What's really going on with the safety center and why no traction

We’ve got a story regarding the safety center, a long talked about proposal that would help take care of the locally mentally ill and maybe help ease the overcrowding problem at the local county clink.

It’s a great idea, but I just don’t see this thing happening. (Actually, I’ve said this plenty of times in the past, but  . . . whatever. And, hey, I hope I’m wrong.)

Anyhoo, here’s the deal.

The county asked for proposals to build and operate the center and in February wrapped up the bidding process. Only Helen Ross McNabb submitted a proposal. I’m pretty sure no one has even looked at it. 

It’s certainly not been vetted.

There’s a public safety task force designed to look into these things. I think they might have met in February. They have nothing scheduled.

In the meantime, Andy Black, who’s run Helen Ross since forever and was a huge proponent of the safety center is retiring.

Randy Nichols, the county’s district attorney general and another huge proponent, also is retiring.

(The third major proponent, Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones, still has his fingers crossed from what I understand and says that the state does have a grant that can help. I’m told the grant is good for about $250K, which isn’t enough)

Then there’s the debate over who is going to pay for this thing.

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett says there’s agreement that if the county puts up $1 million (which it has) and the city puts up $1 million (which it hasn’t), then the state will put up $1 million (it hasn’t).

(The center by the way is expected to cost $2 million to build and another $1.7 million annually to operate. However, there’s supposed to be some savings, although it’s hard to pinpoint a number until it’s up and running.)

Now, the city folks say there is no agreement, and were pretty surprised that the mayor said otherwise.

Also, the city isn’t so sure it’s willing to put up $1 million. Don’t get me wrong: Officials there want to help, but they want to see a “viable” plan first.

In the meantime, there’s the issue of whether city residents get double-billed.

The county says the jail is filled mostly with folks from the city. The city, however, points out that the sheriff’s office and jail is a county responsibility. Further, city officials note that city residents pay county taxes.

So, if the city chips in $1 million and they pay county taxes, are they paying double? Well, it does sound like it.

Then there’s the fact that the city has all sorts of social programs and homelessness initiatives that the county doesn’t fund. (They also supply a ton of coin to KCDC.)

Burchett says he’s willing to wait another year and get everyone on the same page. If not, then they’ll have to go to Plan B.

At this point there is no Plan B.

In another year, however, I suspect they’ll have to come up with one.

Anyway, here’s the story.

Comments on homelessness plan sought

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said she wants public input on a newly released draft plan to address homelessness in the city. You can find the draft right smack here.

Comments will be accepted for 45 days.

According to a release:

This new plan draws from priorities established through the Compassion Knoxville public input process in 2011, from the successful components of the previous homelessness plan, and from the priorities and requirements established by federal initiatives on homelessness. The Compassion Knoxville process gathered input from more than 500 individuals through 43 public meetings and online comments.

The plan focuses on preventing homelessness and helping those who have become homeless find stable, permanent housing, so that they can reconnect with and contribute back to the community. Its strategies emphasize collaboration and accountability for all partners in the effort, from homeless individuals to service agencies and local government.   

You can read the rest of the release right over here. 

Knoxville unveils homelessness plan

The City of Knoxville, in a long-winded press release that was no-doubt written by new spin-guy Eric Vreeland (who never met a news story he couldn't hack 4 inches off - heh), has released a draft plan to combat homelessness.

You can find the plan itself right smack here. (And no, I'm not copying and pasting the whole release.)

The city will host a "public input session" at 5:30 p.m. on Feb 11 at the Cansler Family YMCA, 616 Jessamine St.

The City Council has set a 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 date to talk more about the plan. The council will hold that meeting in the Main Assembly Room of the Death Star.

You can also email comment about the plan to Michael Dunthorn at mdunthorn@cityofknoxville.org.

Oakwood: from school to assisted-living

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and his entourage stopped by to hang with the KNS editorial board this morning, mostly to talk about a proposal to turn - click right smack here for a Josh Flory story on this – Oakwood Elementary School into an assisted-living facility.

Good stuff. Good stuff. I showed up because it means I can score a free Diet Coke out of the refrigerator in the special meeting room. Naw, not really.

