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Local - Metros - Turlock

Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2008

Council gets chewed out in Turlock

Overflow crowd unhappy with plan to review permit

By MERRILL BALASSONE
mbalassone@modbee.com
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TURLOCK -- A rowdy crowd at City Hall delivered a scolding to council members Tuesday night, who had planned to investigate the permit for a nonprofit that feeds homeless people before yanking the issue from the night's agenda.

Councilman Ted Howze asked to look into and possibly rescind the United Samaritans Foundation's permit at the council's Aug. 26 meeting, saying he wanted to investigate whether the nonprofit was living up to its promise to co-exist "in harmony with the neighborhood."

The issue came up when the council discussed fencing off the "grassy knoll," a strip of lawn near the United Samaritans Foundation and City Hall where many homeless gather.

  • IN OTHER ACTION

    Also Tuesday, the Turlock City Council:

  • Approved a $200,000 loan for the purchase of a new SWAT vehicle for the Police Department and $50,000 from the general fund for police and fire department equipment, but delayed the purchase of a new fire pumper until the state passes its budget.

  • Discussed developing a program to house the city's homeless in area motels for the winter. The proposal would cost $169,000 if all the motels that accept city vouchers to house the homeless in Turlock were used from Dec. 1 through Mar. 31. The city's public shelter at 400 B St., which the council voted to sell, cost $103,916 to operate Nov. 20, 2007, through Mar. 31.

"We all know why the public nuisance is gathering up out there, which is because of the meals handed out by the United Samaritans and (the homeless) hanging around waiting for them," Howze said at the August meeting.

On Tuesday night, Howze denied wanting to put the Samaritans out of business and said he only wanted to look into whether they should be allowed to continue some of their services.

That sparked loud grumbling from the audience.

"Grow up," Howze shot back.

About 200 people attended the meeting, some wearing blue United Samaritans T-shirts and spilling out of the council room doors. They peppered the council with accusations of "waging a war against the homeless" by failing to secure an emergency shelter to house the homeless this winter.

A divided council voted to sell its temporary shelter at 400 B St. and unanimously shot down a plan to build another facility in an industrial area west of Highway 99.

"I used to be pretty proud of Turlock. Lately I've been pretty disappointed," said Denise Hunt, a Turlock resident and director of Stanislaus County's Behavioral Health. "It doesn't look good. It doesn't smell right."

Others said targeting a nonprofit that offers free breakfasts, laundry, shower facilities and other services to the homeless was "inhumane at best."

"I've probably made 100,000 sandwiches," said Sally Pearce, a volunteer with United Samaritans and other nonprofits for 16 years. "But it only took me one to know I could make a difference for somebody, that they wouldn't go hungry."

Bee staff writer Merrill Balassone can be reached at mbalassone@modbee.com or 578-2337.

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