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City Council Meeting <br />August 16, 2000 <br />Page 2 <br />interest. Ms. Hunt said she was asking the City Council to include the <br />Children's Advocacy Center in the budget for the next year. Ms. Hunt said <br />they would like to ask for $10,000.00, which is the same amount they have <br />asked for and received in the past two years. Ms. Hunt stated that they have <br />also appeared before the Lamar County Commissioner's Court, asking them for <br />$10,000.00 as they have funded this amount for the past two years. <br />Bill Clayton, Executive Director of the Northeast Texas Council on Alcohol <br />and Drug Abuse, appeared before the City Council asking for a continuance of <br />the funding that the City Council has provided since fiscal year 1996. Mr. <br />Clayton presented a handout to the City Council explaining that Paris is no <br />different than anywhere in the state. There is a significant substance abuse <br />problem. Mr. Clayton said the economic impact of substance abuse in the State <br />was 19.3 billion dollars in 1997, which breaks down to $1,001.00 for every <br />man, woman, or child in the state. Mr. Clayton said his agency was able to <br />provide many important services to Paris citizens to combat what has become <br />the number one social problem in this nation. He said they were dealing with <br />this problem in Paris on several levels. They provide prevention services to <br />early grade school students and some middle school students, along with <br />intervention services to may youth who are starting to have problems. Mr. <br />Clayton said they also provide screening, assessment, and referral services to <br />all ages, and provide a variety of substance abuse related educational classes <br />to adults and youth, along with a variety of substance abuse outpatient <br />treatment services. Mr. Clayton stated that he was requesting that the City of <br />Paris continue the $5,000.00 in the yearly financial assistance that has been <br />provided in the past. <br />Stacy Wilcoxson, Route l, Box 109, Blossom, Texas, appeared before the City <br />Council advising that they love Wade Park and they go there all the time. She <br />related that a few days ago at the kiddie park that is fenced off for the small <br />children, her 20 month old baby and her 3 year old were in there playing and <br />the baby came walking up to her with a used condom in her hand. Ms. <br />Wilcoxson said they were very upset by this. Ms. Wilcoxson said she made a <br />