He said the main aim of the social services program was not curbing violence, but rescuing troubled young people and indirectly cutting crime.
Only five members of the council voted to pay Hope for the Inner City for bills received for the period Sept. 1 to Oct. 31. The amount was $48,332.