This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
I want to set the record straight on a Times Call article published on November 16th. The article mischaracterized my conversation with the Chair of the OUR center board.
I did no threaten the OUR center with cutting off their funding from the city. The OUR center is a vital part of our community working with Longmont’s homeless population to provide basic services.
In September of this year, the Director of the OUR center announced at a council meeting that the board voted to pull out of the navigation portion of the coordinated entry system. No explanation was given for this decision.
This left a huge gap in our effort to help people experiencing homelessness to transition to housing. The city sent out an RFP for organizations to apply for navigation services in Longmont. I heard that the OUR center board was going to apply which made no sense to me because they had already made the statement in public that they were not going to continue providing this service. I called the board chair to see if this was true and if so, what had changed.
As councilors elected to represent the people of Longmont, I believe it is our duty to make sure that the service organizations are held accountable and moving toward the intended goal, serving both the city and the people to the best of their ability. Longmont has too many residents experiencing homelessness. It takes different agencies and your council working in a multitude of ways to find the best solutions.
I have and will always pose questions to our residents and boards. I will always listen and try to solve problems. Problem solving involves research, networking and asking the difficult questions.
