By Chris Wilson

The cities of Newberry and Archer are teaming up to fight crime and develop new programs for community revitalization. The cities have applied for a federal grant that would provide $1-million over five years to help attain that goal.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s “Weed And Seed” grant aims to “weed out” violent crime, drug abuse and traffic and gang activity and “plant the seeds” for community-based human services, such as intervention, treatment and prevention, tutoring and neighborhood revitalization programs.

Newberry and Archer officials formed a steering committee in August to identify problem areas for crime and to come up with ideas for the seeding aspect of the grant. The grant application was submitted on September 25 and officials expect a decision by March.

“If we don’t succeed in getting the grant, they will tell us which areas on our application were weak,” says Newberry Mayor John Glanzer. “The committee is continuing to meet to address some things that we can do as a community, even without the grant.”

Among the “seeds” being explored are the possibility of adding a code enforcement officer for Archer and identifying additional property in Newberry for youth recreation and after-school tutoring. “Our city has made a commitment to install lights and clean up Martin Luther King Park, where there is some drug activity,” says Glanzer.

The Weed & Seed Grant would provide most of the $1-million through the first three years of the program, so that the cities could pay police for overtime and have additional Drug Enforcement Agency officers, while developing the seed programs. “It’s not a cure-all,” says Glanzer. “It’s start-up money. The community will have to continue the commitment.”

Archer and Newberry decided to apply for the grant together, because the communities share a lot of the same services. “We have a common bond because of the school situation,” says Glanzer. “There are students from Archer, who get out of school here in Newberry. Because of that situation and peer pressure, we find that the drug problems tend to cross city borders. It made sense, since we are looking at the same people and the same criminal element.”

Glanzer says the nationwide grant is very competitive. “There are a lot of other cities facing the same problems,” he says.