It was a busy week for members of the Baltimore City Council. In the aftermath of the riots they could be seen during television interviews on channels from MSNBC to CNN, talking about what is next for Baltimore, how the city is holding up and what the large peaceful rallies held over the weekend meant.
Councilman Brandon M. Scott, District 2, has been at the forefront of calling on members of the community to be responsible and show one another love. He is calling for City Council hearings on the safety of the police wagon fleet. His resolution calls for Anthony Batts, police commissioner, to appear before the City Council and discuss how people transported in police wagons can be kept safer. Freddie Gray, of course, was severely injured while being transported in a police wagon. The resolution was adopted by the City Council and now goes to the Police Department for their response.
The other notable piece of news from last week’s City Council meeting was a resolution introduced by Bill Henry, District 4, seeking to call on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to increase funding for Community Schools. There are 20 Community Schools in Baltimore in each district except for District 8. Community Schools offer additional resources for students as well as the surrounding community. These resources can range from increased mental health care and help for homeless families to health screenings, among others.
Community Schools currently receive $6 million in funding and the resolution calls for an increase to $10 million.