06-12-1995 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON JUNE 12, 1995 (#4 - Adult Shelter - Continued) Clair Roo 2215 Kenwood Way, said the neighbors had a meeting with the Westonka • Rood, Y Intervention people the night before. He said they were good people who saw a need to help. Rood said he felt no animosity towards them. Rood said the neighborhood in question is full of children and elderly and is a vulnerable area. The streets are narrow and children are playing. The intersection is busy, especially with the closure of Old Beach Road. Rood reported that he did research on his own. He visited the Sojourner Shelter in Minnetonka, which is similar to the proposed shelter. The shelter houses 12 -16 and is located in a neighborhood close to businesses. He said the neighbors he spoke with had never talked to any member of either the Planning Commission or Council. Rood asked one couple, Mr. & Mrs. Harry Stifler for information on the shelter and whether they would recommend the shelter. Rood said the Stiflers responded that they would not recommend a shelter in a residential area. The problem as they saw it was that strange cars come and go. The Stifler's told Rood that a felon was arrested one block away and was from out of state. Rood asked them if there were many shelter residents from Minnetonka or the surrounding areas. The Stifler's said no adding that they felt 98% who used the shelter were black, as they had seen only two white residents in 10 years. Rood next visited Mr. & Mrs. Jim Rooney, 17010 Karen Way, who said their 10 year old daughter was beaten up on the bus two years ago by three blacks and needed medical • attention. They said it was not disclosed to them when they moved into the neighborhood that a shelter was near by. The Rooney's have three daughters, ages about 8 -16, who said they know children from the shelter who have riden the school bus. It was their opinion that the children were good and were at the shelter about a month at a time. The Rooney's said they have witnessed one occasion where the police were running through the neighborhood and have seen strange cars but no major problems. They did not know if the residents of the shelter were from Hopkins or Minnetonka area but said the shelter residents were about 90% black. • 8