1999-05-11City of Southlake, Texas
Joint Drug & Alcohol Awareness Committee
Tuesday, May 11, 1999
Meeting Minutes
Members Present: Debra Edmonson-Co-Chairperson, Doug Strickland -Co -Chairperson,
Gary Fawks, Bob Hamilton, Margaret Melton, Roxanne Matela-
Berenbeim
Members Absent: Howard Addison, Jacky Brooks -Lawrence, Brad Bartholomew, Joey
Milner
Staff Present: Gary Gregg, Deputy Director of Police Services, Shelli Siemer, Assistant
to the City Manager, Elizabeth Rowland, CISD Coordinator of Special
Services, Sean Leonard, Municipal Court Administrator
Agenda Item No. I - Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order by Co -Chairperson Doug Strickland at 7:03 p.m.
Agenda Item No. 2 - Public Forum.
Doug Strickland opened up the meeting to public forum. There was no one in the audience to
participate in the public forum.
`em No. 3 - Consideration: Approval of Minutes from April 19, 1999
Gary Fawks made the motion to approve the minutes from the 4/19/99 meeting. Roxanne
Matela-Berenbeim seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item No. 4 - Consideration: Adopt By -Laws.
This item',, is on the agenda for the committee to consider adopting By-laws. Doug Strickland
stated that he would like to pursue changing the Resolution which created the committee to
allow the ,CISD and City Council to appoint either a member of the board or a designated
representative. Doug would like to appoint a nurse from the school district to replace the
position of CISD Board member Howard Addison. Gary Fawks suggested approving the By-
laws with: the understanding the resolution will be revised.
Doug Strickland motioned that the By -Laws be adopted with those revisions. Roxanne Matela-
Berenbeim seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
- !,
znd Alcohol Committee Slo
stated that adopting a slogan will create an identity for the committee and
market their efforts by encouraging businesses to endorse the slogan and reinforce to the
community that Southlake is a drug and alcohol free community. Bob presented four slogans
revised from the previous meeting to the committee for consideration. There was discussion
Jt. Drug & Alcohol Awareness Comm.
Meeting Minutes 5111199
Page 2
about the proposed slogans and no consensus was reached. Roxanne Matela-Berenbeim and
Margaret Melton agreed to solicit additional input from the youth in the community through
focus groups at the high school. They will bring the results of their efforts to the next
meeting.
Agenda Item No. 6 - Discussion: Mock Accident.
Doug Strickland showed a video of the Colleyville Heritage High School program titled
"Every 15 Minutes". He informed the committee that this 1-2 day program is also done in
other schools and focuses on a Mock Accident. This accident is a shock type program aimed
at teenage drinking and driving. It typically involves school administrators, courts, police,
fire support, and funeral homes. The program takes approximately 6 months to plan and
coordinate with an estimated $8,000410,000 budget. Doug Strickland introduced guest
speaker Karen Smith with TCADA who has been involved with planning and coordinating 6-8
similar programs in area schools. Karen Smith stated that the two biggest expenses include the
retreat location (some use a local hotel) and the production video. The Colleyville students
taped the video.
Karen explained the program at Colleyville Heritage High School, which was a 1 1/2 day
community project designed for juniors and seniors. The Pt day a person dressed as a "grim
reaper" pulled a student out of a classroom every 15 minutes (25-40 students total). Death
notifications are sent to parents of the students pulled from class because they are called the
"Living Dead". That night those students selected participate in a retreat with team building
activities and guest speakers. During this time the students write letters home to families
about what they did not accomplish before their untimely death. In response the to
committee's inquiry into how the "Living Dead" students are chosen, Ms. Smith informed the
group that methods vary from counselors selecting the students to receiving nominations from
the students. She added that it is best to encourage diversity among those selected.
Ms. Smith explained how the mock accident operates. In Colleyville there was participation
from Careflight, EMS, fire, police, and a make-up artist to create a realistic accident. Realism
is important to insure that students take it seriously. The students selected during day 1 are
back in class but not allowed to speak to anyone. A funeral home brings a casket, and
parents write obituaries for the students to display them on the wall. Some schools even use
crosses and tombstones to create a make -shift cemetery. The day is concluded with an
assembly to air the video to the students and discuss the mock accident.
Debra Edmonson wanted to know how long the program had been in the area and how they
measure whether it is accomplishing its goals. Ms. Smith said it began in the Chico,
California Police Department in 1996 and this year Colleyville, H-E-B, Granbury, Greenville,
Carrollton, Dunbar, Mansfield, Grapevine, Glenrose, Stephenville, Kennedale, and Crowley
participated. Karen Smith stated that she has not been able to measure the results, but it is
possible that the San Antonio program has developed a survey.
P. Drug & Alcohol Awareness Comm.
Meeting Minutes 5111199
Page 3
Agenda Item No. 7 - Discussion: Sub -Committee Reports.
CISD Curriculum Sub -Committee - The sub -committee reported that the Drug and Alcohol
Survey just came in. The results will be compared to earlier information and presented at the
next meeting. They are looking for trends to determine if this year's results are drastically
different than last year's results.
Parent Networking Sub -Committee - Roxanne Matela-Berenbeim reported that they are
working on revisions to the parent network brochure. They have received some negative
feedback from parents in that it is too intrusive to ask parents to sign up for the program.
Conference/Forum Sub -Committee - No report was given.
Information Distribution/Speakers Bureau Sub -Committee - The sub -committee reported that
they will have a meeting on May 14, 1999.
Agenda Item No. 8 - Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45p.m.
Submitted by:
Shelli Siemer, City of Southlake
Approved:
aL
Debra dmondson, Co -Chairperson
A
1
Doug Strickla , Co -Chairperson