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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04 Emergency Shelter Repealing 2007-11 RESOLUTION NO.2013-0 A RESOLUTION SETTING FORTH POLICIES AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ASHLAND WILL PROVIDE EXTREME WEATHER RELATED EMERGENCY SHELTER HOUSING AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 2007-11 RECITALS: A. Ashland is located in an area that has four distinct seasons, and the winter season can have weather extremes that can be hazardous to persons without adequate shelter. B. The City of Ashland desires to set forth the conditions under which it will provide emergency shelter housing and the policies related to those staffing or utilizing such emergency shelter. THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Provision of Emergency Shelter. Ashland will provide emergency shelter under the terms and conditions set forth herein during times of extreme weather conditions. For purposes herein, weather conditions shall be considered extreme when outside temperatures are 20° F or below or a combination of weather conditions, in the discretion of the City Administrator, make conditions hazardous to human life without adequate shelter. SECTION 2. Terms and Conditions. 1) In the event of the need for an emergency shelter during extreme weather, an available city- owned building such as the Grove or Pioneer Hall may be used. Previously booked groups in those locations may be subject to cancellation. 2) The shelter will be staffed by volunteers from nonprofit organizations or other organizations in the business of providing for the needs of persons. The city's insurance company requires organizations providing volunteers to provide a letter to the City of Ashland stating that all shelter volunteers have received appropriate training to staff a shelter and have passed criminal background checks. 3) Shelter(s) will open at 8:00 p.m. Doors will be locked at 9:00 p.m. Guests may leave the shelter but not re-enter after 9:00 p.m. Guests arriving at the shelter after 9:00 p.m. will not be admitted unless brought to the shelter by a police officer. Guests must vacate the shelter no later than 8:00 a.m. the following morning. 4) Shelters must have separate restrooms for men and women and separate sleeping spaces for single men, for single women and for families. Children must not be left alone in the shelter, and signage must be conspicuously displayed to remind guests and volunteers of this requirement. Resolution No. 2013- Page I of 3 5) The shelter must contain an emergency box with a first aid kit. Shelter volunteers should bring their own cell phones in case of emergency. SECTION 3. Emergency Shelter Activation. Provisions for emergency shelter will be activated as follows: 1) When the City Administrator or designee determines that weather conditions are or are likely to become "extreme," he/she will contact the City's CERT Coordinator. 2) The CERT Coordinator will contact the Parks and Recreation to determine which facility or facilities will be used as an emergency shelter. 3) The CERT Coordinator will contact designated representatives from volunteer organizations to arrange for staff volunteers at the shelter. 4) Volunteers and guests are responsible for following the same cleaning requirements as other groups. SECTION 4. Emergency Shelter Policies. Operation of the emergency shelters shall, to the greatest extent feasible, comply with the following policy guidelines: 1) Shelter services must be provided with dignity, care, and concern for the individuals involved. 2) The buildings used as shelter must be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition at all times and must comply with City, County and State Building, Fire and Health Codes, unless exemptions have been obtained from the appropriate agencies.. 3) In all Shelters, there should be adequate separation of families and singles, and adequate separation of single women. 4) No drugs, alcohol, or weapons will be allowed in shelter property at any time. 5) No disorderly conduct will be tolerated. 6) No threatening or abusive language will be tolerated. 7) No excessive noise will be tolerated, e.g. loud radios etc. 8) Smoking will be restricted to the outdoors in designated areas. 9) Guests should maintain their own areas in an orderly condition and may be assigned other responsibilities or tasks at the shelter. Resolution No. 2013- Page 2 of 3 SECTION 5. Dogs Dogs may be permitted in an emergency shelter under the following circumstances: 1) Shelter volunteers must designate a specific area in the shelter for dogs. The floor of such area must be covered with thick plastic. 2) Dogs must remain in crates while in the shelter. Crates will not be provided, stored, repaired or cleaned by the City of Ashland and must be removed from the shelter when it is vacated. 3) If taken outside for biological needs, dogs must be leashed. 4) 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. 5) 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. 6) Dogs that become threatening to others or are otherwise unmanageable will be required to leave the shelter. 7) Shelter volunteers must notify Jackson County Animal Control in the event a dog bite breaks the skin of an emergency shelter guest or volunteer. SECTION 6. Resolution No. 2007-11 is hereby repealed. SECTION 7. This resolution takes effect upon signing by the Mayor. This resolution was duly PASSED and ADOPTED this day of _A~ 2013, takes effect upon signing by the Mayor. Barbara Christensen, City Recorder ~ aoi3 SIGNED. and APPROVED this day of V n Stromberg, Mayor Rev' wed as to form: J David H. man, City Attorney Resolution No. 2013- Page 3 of 3