HIGH POINT – High Point City Council approved a contract at its meeting Tuesday night for a project designed to further the crime reduction efforts of the High Point Police Department.

Council members voted 7-3 in favor of an ordinance that will allow $100,000 for the America Works Project.

It also executed an agreement between the city and America Works of North Carolina to work with the High Point Police Department and High Point Community Against Violence by providing job training for offenders upon completion of their sentences.

Mayor Becky Smothers said the funds would come from the police department, which has pledged to make cuts in other areas to fund the program. Officials have said a weak link in their crime reduction efforts lies with repeat offenders.

This program will provide 33 chronic offenders with 40 hours of job training, job placement with local employers and retention services for 90 days.

Councilman Mike Pugh said he supported the idea of the project but could not vote in favor of it in a time when High Point’s unemployment rate remained high.

“When we have an unemployment rate around 10 percent ... I don’t want to send the impression that (the unemployed) are being shorthanded,” Pugh said. “I don’t want them to think they’re better off as a felon.”

Smothers said she supported the project because the council also was supporting other areas of job development for area residents.

Council members Bernita Sims and Foster Douglas also voted against the project, citing similar reasons as Pugh for their opposition.

Council members also received an update on the city’s water distribution services after 40 waterline breaks have occurred since Dec. 23 due to the cold weather. Chris Thompson, public services director, said the city had lost 3 million gallons of water from the breaks but still was meeting daily demands of distribution.

He said needed repairs to the system would cost less than $500,000 and should be completed within 20-30 days.

“We want the public to continue to look for leaks and just not waste their water at this time,” Thompson said.

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