City Council to Hear About Gang Prevention

The Watsonville City Council meets Tuesday evening to handle some Redevelopment Agency business and hear a report on a gang prevention program called Contigo.

The city council has been designated the "successor agency" for Redevelopment since Gov. Jerry Brown abolished the bureaucracy earlier this year. That means the council needs to handle the remaining Redevelopment Agency business as the funds are used up and contract obligations met.

Contigo is a grant-funded program launched a year ago by the city Parks and Community Services Department.The gang prevention and intervention program targets fourth through seventh grade students living in the  neighborhood. The name of the program is significant because it illustrates the fundamental premise on which the program was built. Contigo means “with you” in Spanish. The Contigo Program was designed to also as a community building program that focuses on creating relationships.

Contigo is funded through December 31.

The city council meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. It's also new council member Felipe Hernandez's first full meeting.