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Marietta City Council and administration committed $75,000 to combat homelessness through this coming winter Monday during Finance Committee.
Through utilizing the remaining coronavirus stimulus funds provided to the city this year (CARES Act) officials pledged to use those federal dollars to relieve the financial burden upon the city general fund by using that money to pay for salaries and benefits within the police and fire departments.
In doing so, the group decided to use the savings to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable in Marietta.
"You can't leave them out in the cold," said Councilman Mike McCauley.
The breakdown:
¯ $25,000: Washington County Homeless Project.
These funds are to be awarded to the nonprofit coalition to administer a daytime warming station within the vacant parsonage next to the First Congregational Church.
"We would request that there be a law enforcement professional on-site, while the center is open," explained Teresa Porter in making the request to council, noting daytime hours of noon to 5 p.m. for the parsonage. "Seven days a week, and that beyond that the other requests are for a couple of outdoor heaters, a couple of canopies so that folks can have shelter out in the yard which is behind the parsonage is in a fenced-in area so it's not visible from the street."
She asked that the city also use its available (extra stimulus) funds to provide the law enforcement aid supervision during the day.
¯ $20,000: Salvation Army.
The committee also discussed the use of both the Christian nonprofit mission for daytime application processing for three-day vouchers for motel stays for families.
¯ $15,000: Gospel Mission Food Pantry.
Safety-Service Director Steve Wetz advocated repeatedly for an allocation of funds for the Gospel Mission which is in the most walkable location for homeless and low-income families in need of aid within city limits.
"Once we get past the first of the year, the hunger never goes away," said Wetz.
¯ $10,000: Washington-Morgan Community Action.
Councilwoman Susan Boyer advocated for the added support of a voucher program coordinated with the quasi-governmental housing agency to supply through community action after-hours vouchers for motel stays to be carried by law enforcement.
¯ $5,000: Harvest of Hope.
The committee also supported the support of Harvest of Hope which aids in providing fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs to local food pantries.
In other business:
¯ The committee also blessed standard transfers and appropriations to closeout accounts for the year including approximately $50 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds within the Access Marietta line item.
¯ Council met in special session Monday and passed the increase in water and sewer rates, within the required timeframe for notices to be sent out Monday to ratepayers.
Councilman Bill Gossett was the only dissenting voice in both the suspension of the rules dispensing with the second and third readings of the emergency ordinance, and also in the vote in favor of the new rates, effective Jan. 1.
Council next meets Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for its final regularly scheduled business meeting of 2020, but depending on final closeouts and purchase orders, may require a special meeting on Dec. 28, according to Finance Chairman Mike Scales.