Residents have their say at Homeless Shelter Town Hall – Part 2

Last week, the Nevada Outreach Training Organization and NyE Communities Coalition hosted a Community Town Hall to provide information on the push to build the Transitional Housing and Nutrition Center (THNC) and once the formal presentation was through, it was residents’ turn to have their say.

The THNC is a homeless shelter and soup kitchen project under development by an advisory committee made up approximately 30 members representing various public and private sector entities. As anticipated, there were many town hall attendees eager to speak against the project and pose pointed queries. But there were also many who took the time to show their support for the effort.

Kicking off the audience question-and-answer session was a local resident who did not offer her name but said she was grateful for the town hall meeting as well as the THNC project overall.

“I have been here in this area for seven years. It’s always been a need. I’m sure almost everyone here tonight knows someone who could use some help… People living out there, most of them don’t want to be,” the woman stated. “If we can do something as a community, it would be to the benefit of the whole state to see these people get back on their feet, be productive and then they would not need to be dependent on us.”

That was when the negativity started, with the next speaker, Beth Borysewich of Voices of Nye County, asserting her intention to start a petition against the project.

“This is ridiculous. I think that what we should look at is a community chest to help all of the people who have been here, who have created Pahrump, who have built Pahrump, and help them with what’s going on in their homes. Help them with insulation, windows, doors, the ability to go out and garden for themselves, instead of helping these homeless people who don’t want our help… I am so opposed to this,” Borysewich said.

Victoria Paulson then demanded to know why certain entities and individuals were no longer listed on the project proposal, as they had originally been. McKenna explained that Nevada Assemblyman Greg Hafen II and Wulfenstein Construction, cited by Paulson, had both been approached to be part of the advisory committee driving the project but they had not responded, leading to the removal of their names.

Paulson also questioned why such a large percentage of the funding taken into Nevada Outreach and NyECC is used for expenses such as salaries and consulting fees.

“Who do you think would volunteer… and wants to work with 3,500 unique individuals a year,” McKenna retorted, adding that the staff performing case management at Nevada Outreach deserve to be paid for their work.

“Our biggest service is through our people,” NyECC CEO Stacy Smith added. “Our staff are our most talented and valuable asset. They are the ones who deliver the tools, they are the ones who deliver the education, they are the ones going out into the community. They’re the ones doing it. If you don’t have people, it doesn’t just miraculously happen.”

Many commenters focused on their suspicions about the use of grants to fund such a large operation, some asserting that they come with “strings”. McKenna did not deny this but asserted that both Nevada Outreach and NyECC have operated for decades utilizing various grant resources.

Another speaker, who identified himself as a former teacher, said he felt grants constituted nothing but big government and others expressed their concern about the “strings” attached to such funding sources, too.

“If you want to understand how grants work, come see me. I’ve helped a good portion of the people on this committee learn,” NyECC CEO Stacy Smith responded. “Yes, grants come with assurances. They are not strings, they are assurances… They’ve got rules.”

Jenney Sartin, CEO of the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce, cited Clark County’s move toward banning homeless encampments and expressed her concern that the people the new law would affect will migrate to Pahrump. “Where do you think they are going to go?” she asked.

However, McKenna said she doubted that Pahrump would become a homeless destination.

Stephanie Hashimura of the Nye County Republican Central Committee and former area teacher Jill Skelton, who now works with foster children, each had just one question for the project backers.

“Have you gone through proper channels? The (Pahrump Regional) Planning Commission, the BoCC (Nye County Commission), to see whether they will give authorization for you to build this?” Hashimura inquired.

“None of that has been done yet because we haven’t even picked a location yet,” McKenna replied. “We’re not going to bring it to the county for planning until we have plans. I don’t even have a piece of property yet.”

Skelton then asked about those exiting the foster care system. “Foster youth who, at 18 when their DCFS case closes and they are left on their own - many who are coming out of facilities because they cannot be housed here in Pahrump - and have not been able to have a job or have savings and are unable to afford a housing initially, are they covered under this?” she wanted to know. McKenna replied that yes, such individuals would be able to receive services at the THNC.

Lou Baker, who is running for Nye County commissioner, asked, “If we can afford millions of dollars for an animal shelter, don’t you think we can afford more money for human beings?” while an unidentified woman noted, “If someone working at Walmart loses their job, or their husband dies or their wife dies, they are not going to be able to afford to pay for their rent.”

“We don’t have the income level here. If you take someone off the street, get them cleaned up and then put them out, to what? A $10 an hour job?” Dwight Lilly demanded. “I think a better way to approach this is to encourage people to rely on their churches and their families… We are not equipped as a town, m’am, to handle a homeless enterprise here, which is really what you’re putting together.”

Maryann Hollis claimed, “They’re going to be out on the streets with their bagged lunch, in the parks, in the libraries, in the museums, in our faces. How does an overnight sleepover address that issue?”

Projects leaders said that while there is no guarantee that it will have the intended effect, the project proposal calls for outdoor facilities in the hope that those who utilize the THNC will remain on site all day as well as at night.

“The only thing I gather from all of this presentation is that, you are saying this is coming. Whether we like it or not, that we have no say and no vote. Am I right or am I wrong?” resident Jane Davis demanded.

“If we can get the grants, yes,” McKenna said. “But if we cannot get the grants, we will not have it move forward.” She added that the advisory committee is working to garner input so the public’s concerns can be addressed appropriately.

After all of the contention came to a close, McKenna said she was actually pleased with how the town hall had turned out.

“Of course the minority haters that always attend and complain at the county commission meetings were there but I think they were surprised at the pushback they got from the rest of the crowd,” she told the Pahrump Valley Times. “I’ve received a ton of emails and texts thanking me for doing the project and having the courage to stand up to the vocal minority. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to help the community.”

For more information on the THNC project visit NevadaOutreach.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com