A little over a month after approving a controversial policy prohibiting “unlawful camping” on city property, Emporia City Commissioners have now established a task force aimed at identifying issues and resources related to the city’s homeless population.
Commissioners unanimously approved the task force’s establishment Wednesday morning and also took action to appoint Commissioner Susan Brinkman as the commission’s liaison to the board. This follows the commission’s action to establish an ordinance prohibiting “unlawful camping” within the city limits on Nov. 16.
Following the passage of that ordinance, Brinkman was highly vocal against it saying she felt it directly targeted the city’s unhoused residents. Wednesday, Brinkman stated that while she is still not in favor of the ordinance, she cannot deny that it was likely the “driver” behind the task force’s creation.
Brinkman adds the task force is not an immediate solution to the issue, however, it is a great step in the right direction.
According to City Attorney Christina Montgomery, the board’s main task will be to identify the severity of homelessness in Emporia and identify available resources and gaps in services in order to advise the commission in the near future.
Commissioners will now submit recommendations to City Manager Trey Cocking for task force members during their first meeting in 2023. The task force is scheduled to have a preliminary report to commissioners by April with final recommendations scheduled to be made by June, a month after the camping ordinance sunsets.
In other business, commissioners granted additional budget authority to four city funds – library, bond and interest, water and wastewater – are estimated to exceed original expense projections. City Treasurer Janet Harouff says the higher expenses are due to several factors including higher property tax collections, bond proceeds and unscheduled maintenance due to water main breaks within the city.
Harouff stated this is a regular occurrence each year and none of the funds are expected to exceed projections by a “significant margin.” Additionally, Harouff says the increased budget authority will not result in additional burden on taxpayers.
Separately, Commissioners also approved the submission of an application for a Kansas Department of Commerce Community Rehabilitation grant on behalf of Mitchell Markowitz construction. Mitchell Markowitz is planning to renovate the historic Emporia Gazette Building in downtown Emporia into a multi use space in the near future.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene for its first meeting of 2023 on Jan. 4 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Court Room at White Auditorium.
