HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-23 A Resolution authorizing the City of Ashland to provide a City buildy for a winter shelter three nights per week through April, 2018
RESOLUTION NO. 2017-23
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF ASHLAND TO PROVIDE A
CITY BUILDING FOR A WINTER SHELTER THREE NIGHTS PER WEEK
THROUGH APRIL, 2018
RECITALS:
A. Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (RVUUF) and Temple Emek Shalom (Temple) wish to
partner with the City of Ashland to provide shelter for homeless community members at a City building two
nights per week from November, 2017, through April, 2018.
B. The First Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) and the South Mountain Friends Meeting
(SMFM) wish to partner with the City of Ashland to provide shelter for homeless community members at a
City building one night per week from November, 2017, through April, 2018.
C. RVUUF, Temple, UCC, and SMFM will provide volunteers to staff, manage and clean the shelter.
D. The City is willing to provide a building up to three nights a week for a winter shelter in accordance with
the provisions below.
THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Provision of a Shelter.
Ashland will provide a City building for use as a shelter for homeless community members three nights per
week under the terms and conditions set forth herein.
SECTION 2. Terms and Conditions.
a. This building is offered for the period November, 2017, through April, 2018.
b. Prior to staffing a City-owned facility, volunteers must sign a waiver releasing the City from liability for
any personal injuries to them.
c. The shelter will be staffed by volunteers from RVUUF, Temple, UCC, and SMFM who are certified to
staff an overnight shelter. RVUUF, Temple, UCC, and SMFM must provide to the City Administrator
written assurance that every volunteer who will staff the shelter is certified to have completed appropriate
training on the emergency plan, mental health plan and emergency communications for the shelter and has
passed criminal background checks.
d. Each night of operation of the shelter, at least one male volunteer and one female volunteer will staff the
shelter from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. If volunteers of each gender are not available on a given night, RVUUF or
the Temple shall notify the City Administrator by no later than 3 p.m. of the night of the shelter that the
volunteers will be of the same gender. If the City Administrator is not available, RVUUF or the Temple
shall notify the Director of Ashland Parks and Recreation. If the minimum number of certified volunteers of
each gender are not available for the entire time, the shelter will not be opened that night.
e. Shelter occupancy will be limited to 42 guests on a first come, first serve basis.
f. Shelter will open at approximately 7:30 p.m. and close the following morning at 7:30 a.m. Doors will be
locked at 10:00 p.m. with no re-entry for any that leave.
g. City insurance requires sleeping space for single men be separate from sleeping space for families and
single women. Buildings must have separate restrooms for men and women.
h. Ashland Parks & Recreation will identify the building to be used and provide access. The priority from an
operational and safety perspective is Pioneer Hall and the Community Center, in that order. Due to Pioneer
Hall's structural deficiencies, it may become unavailable at any time - particularly when snow loads or high
winds are predicted - for use as a winter shelter. If no City-owned facilities are available on a particular night
due to safety concerns or prior booking, a winter shelter building for that night will not be the responsibility
of the City.
i. No showers or food service will be made available during the hours of operation.
SECTION 3. Shelter Policies.
Operation of the shelter shall, to the greatest extent feasible, comply with the following guidelines:
a. Shelter services must be provided with dignity, care, and concern for the individuals involved.
b. The buildings used as a shelter will comply with City, County and State Building, Fire and Health Codes,
unless exemptions have been obtained from the appropriate agencies, and must be maintained in a safe and
sanitary condition at all times.
c. Upon entering the shelter facility each night, each guest must sign in, and sign an agreement committing to
comply with shelter rules, absolving the City and volunteers of any responsibility for the security of the
guest's personal property, releasing the City and volunteers from all claims of liability for property damage or
personal injury arising from operation of the shelter or use of the City's building and certifying that he or she
is eighteen years of age, or older.
d. No cooking.
e. No drugs, alcohol, or weapons will be allowed in the shelter property at any time.
f No pets will be allowed in the shelter, except as described in Section 4, below.
g. No disorderly conduct will be tolerated.
h. No threatening or abusive language will be tolerated.
i. No excessive noise will be tolerated, e.g. loud radios, telephone conversations, etc.
j. Smoking will be restricted to the outdoors in designated areas.
k. All guests should maintain their own areas and belongings in an orderly condition.
1. If a volunteer/staff member accepts any item from a guest for safe keeping at least one other volunteer/staff
member will witness the transaction.
in. Failure to comply with shelter policies may disqualify a guest(s) from future stays.
n. The check-in/check-out process shall be maintained by the volunteers sufficient to ensure control of the
premises and exiting by guests at 7:30 a.m. to allow cleaning and room set-up by 8:00 a.m.
o. To minimize interference with nearby activities and with other uses of a site to be used as a shelter on any
particular night, volunteers and staff members will ask persons seeking to become shelter guests to refrain
from congregating at the shelter more than one hour prior to check-in for that night.
p. Prior to check-out each morning, shelter guests are to ensure that debris, wastes, and liquids have been
removed from the floors, walls and curtains and properly disposed of and that the floors and outside porches,
plaza, and any other approaches to entryways are broom clean.
SECTION 4. Dogs.
Dogs may be permitted in the shelter under the following circumstances:
a. If taken outside for biological needs, dogs must be leashed.
b. Shelter volunteers are to devise and follow procedures to keep dogs away from each other and other guests
as they are being housed for the night and as they exit in the morning.
c. Shelter volunteers must be responsible for cleaning and sanitizing any areas soiled by a dog or dogs. Such
cleaning is to be done to the satisfaction of City facilities maintenance staff.
d. Dogs that become threatening to others or are otherwise unmanageable will be required to leave the shelter.
e. Shelter volunteers must notify the Ashland Police Department in the event a dog bite breaks the skin of an
emergency shelter guest or volunteer.
SECTION 5. This resolution takes effect upon signing by the Mayor.
This resolution was duly PASSED and ADOPTED this 'l ~rday of QG~1Xh/ , 2017, and takes effect
upon signing by the Mayor.
Melissa Huhtala, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this I day of c~ ct~-cam , 2017.
fv~n Stromberg, Mayor
Review as to form:
David H. Lohman, City Attorney