Here's the deal:

Family Pride, which thankfully has experience doing this kind of thing, wants the county to ante up (not to exceed) $712K in folding paper to fix the building and deal with the environmental issues, which includes removing the bird turds. The company would then spend $4.5 million of its own coin on the rest of the rehabilitation.

The plan is build a 58-unit facility and create 35 jobs with a $750,000 payroll. Burchett said the property would yield $77,000 in city and county taxes each year, but there's talk about a PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, that the developer plans to talk about with the Industrial Development Board.

The mayor said the neighborhood is on board with the proposal, which isn't a surprise because it's either this or a soup kitchen/homeless shelter. Kidding. Well, sort of.

Harmon: Compassion Knoxville blew it

Knoxville mayoral candidate Ivan "I'm the only real Republican running for office" Harmon's people keep sending the the same spin release about his thoughts on the so-called Compassion Knoxville that I hope if I post it, they'll go away.

Heh.

I mean the releases. I don't mind Ivan. (I'm still laughing about the shout out he gave his opponent Bo Bennett when the media stiffed him during the televised debate a few weeks back.)

Anyhoo, it appears that Harmon pretty much based his statements on the information/opinions Ron Peabody released last week. Click right smack here for that post.

The spin is also Ivan's opportunity to say "screw the homeless." But, you know, in a nice way. And it's a chance for him to tell everyone - once again - that he's held every elected office in the area at one time or another. Although I went ahead and cut out his resume. Cause I'm a jerk.

Oh yeah, one more thing. In the interest of fairness, I should mention Harmon's other opponents. There's Rogero who loves the homeless; there's Padgett who tells everyone he was homeless; and there's some other guy who may or may not be homeless.

Here's Ivan's spin (my comments, as always, are in bold):

Knoxville citizens participating in Compassion Knoxville, had the opportunity to come up with a community based solution to chronic homelessness. (Yup, and they did.) Despite the noble intentions from which Compassion Knoxville sprung, the process was sabotaged with the involvement of special interest groups. It's unfortunate that these special interest groups would hijack this process for their own gain. What began as a healthy exchange of community ideas was impeded by the self serving stance of these these special interest advocates. (You just said the same thing in three different ways, yet gave no examples.)

Out of 44 recommendations in the final report less than half are fully supported by the public comments. (Shout out to Ron Peabody - Thanks buddy for doing all the work for me!) The recommendations included in the report that were not inspired by comments from the community can be distilled down to two related ideas: more bureaucracy and additional government spending.

"I do not believe that increasing bureaucracy is a compassionate response to the issues facing our homeless" said Ivan Harmon. (In other words: You people suck!)

Citizens have repeatedly stated they do not want a scattered site approach or permanent supportive housing, which is not economically sustainable. (We want shotgun shacks instead!)

Harmon has long advocated that we need a substantive solution the the homeless problem, not just a temporary ascetic fix. Unfortunately, the heavily special interest group influenced report we have received is just that, an ascetic fix of more government without ever addressing the base issues causing chronic homelessness. (Let God sort 'em out!)

"I want to thank every person that engaged in this process and contributed ideas and suggestions. As Mayor of Knoxville I will listen to your ideas and suggestions and not those of special interest groups." stated Harmon. (Thanks for wasting my time, fellas!)

One last thing. Before anyone gets on my ass about taking sides on this issue, I do have a disclaimer. I occasionally give money to the homeless folks. Cause I do feel sorry for them, and I imagine it pretty much sucks to be homeless. However, I require them do jumping jacks and push ups first.

Compassion Knoxville v. Ron Peabody

Ah, there's nothing like a good old fashion pis--, er spitting, contest.

Apparently Ron Peabody doesn't like the final report released by Compassion Knoxville, which happens to be the same group he bailed on to run for a City Council seat.

He issued a statement this morning. You can read it right smack here.

In it, Peabody, for five pages, lists a number of initiatives the group put on its suggestion or to-do list, or whatever. Then he says why they shouldn't be on there. Or whatever.

Compassion Knoxville responded. You can read the group's statement right smack here.

In it, officials tell Peabody to get a life. Or something like that.

Hey, I'm just the messenger.

I don't really care one way or another.

But, these releases make for good blog fodder on a slow (knock on wood) Friday afternoon.