City against proposed shelter location

Shelbyville City Council members said Tuesday they were not in favor of a proposed homeless shelter and child care center on North Main Street.

The council took issue with the location rather than the concept.

Last month, Dr. Carl Bailey presented his vision for Community Religious Outreach Social Services (CROSS) to the council. Bailey told the T-G last week that the idea for shelter and child care for the homeless at 262 North Main St. has been praised and well received by the public and city officials.

The main sticking point for many, however, had been a rezoning request for four trailers to be located behind the building, so Bailey removed the request.

Councilman Randy Vernon said while the shelter was a good idea, North Main "is not the place for it." Councilmember Kay Rose said that several citizens had expressed concerns about the trailers to her.

Vernon said he had an issue with having "something like this" on North Main. Councilman Al Stephenson said that the city should sell the property. The property Bailey was considering is owned jointly by the city and county and is currently not habitable.

Bailey said the purpose of CROSS is to help people get back on their feet. Bailey has said he does not propose "a 'soft services' facility," like anger management or parenting classes, but a place to meet immediate needs, such as shelter.

CROSS is also in the process of being registered as a non-profit organization, Bailey has said.

The proposed facility would provide interim, short-term shelter, so that people can get back on their feet, off the poverty rolls and back to work. The facility would have a community pantry, and an office would be dedicated to a cultural integration office to help the county's minority community, such as Hispanics and Somali refugees.

Bailey said according to the deputy director of Tennessee's Department of Children Services, if the cost of taking care of children of single-parent families could be done away with, it would take care of about 40 percent of those at the poverty level in Bedford County.

Bailey stressed that he is not trying to supplant any existing organization, but just wants to meet immediate housing needs, food and clothing, and employment help.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

For more information on CROSS, contact Dr. Bailey at 575-9954.