1/22/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r � ,JAN 24 1992 BOOK The County Administrator, by local ordinance, has the power to supervise the care and custody of all County property. I believe that this listed power is not broad enough to authorize the County Administrator on his own action to open County buildings for homeless shelters, since the result of such actions would be the increased expense and liability to the County of such a magnitude that the County Commissioners should authorize the action specifically. I would recommend that an emergency meeting of the Board be called with as few as three County Commissioners . being present to authorize this action and would not recommend that the County Administrator telephone each Commissioner to get an indication of his feeling, since the matter is fairly important and since it is not impractical to get three County Commissioners for a special -call meeting on short notice. This opinion would be different if the County Commissioners were out of town and unavailable. CPV/lk cc: James E. Chandler, County Administrator Commissioner Wheeler explained that he received a call this morning from Mike Galanis of the Health Department on behalf of Gary Purdy and Vince McCann who, as members of Am -Vets Post No. 6 and not county employees, are asking the County Commission to open up the old Health Department Building on 14th Avenue to the homeless veterans and other homeless persons in light of the forecasted cold weather. St. Helen's Catholic Church has been opening up their activities building to the homeless during the recent cold spells, but a retreat has been scheduled for this weekend and that facility is not available. He checked with Reverend Julius Rice and other churches and also with the school system, but there doesn't seem to be any facility available for tonight. In the meantime he called the County Attorney to ask the legalities of the Board authorizing the use of County buildings and at what risk. The insurance is available and the electricity is still on at the old Health Department Building. Commissioner Wheeler realized this has- happened very rapidly, but he would recommend that the Board authorize the use of the old Health Building for this purpose. There would be a minimum of 4 people monitoring and supervising the operation. Gary Purdy of the Health Department and Vince McCann of the Veterans' Service Office and two people from the Coalition for the Homeless would be on duty all night. The building would be shut off to whatever space is used and the bathrooms would be open. Commissioner Wheeler also wished to ask that at this meeting, or at a future meeting, the Board consider having a policy whereby the County Administrator would be authorized to handle these emergency situations in the future if E