Milford Hears Proposal On Women’s Transitional Housing
Milford Hears Proposal On Women’s Transitional Housing
Posted
Denise Fedorow-
Milford Hears Proposal On Women’s Transitional HousingMILFORD - If approved by the zoning boards, there may be a women’s transitional home in Milford in the parsonage of the former United Methodist Church.
Tammy Cotton, program coordinator of LITE (Living In Transition Effectively) Kosciusko County Jail, spoke to Milford Council about their plans.
Prior to Cotton’s presentation, Pastor Mike Beezley, pastor at Clunette & Atwood Aldersgate United Methodist Churches and director of ministry and outreach at Milford Methodist Meeting House, addressed the Council and explained when the Milford United Methodist Church closed at the end of June the district superintendent of the Northern Indiana District of United Methodist Church wanted him to figure out ways for community outreach.
He said some felt there were people not being reached and there were services that could be beneficial in the area. Recovery services were one area that they found in short supply. They started holding weekly Narcotics Anonymous and Alcohol Anonymous meetings in the former church and Bright Point has been there to help people to obtain health care services. Beezley felt the church could also serve as the headquarters for LITE.
Cotton told the Council she was the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce director for 10 years and ran the Rose Home (now Rose Garden) for six years before getting involved in jail services. She said she learned what Elkhart County was offering at the jail and got the two county sheriffs together to see if they could do the same in Kosciusko County.
She said LITE works inside and outside the jail. She shared that her daughter was incarcerated for a year in the Kosciusko County Jail and that’s when she realized the need for help and her passion for doing the work. She said she wanted a place where people could come for clothing, toiletries and help with resources and that’s when Beezley told her about the former church in Milford.
“This is not just for people in recovery - we want to serve the whole community as well as support the family members of those incarcerated. We gave away free school supplies in the fall,” Cotton said.
She said they wanted to use the parsonage as a transitional home for women and sent the district a proposal, which they approved. She said there are three bedrooms upstairs in the former parsonage so they want to house five women and leave one bed open as an emergency bed.
“We want to keep it simple and homey,” she said.
There will be a live-in staff person, April Harrison, who just got her degree, according to Cotton, and was a graduate of the Rose Garden. They want to remodel the garage into a studio apartment for Harrison and said the home would be staffed 24-7 so if Harrison couldn’t be there, a volunteer would be.
Council President Doug Ruch asked if it was the best location “in the middle of a residential area” and expressed concern for the safety of the women in the home as well as town residents.
Cotton and Harrison said they had a rigorous intake process and the women are not allowed to contact anyone in jail or anyone not approved by them. They said they do thorough background checks including on the resident’s family members.
“In the six years I was at the Rose Garden, we never had a problem. They’re coming because they really want help. We feel we have precautions and procedures in place,” Cotton said.
Harrison said, “The risk is higher with addicts on the street. I understand we’re criminals - we made wrong choices; but hope and understanding is what we need. The women are drug tested daily.”
She also explained a little about the programs, saying they have to complete 90 meetings in 90 days.
Dan Brown spoke in favor of the program, saying, “We have pastoral leadership, an experienced executive and very qualified staff in a faith-based organization. God’s doing this.”
The group was there to inform and ask for support. The Council didn’t take any action.
In other business, there were some changes to Milford Fest street closings. At the special meeting last week it was decided that Street, Water and Parks Superintendent Steven Marquart would speak to Tom Beer of BAJA Amusements about the closing of the community building’s parking lot. Marquart said they are going to close half the parking lot - the east half of the lot will be closed to Main Street and the west half will be open for parking.
Another change concerned Main Street, which in the original request was to close it Friday night. Marquart said they’ll close it Saturday morning from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Catherine to Fourth streets. Fourth and Catherine streets will also be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall said she received a call that day from a representative of The People’s Convoy informing them that the convoy would be passing through town on Friday evening. She didn’t know the time yet but the caller is supposed to let her know so that they can provide police support if necessary. She said she was told it was a 2- to 3-mile long convoy. They plan a rally at Polk Auction on Saturday.
Marshal Derek Kreider said he’d want to provide support to get them through quickly if they don’t have a state or county escort. Someone asked who they were and Gall said she was told it was a “peaceful protest of people who like their freedom.”
Attorney Jay Rigdon said it started as a protest against COVID restrictions and said several political groups portray themselves as nonpartisan.
“As your attorney, if you have any type of political group coming through town, I’d strongly caution you against getting involved and not to promote or publicize any group - you want to make your public safety aware, of course,” he said.
Town Marshal Derek Kreider reported they received a grant from the Indiana Department of Health for 50 units of Narcan that would be distributed among the officers. Kreider said he’d also like to do a training session for the rest of the town staff so they’d be able to administer to themselves or others if need be.
The Council approved selling the outdated fire rescue truck and Gall will report the best options for doing so at the next meeting.
Street, Water and Parks Superintendent Steven Marquart reported the spring clean up was a big success with 175 visitors who filled seven 30-yard containers and two 30-yard containers for metal. USI is inspecting ADA curbs this week. Marquart got approval to order a new auto flushing urinal from Mr. Rooter at a cost of $1,953.06.
He reminded residents to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in their yards - any receptacle that collects water as well as tall grass and weeds. He said residents will be receiving the Consumer Confidence Reports as well as information on mosquito control and no wipes in the pipes. He said he found a lot of masks in the sewer system recently.
The parks department is looking for lifeguards and concession stand workers for the summer. Any interested parties should contact him at town hall.
Gall prepared a proposal on how much time and when she’d need help and determined she needed 30 hours a month at $15 an hour, which would be $4,000 for the rest of the year. The council approved the additional help.
In Other Business, the Council:
• Approved the clerk attending a class for $100.
• Approved the clerk attending the Indiana League of Municipal Clerk Treasurers and State Board of Accounts at a cost of $450 June 12-16.
• Heard requests for proposals for the trail grant letters of interest are due May 20 at 10 a.m. and Robert Cockburn volunteered to be the council member reviewing the letters of interest.
• Heard the chicken barbecue will be held at the Community Building on Memorial Day right after the parade until sold out.
• Heard if residents want to be on the garage sale map, the deadline is May 24 at 10 a.m. and there’s a cost of $3. Garage sales fees waived during the weekend.
