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ATTACHMENT B
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION
REPORT OF PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Helen Bullard, Chairman
PREFACE
The Program Committee would like to list the premises on which the program
is based, since in our opinion it was not possible to suggest program ina
vacuum but rather to suggest program in terms of the implementation; in
other words, when we suggested the following program we considered whether
or not in our opinion it was feasible within the framework of limited staff,
budget, and other facilities,
We propose the following as a summary of the philosophy of the Program
Committee of the Commission:
1, That the Commission make accessibility one of its prime objectives.
2. That as far as possible the work of the Commission be in the area of
prevention,
3. That the Commission avoid duplicating any function that is already the
province of an established agency or group and that its efforts be
channeled in the areas of implementing rather than duplication.
4, That the program of the Commission remain flexible and within the
capabilities of the Commission.
5, That the Commission recognize the responsibility of a creative approach
to solving problems of our Community and its responsibility to encourage
the involvement of the citizens of the entire City.
6. That the Commission's program include for consideration and possible
implementation the suggestions from the citizens themselves. That
the Commission then becomes, with the approval of the Mayor and the
Board of Aldermen, the spokesman for the City of Atlanta.
PROGRAM I
The Program Committee proposes the following areas for immediate action
(these areas were included in the ad hoc committee's report as being the
most obvious areas for survey of services and facilities):
a. Blue Heaven (Location: Decatur Street - Atlanta DeKalb area)
b. Cabbage Town (Location: Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill)
c. Mechanicsville
d. Summer Hill (Location: Off Georgia Avenue, behind the Capitol)
e. Vine City (Location: Vine Street and Magnolia)
f. Lighting
g. Scotts Crossing
(other suggestions)
and such other areas as may be determined by the Commission or requested
by the neighborhood organizations or individuals, The purpose of this investi-
gation is to make recommendations to the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen
regarding the furnishing of necessary services and facilities within the control
= 2 &
of the City of Atlanta which shall standardize the services furnished in the
above mentioned areas with all the other areas of the City of Atlanta.
As a basis for such information and recommendations, the Program Committee
urges that this programbe given first priority; that the information be obtained
by holding public hearings inthe suggested areas towhich the public, neighbor-
hood organizations and other interested individuals will be invited. We suggest
that this be a simultaneous project and that the Commission be set up inteams
and assigned to specific areas and that each team designate one member as a
secretary for the purpose of filing a joint report to the entire Commission. In
areas where there is not unanimous agreement within the team, we suggest a
minority report also be filed.
PROGRAM II
For purposes of gaining information we suggest that the following people who
are concerned with the community relations in the various areas and disciplines
be invited to appear before the entire Commission for the following purposes:
a. To outline for the community their present method of operation.
b. To project plans for the future.
c. To analyze what they consider their greatest problems, and
d. To make whatever recommendations they care to to the Community
Relations Commission.
We suggest the following areas of concern:
1, <A meeting of all agencies dealing with community problems.
EDUCATION - Dr. John Letson, Superintendent of Atlanta Schools
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES - Mr. Charles O. Emmerich - Director
of the E. O. A. Program
JOB OPPORTUNITIES within the City Government - Col. Carl Sutherland,
Director of Personnel, City of Atlanta
RECREATION - Mr. Jack Delius - Director of Parks Department,
City of Atlanta
HOUSING -
a. Atlanta Housing Authority, Mr. M. B. Satterfield
b. Mayor's Committee on Housing, Dr. Sanford Atwood and
Dr. Benjamin Mayes
LAW ENFORCEMENT - Chief Herbert Jenkins, Atlanta Police Department
WELFARE - Mr. Welborn Ellis - Director of Fulton County Welfare
Department
HEALTH - Fulton County Public Health Department, Dr. James F, Hackney
In addition to the above official agencies, we would like to recommend that
the Committee that is assigned to work with ministers be asked to select
from the churches the significant churches in terms of community program.
We think it would be helpful to have such programs explained so that other
churches might be encouraged to similar or other community programs.
(We are thinking partly in terms of clinics, counseling services, etc. )
TIME TABLE
Public hearing of concerned citizens from various neighborhoods through-
out the City. Place: City Hall - February 16, 7:30 p.m. - Committee
room #2. Purpose: to begin to pinpoint problems of the City.
Meeting with agencies who are concerned with community relations.
Purpose: to ask each agency to define their areas of operations and
program, and to get their ideas as tothe problems of the Atlanta Community.
Suggest that the agencies be asked to file a brief with the Commission in
addition to their verbal reports. Time: Thursday, February 23, 7:30
p.m. - City Hall.
Public meeting in areas suggested by ad hoc committee (committees of
not more than three persons to each area) be appointed by the Chairman
of the Commission and such meetings begin the first week in March, with
area meetings being held simultaneously; that the entire Commission be
called into extra session for reports and to formulate recommendations,
That the heads of agencies suggested in Program II be contacted as to
their earliest availabilities for meeting with the Commission.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS
(FOR DISCUSSION )
Compiling of a simplified directory of community services - Check with
C.P.C. as to the status of their directory.
Project involving newcomers into Atlanta - See what C. P.C. has done
on this.
Establishing Speakers' Bureau.
Forming of an Advisory or Auxiliary Committee, for the Commission,
names to be selected from proposed names for the Commission itself or
by other means.
Internship program for students either in the field of social work,
education, health, etc.
Program to involve more groups and individuals for working with problems
involving the entire City.