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MINDT:ES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JULY 15, 2002 <br />SRO's and security. Altendorfer reported that these cost increases have happened in <br />the past and the Cities of Little Canada, Vadnais Heights, and White Bear Township <br />have agreed to them as part of the Sherit}'s Department contract. <br />Altendorfer reported that if DARE is eliminated, he will not be able to find a program <br />that will replicate the benefits that DARE provides to the community. Altendorfer <br />reported that he supports DARE and feels it is crime prevention at its best and <br />provides safety in schools. Altendorfer felt that DARE provides an important <br />connection piece between officers and youth. <br />Fahey expressed concern with the buy down of costs that is being offered to <br />Shoreview and Arden Hills. The City Administrator indicated that the buy-down <br />amount is approximately $25,000 over none-year period. <br />Altendorfer reported that the Sherit~'s Department is trying to keep the program in <br />place for another year, and indicated that there are adequate dollars in their DARE <br />fund to do so. <br />Fahey expressed concern that as a public official he is charged with seeing that the <br />citizens of Little Canada are being treated equitably, and questioned why the Sheriffs <br />Department would provide this subsidy to Shoreview and Arden Hills taxpayers, but <br />not Little Canada's. <br />Salter pointed out that these are DARL dollars that are being used. <br />Fahey pointed out that the Mounds View School District has now decided to use a <br />portion of their mime levy dollars for other programs similar to what Roseville has <br />done. Fahey indicated that when Little Canada decided to continue funding ofDARE <br />for 2002 it was with the thought that the costs were being allocated equitably between <br />the contracting cities. Now it appears that some of these cities are considering <br />withdrawing funding from DARE. Altendorfer reported that he has not heard a <br />definite answer from either Shoreview or Arden Hills on this issue. Given this <br />consideration, Altendorfer reported that the Sheriffs Department put the offer of <br />$25,000 on the table to Shoreview and Arden 1-Iills to keep the program going for one <br />more year. <br />Fahey pointed out that when the City funds a program through ajoint powers <br />agreement, it is based on an equitable participation by all the parties involved in the <br />agreement. This would include the DARE program and its finding. Fahey pointed <br />out that now DARE America is questioning the effectiveness of the current program. <br />Fahey stated that he did noC question the value of police building relationships with <br />youth, but indicated that there is not enough information about whether DARE is the <br />best means for doing this. <br />4 <br />