Councillor Jon Farmer made the following notice of motion at tonight's Owen Sound city council meeting. Because no member of council would second the motion, it cannot be brought to the next council meeting for discussion, and this action will not be taken.
Whereas various incidents of violence over recent months have impacted the sense of safety and well-being of Owen Sound residents and those who visit and work in the City,
And whereas the Mayor and Council released a statement on August 30th acknowledging that the issues of crime prevention, homelessness, and addictions require a broader conversation that must include greater involvement and discussion from the Community Safety and Well-Being Planning table for Bruce and Grey, Grey Bruce Situation Table for Acute Response (STAR), the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force, and the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce among others,
And whereas the City Council does not currently have a forum in which to hear from those community partners, reflect on Owen Sound specific actions inspired by frameworks like the community safety and wellbeing plan (CSWBP), or explicitly invite the community to discuss and learn about the issues,
Therefore be it resolved that Council direct staff to:
Organize a special meeting of Council to serve as a working session for a broader conversation about concerns and opportunities connected to safety and well being in Owen Sound.
Explicitly invite the participation of community organizations including but not limited to:
∙ The Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan (CSWBP) leadership
∙ The Poverty Task Force
∙ The Community Drug and alcohol strategy
∙ CMHA Grey Bruce
∙ Grey Bruce Pride
∙ Safe N Sound
∙ Grey Bruce local immigration partnership
∙ Welcoming Communities Grey Bruce
∙ The Chamber of Commerce
Include in the meeting an opportunity for input from members of the general public,
And report back to Council with a summary of the suggested opportunities for action for the Corporation of the City of Owen Sound as well as the community of Owen Sound at large.
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