BALTIMORE — Three members of the Baltimore City Council spoke directly to constituents Monday night, touching on topics from police redistricting, to police response, to budgeting, to a tragic 30-victim mass shooting.
ACT Now Baltimore, a group of local religious leaders aiming to connect constituents with city leaders, hosted a town hall to discuss issues close to South Baltimore.
"We know there are precursors to crime, when we're talking about economic development - that is something the council has a direct reflection of policy on," said Phylicia Porter, a city council member whose district encompasses the shooting's location.
Councilmembers Porter, Eric Costello, and John Bullock discussed the issues in front of constituents at Douglas Memorial Community Church in Marble Hill.
"We’re talking about housing stabilization, making sure we pass the great housing bill so that everyone can actually get housing in Baltimore City and stay in Baltimore City. Making sure we have recreation centers that are fully staffed and fully resourced all across our city. Those are things the council can have a direct hand in," Porter continued.
WMAR is told the town hall was scheduled weeks ago and planned to cover a range of issues. A deadly mass shooting struck that community last weekend, and it is still on the minds of many.
Two people are dead and 28 others are recovering from gunshot wounds after a mass shooting in South Baltimore's Brooklyn neighborhood.
"This is an opportunity for us to make sure they have the expanded necessary resources," Porter added. "Mental health services and trauma related services, having housing and economic development, having a place where the kids can actually play outside."
Dr. Todd Yeary, senior pastor at Douglas Memorial Community Church, moderated the town hall, one in a series for the whole city.
"[The shooting] is on the minds of folks, because the incident is really reflective of a number of concerns the city's been facing for a while. We don't want to encapsulate it as the only thing - but it is symptomatic of some other things," said Yeary.
A Baltimore City Council hearing on the Brooklyn Homes mass shooting is scheduled for this Thursday.
One teen is in custody in connection with the shooting; the teen was not accused of homicide but of weapons charges.
