The CBJ City Manager Office has decided that the city\'s new home for the Cold Weather Emergency Shelter (CWES) will be the at the CBJ Ballot Processing Center off Thane Road (Thane Warehouse). After plans to use the Mt. Jumbo Gym in Douglas did not work out on the weekend of October 7, and Resurrection Lutheran Church (RLC) had already notified CBJ that it is was ready to sign a contract to operate the CWES, Deputy City Manager Robert Barr decided to shift to the Thane Warehouse. Apparently, the City Manager Office is in the process of making modifications to the facility, using CBJ funds, so this can be the CBJ’s new CWES.
While in an emergency / crisis situation, the Thane Warehouse would certainly be a better alternative to the idling bus / transit center, there is NO LONGER AN EMERGENCY / CRISIS SITUATION (and there was none at the time the City Manager Office made the unilaterally decision to go in this direction). The citizens of Juneau, social service agencies, other CBJ departments, the Planning Commission, and Assembly should all have time to digest and be part of any decision on a new home for the CBJ’s CWES. And, there is time to do just that: by letting RLC operate the CWES for one more year, just as it is prepared to do.
The City Manager Office owes RLC, and the citizens of Juneau, social service agencies, other CBJ departments, the Planning Commission, and Assembly an adequate explanation as to how and why the previously rejected CBJ Thane Warehouse was suddenly chosen over the proven and already vetted RLC Warming Shelter. The CWES serves the most vulnerable among us and RLC wants to ensure they are provided best, most accessible protection available. RLC is ready open the CWES rapidly but needs to start work NOW. Please allow RLC to help the Juneau community and, especially, the CWES patrons, while the CBJ engages in a properly considered, deliberate process.