SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ZERO TOLERANCE: PINELLAS COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE COUNCIL
MINUTES: WED 2 FEB 05 Pinellas Park Public Library Meeting Room
10 JJC Members: Rev. Bruce Wright (Committee Chair), Tim Niermann, Matt Sullivan, Cathy Corry Anita Hartley, Diana Matthews, Troy Adams, Bonnie McClelland, Anthony Hinson & Rev. John Feeney 4 Guest participants: Libby Lubin (Public Defenders Office); Gordon Hawkins (DJJ Probation); Jeanine Roman (Parent) and Marie Ashford (Parent)
Bruce Wright called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. and began with introductions of committee members for the benefit of new participants. Bruce Wright made a motion to approve both sets of minutes from the regular meeting held on January 5 and the emergency meeting held on January 22. Matt Sullivan seconded the motion and both sets of minutes were approved unanimously.
Rev. Wright reviewed his presentation re Zero Tolerance to the 6th Circuit Juvenile Justice Board on January 24 - He shared with the committee that the board took no formal action. He also reported that board member Dr. Nancy Zambito, Deputy Superintendent of Public Schools, offered counter-input to his presentation to which he was not allowed to offer a response. Cathy Corry reported that his attempt to respond was interrupted by the sudden adjournment of the board meeting about a half hour before the session was scheduled to end.
Bruce Wright also shared yet again (see minutes of previous meetings) his frustration at the lack of representation from either the school system or the law enforcement community at the meetings of this committee.
Bruce Wright shared that he was pleased that the recommendations of the committee were included in the Strategic Plan voted on and adopted at the January 27 regular meeting of the Pinellas Council.
There ensued a lengthy "open discussion" concerning various aspects of Zero Tolerance policy and the law enforcement relationship to schools generally, which included anecdotes of experiences of some parents present including Diana Matthews, Bonnie McClelland and others. Mr. Gordon Hawkins, a DJJ Probation Officer offered interesting and valuable input on process and authority issues and a discussion of various programs.
Two Council members who had never before attended meetings of the committee were present, Anita Hartley and Troy Adams and had questions concerning the focus and objectives of the committee and time was taken to get them "up to speed" on this. In this context, John Feeney read to the committee the entire text of our formal recommendations as included in the Strategic Plan and previously disseminated via email.
John Feeney read an editorial that appeared in the Feb. 2 edition of the 'St. Petersburg Times' under the title "Call the parents before police" where the editors of the paper appeared to articulate views parallel to those of most committee members.
Two new action items were proposed by the committee:
1. That Rev. Bruce Wright, the committee Chair, actually get on the agenda of a regular Pinellas County School Board meeting to make the presentation of our recommendations directly to the school system.
2. John Feeney was designated to compose a letter to the editor of the 'St. Petersburg Times' on behalf of the ZT committee in complimentary response to the Feb. 2 Times editorial. Nearly all present at the time indicated their assent to this proposal.
Rev. Feeney informed the committee that he has written many op-ed letters on numerous issues and is aware that there is a narrow "window of opportunity" re this kind of thing. Feeney offered to write a draft letter to be sent out via email to committee members for approval as well as to "run it by" Council officers - but noted that he was anxious to have this document sent to the 'Times' within a day or two so as to insure its inclusion when other op-ed replies to this editorial are selected for publication.
John Feeney made a motion to adjourn the meeting which was seconded by Bonnie McClelland and unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Minutes Prepared by John Feeney 3 Feb. 05 17:20 (5:20 p.m.)