With the help of a new grant, police are laying the foundation for a partnership with communities in southwest Madison aimed at addressing public safety and other social issues.
The $155,000 federal grant will fund data collection and eventually draft a plan aimed at rejuvenating affected communities with the help of community organizations and police. Community members and officials welcomed the initiative, but some are uncertain if it will yield concrete results.
Madison Police Department’s West District Lt. Mike Hanson said the grant will focus on the Balsam-Russett and Teresa Terrace neighborhoods, which have long been plagued by high unemployment, lower education rates and crime. He said these communities are a thriving part of Madison, but are in need of additional support.
Hanson said the goal is for community members to be directly involved in forming the plan once the funds are available in January. He said once the plan is put in place, the city will request further federal funding to implement it.
“People are excited about this … but we’re cautious because it’s a lengthy process and all we are doing right now is the planning stages,” Hanson said. “The real bang for the buck will be the million dollar award in two years.”
Hanson said the initiative will work with organizations such as Joining Forces With Families, Commonwealth, Urban League and any other employers or entities that come forward.
Mellowhood Foundation spokesperson and community member Tutankhamun Assad said Hanson has already contacted him concerning the initiative. He said he is confident that both Police Chief Mike Koval and Hanson have been conscious of the needs of the community.
The Mellowhood Foundation mentors children over the age of seven in the community, providing support for those who would otherwise be ensnared by psychological and economic pressures, Assad said.
The grant has the potential to change the community for the better, he said, but stressed that those involved must do more than simply plan and talk.
“Intent, impact, outcomes: That triumvirate has to be embraced, otherwise this is a waste of time,” he said.
Assad said he thinks the plan should focus more on education as a way to relieve pressures on his community. He said he was dismayed that many community centers in his community are run by people who live outside of the community.
Ald. Matt Phair, District 20, said the grant will fund a project manager and research partner position to coordinate the planning process with the community. He said both the data collected and the ideas put forth by the community will hopefully coalesce into an effective plan.
Phair said he is uncertain what form of the plan will ultimately take place and warned that the grant needed to implement the plan is far from guaranteed. Still, he remains optimistic and said the city may partially fund the plan’s implementation should the follow-up grant fall through.
“This is a real opportunity for some genuine collaboration between city agencies, non-profit agencies and residents on the ground,” Phair said.