COOP MINISTRIES WAITING FOR CITY RESPONSE McMInnville, Dave Adams, KLYC News What to do with the homeless at McMinnvilles Cooperative Ministrires at 544 Northeast Second Street? That is a question the city of McMinnville and McMinnville Cooperative Ministries are trying to come to terms with. As of late last year, the ministry has allowed tents to be set up on their property to provide a place for the homelss to live and hopefully turn their lives around. December 11th, the city gave the ministry a letter stating the tents were structures, in violation of city ordinance, and police responses in dealing with nuisance calls were causing a drain on police resources. The ministry could face fines, and even the eventual total closure of the property if enforcement is escalated. Newly hired city manager Martha Meeker told KLYC News the city wants to work with the ministry in finding a solution, but that the problem would not be allowed to go on forever. , Cooperative Ministry Development Director Lauri Muller questions the citys sincerity in arriving at a solution. McMinnville City Planning Director Doug Montgomery says the city is trying to worth with Cooperative Ministries in a reasonable timeline. The Ministry has not been given a firm timetable on when the tents have to be removed. Montgomery says city officials realize the issue of homelessness is a long term problem that the city as a whole will have to deal with, but in the meantime there is a city ordinance that is being violated. He says the city simply cant ignore the violation, and without some kind of legislative action the city is legally required to enforce the ordinance. As of today, the tents are still up. They have been moved farther back from the street, and a lattice has been erected to make a port a potty more aesthetically pleasing. The ministry board will be meeting later this week to further discuss the issue. City Planning Director Doug Montgomery says the city isnt trying to be heavy handed, but does have to follow the law.....and the dialogue between the two sides continues.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:23:07 +0000
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