Mayor's Task Force Strategic Plan To Include Youths' Ideas

A strategic plan created by the to serve as a "framework for action" will include ideas from a youth town hall meeting before landing in front of the for consideration.

The task force met Monday to review the draft " and consider adopting the 39-page document before referring it to the City Council next month.

The document spells out nine goals aimed at preventing young people from getting involved in gangs and violence, with a focus on high-risk neighborhoods, intervening as youth veer toward a troubled life, enforcing laws regarding gangs and violence, and assisting those re-entering the community to keep them from returning their bad lifestyle.

"We're excited we're at this point," Assistant City Manager Jason Stilwell said.

The group began meeting in April in response to a spike in violence from December 2014 to January 2016, with 21 homicides or 80 percent above the national average.

One goal aimed at prevention focuses on increasing opportunities for youths to participate in the community through jobs, recreation, civic engagement and transportation.

Another targets identifying youths at risk of ending up in a gang as early as possible through schools and other groups dealing with youths.

Under enforcement, police would create a specialized team to suppress gang activity, and create internet processes to accurately catalog and track gang-related offenses.

Another goal calls for expanding the number of trauma informed stakeholders through education and training.

Edwin Weaver, from , said he initially worried the goals lacked specifics.

"This is a framework. The hope is we're going to address these goals, but they're not addressed in this plan in detail," Weaver said, adding that smaller groups will work to implement smaller, specific goals.

Discussion during Monday's meeting centered on how to handle ideas generated at a youth town meeting organized by the

That report won't be prepared for another week, leading to debate about how to include their ideas in the strategic plan.

Fifth District County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said youths feel their voices have not been heard during the Mayor's Task Force process.

"I would feel more comfortable ? to get a report from them and see how it matches up to our action items," he said. "I think it would plug right in."

But the question of whether to wait for the youths' report and not delay the strategic plan's presentations to the City Council in November prompted discussion.

To avoid trying to squeeze in another task force meeting before the council considers the plan, the task force agreed that a smaller group could review the youths' suggestions and incorporate the ideas as appropriate.

Mayor Alice Patino pushed for moving the plan to the City Council for adoption to avoid further delays. She also noted the difficulty trying to schedule another task force meeting during the busy holidays.

"It's not set in cement when we adopt this (plan)," Patino added.

- North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: , and . Connect with .