Plans for a future emergency shelter are now bearing fruit thanks to a deepening partnership between Dawson County officials, area churches and other local groups.
At their Nov. 7 voting meeting, Dawson County’s Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the request to shift $50,000 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to help pay for local emergency shelter-related expenses.
“From the way that government operates wholistically, I think it’s encouraging to hear that we’re doing a partnership with churches…It’s a community issue,” District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines said during the board’s Nov. 7 work meeting.
Dawson County Manager Joey Leverette presented the idea during the board’s work session Thursday.
The federal government awarded ARPA money to help the county with costs tied to responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, like first responder pay raises.
The leftover ARPA money will be used for supplies like cots, blankets and sleeping bags.
With the extra resources, a mobile trailer filled with supplies will essentially be moved around to whichever local church or community group is able to host a physical shelter.
Emergency Services Director Troy Leist mentioned Thursday that the county does have a trailer available to store future shelter supplies.
Gaines added that dog crates were another need noticed during the cold-weather event two years ago.
An ad hoc committee of county officials and other community members have been working on the mobile shelter idea for most of 2024. The Dawson County Family Connection nonprofit and area churches, organized by a locally-led church collaborative, have “stepped up” to make the local vision for a future emergency shelter a reality, Leverette said.
As with previous cold-weather events, Leverette added that he was “certain” county staff would do their part to help with future emergency shelter efforts, too.
Link to Dawson County News article HERE