Media

Homeless single men’s and single women’s shelter days are being increased to 90 days effective September 1st. This is a temporary adjustment in an effort to encourage unsheltered homeless single adults to move inside. If you have questions please contact Preston Patterson (ppatterson@porchlightinc.org) or Melissa Sorensen (Melissa.sorensen@usc.salvationarmy.org).

There are 5 committees looking at the Mayor's bench ordinance - so far two have voted. So far, both have UNANIMOUSLY voted against it. 3 committees left to go.

5 hours into the discussion of Judge Doyle Square, Denise DeMarb asks the question we've all been asking. What happened to the commitment to racial and economic justice, a.k.a. equity? It sounded good during the election, people all SAY its the lens we should at everything through. Where's that lens?

I knew I waited thought this meeting for hours for some reason, but I wasn't expecting this admission. Although it was becoming painfully obvious it was true. This is winter number 5 with haphazard plans and no real, comprehensive, permanent day shelter services for people who have live their lives without a roof to call their own. [archiveorg LynnGreenNoDayCenter2015 width=640 height=140 frameborder=0 webkitallowfullscreen=true mozallowfullscreen=true]

So, I don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it. At the same time Exact Sciences is negotiating to come downtown, "they" also have purchased property in Research Park and are negotiating to stay there. Has this all just been a ruse?

I waited 4.5 hours just to here this portion of the meeting. They heard from the public for less than 30 minutes and then talked about minute, boring details for hours, before they got to the important part - and spent (relatively speaking) little time on it. While asking questions after the meeting, there was still lots of confusion by alders, media and on-lookers. But, here was the explanation we got and the answers they got.

So, cutting to the chase, after about 5 hours of talking about or listening to people talking about Judge Doyle Square, the Board of Estimates passed the following regarding Judge Doyle Square:

I was blown away to find out Mo Cheeks, the Pro Tem (Vice President), of our Common Council works for Kevin Conroy, the President and CEO of Exact Sciences and Ton Still, an influential cheerleader of the project, and he never bothered to disclose it - or recuse himself from the Judge Doyle Square discussions?

Last vote before it goes to council in 8 days, on September 1 - is it a go, or no?

Here it is . . . well, most of it, there are other meetings not posted on line . . .

3 meetings after 5:30, out of 17. And who schedules a meeting on a controversial issue (body cameras) at 1:00??!

Preparing to increase days in shelter from 60 - 90 and for more Department of Corrections clients.