Explanation
City Council amended the 2005 budget to create a $2 million Public Safety Initiatives account. The monies are intended for use to address specific public safety challenges that might arise doing the year, as well as provide contingency monies for on-going issues such as fleet needs. Twenty percent of these funds, or $400,000, have already been targeted for deposit in the DROP fund, an account created to address the impact of a state retirement program that eventually will affect the timing of uniformed employee retirements from the city.
This ordinance funds a new initiative by the Central Ohio Animal Abuse and Family Violence Task Force to strengthen linkages between the animal welfare and family violence communities. The objective is to facilitate a multi-disciplinary response to the prevention of family violence by increasing awareness among animal welfare, child welfare, and domestic violence professionals of all types of violence in the home. That should lead to better service for the entire family, including pets, and lead to quicker intervention in the hopes of ultimately ending a cycle of violence that often develops if left unchecked. As victims of violence grow to adulthood, they sometimes replicate the violent behavior experienced as youths. As well, perpetrators of violence sometimes accelerate abusive behavior, changing the target of abuse from pets to humans.
This program follows on the heels of City Council's funding the Capital Area Humane Society annually at $25,000 beginning in 2003 to support animal cruelty investor services. Similarly, that action recognized the connection between animal violence and violence to children and spousal abuse.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to transfer $86,000 within the General Fund from the Department of Finance to the Office of City Council; to authorize and direct the City Clerk to enter into contract with the Central Ohio Animal Abuse and Family Violence Task Force for th...
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