06-12-1995 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON JUNE 12, 1995 (94 - Adult Shelter - Continued) Don Sherven, who lives o n Navarre Lane , said he has been a resident for 30 years, and his uncle built the Navarre area. Sherven questioned whether the business people of Navarre were notified or asked their opinion of the shelter. Peterson said the public was notified. Sherven said the people who live in the area have their lives on the line and is concerned with the environment if the shelter were to come to pass. Dan Hessburg responded to the visit to the Sojourner Shelter by Clair Rood. He read a letter from Sue Aumer, who is Executive Director of Sojourner, which Aumer says corrects misinformation received by Rood when he visited the shelter. The letter is part of this packet. Val Hessburg said the model chosen for Westonka was not Sojourner but Alexander Lewis House. Investigations were conducted of 20 shelters. Lewis House has two shelters, one in Eagan and one in Inver Grove Heights. One shelter is in a R -4 multi - housing zoning and the other in institutional zoning. They house 25 and 15. These shelters are in touch with their neighborhoods and have received no complaints. The management of Westonka would come from this area. The Department of Corrections set guidelines but policy would be set up by the board. Over 2200 victims were served and over 3000 children by the Lewis House Shelters. Hessburg responded to why safe houses would not be an appropriate alternative. The victims are in need of more support than can be had at a safe house. They are also in need of a longer stay than three days. There are programs within the shelter to assist people. Victims staying in safe houses feel they are imposing as the owner is not paid; whereas in the shelter, staff is paid. The shelter is expected to expand to the greater Lake Minnetonka area. Hessburg noted that areas further west, such as Carver County, have no shelters. Hessburg's opinion is that the beds will be filled. Sheri Block, 2305 Bayview Place, commented on the letter from Sojourner's Executive Director, Aumer. Block specifically referred to the first paragraph on the second page, which addresses the issue of racism as well as other forms of hatred/violence, which Aumer says are bound to arise as you shelter battered women and children. Block said she did not want racism, hatred, and violence to come to this area. She felt the victims should be placed out on farms and raise their own food if they didn't have the money, and then bused back to where they came from. She thought people should get the help they needed but not in Navarre. • to -