Mon, May 12 2008
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Published May 06, 2008 12:19 am - The City of Refuge will be allowed to continue providing a place for some homeless residents to sleep at night for an additional three months, according to action by the Joplin City Council. Council extends shelter's deadline By Debby Woodin dwoodin@joplinglobe.com The City of Refuge will be allowed to continue providing a place for some homeless residents to sleep at night for an additional three months, according to action by the Joplin City Council. The voted Monday night to extend until Aug. 1 the deadline for the ministry to halt using its leased quarters in an old warehouse it occupies at 502 E. Seventh St. for shelter purposes. The shelter aspect of the operation was being forced out after the council declined March 3 to change the zoning on the building. After the council’s vote on the zoning issue, Dan Anderson, the ministry’s leader, asked for some time to try to find a place to which to relocate, and the council gave him 60 days. The building was found to have a number of city code violations that had been temporarily resolved, but conditions at the building still expose the city to liability if there were injuries, the council has been advised. Anderson told the council Monday night that he received a letter from the city staff a few days ago advising him that sheltering activities were to stop by May 3, the end of the council’s 60-day amnesty. He said he was told by the city staff that he could continue to provide meals at the site, but people could not sleep in the building overnight. Anderson said he moved residents out of the building, and they have been staying at churches or private homes by invitation. He said he has stayed with the shelter residents rather than going to his own home at night. Mayor Gary Shaw and City Manager Mark Rohr explained that the city has been gathering information on what services are available to the homeless and who provides services in preparation for a city summit to be held on the issue. “There’s a lot more involved than we thought,” Rohr said about preparing for the summit. Councilman Jon Tupper drew applause from the audience when he said some people have made wrong assumptions about who is homeless and why they are homeless. The mayor said he has concerns about people who are homeless, but he believes he has to represent residents, and he is concerned about the liability the old building poses to residents if it creates a problem. Councilman Benjamin Rosenberg made a motion to allow the ministry to continue to offer shelter services in the warehouse until Aug. 1. The motion was seconded by Jim West. The motion was approved 5-4, with Rosenberg, West, Tupper, Melodee Colbert-Kean and Bill Scearce voting in favor of it, and Shaw, Morris Glaze, Phil Stinnett and Mike Woolston voting against it. In other business, the council heard from a number of residents on two zoning issues. About 30 people who live in the Eastmorland neighborhood turned out to oppose a request by property developer Jeff Majzoub to rezone land on the southwest corner of 17th Street and Range Line Road from residential to commercial for a retail center. 
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