-----Original Message-----
From:
robchestnut@sunflower.com [mailto:robchestnut@sunflower.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 24,
2007 3:05 PM
To:
loring@lawrenceshelter.org
Cc: Smith, Shirley;
suehack@sunflower.com; mikeamyx515@hotmail.com;
mdever@sunflower.com;
boog@lawrence.ixks.com
Subject: LCS Milestones
Mr. Loring Henderson
Director
Dear Loring:
I
am following up to my comments made last week in the City Commission
meeting
regarding establishing milestones over the period of the
recently
approved 3-year SUP that was approved.
First,
I want to say that these are my opinions and do not necessarily
represent
those of other commissioners. However, I
wanted you to
understand
my thinking about the 3-year SUP and my hopes for LCS in the
future.
I
am copying this e-mail to the other commissioners as well as Shirley
Martin-Smith
who is chairing the Community Commission on Homelessness
(CCH)
in order for them to understand my position on the topic.
I
believe we can all agree that the current location at 944
not
desirable in the long-term. My hope is
that LCS will begin moving
forward
on possible alternatives as soon as possible, but I recognize
this
will take time and effort to accomplish.
These
are the milestones I have in my mind regarding the next few years:
6
Months (October, 2007) - Have a recommendation about the role LCS will play in
conjunction with the report from the CCH due this summer. I believe this report will bring focus to the
issue and help develop a
long-term
strategy to address needs.
I
believe the plan should define the outcomes that LCS is dedicated to
producing
as stated in the mission statement to " ..... provide a path
to
positive future for people experiencing homelessness ......:
12
Months (April, 2008) - Have a fundraising plan developed that will
meet
the goals set in your funding plan from information you gave to me
during
the campaign. This should include both a
plan for ongoing
operations
and the capital plan for a facility that is not at the
current
location at 944
I
think the plan as presented may need to be rethought if the focus of
LCS
changes based on the CCH report.
However, I believe your desire to
provide
more outreach is excellent.
The
plan should be developed anticipating that funding from the City
will
not likely expand much beyond the current commitment. Based on the number of competing priorities
we have for City resources, I am not
convinced
that our commitment to LCS can expand much beyond the current
level. In my mind, it is prudent to pursue private
funding sources
aggressively
as well as other public funding sources in order to ensure
that
your vision for LCS is accomplished in the community.
18
Months (October, 2008) - Monitor progress on fundraising and
alternate
site selection. By this point we should
have a very clear
idea
about the facility type, size and cost.
I am confident that the
community
will get an expanded vision of the opportunity to serve people in need within
24
Months (April, 2009) - The goal in my mind is to have a
recommendation
on a new location. It is clear to me
that this will be a long transition based on the processes necessary to secure
a new
location
along with the necessary time within the City.
30
Months - (October, 2009) - The goal should be to have acquired the
new
location and begin equipping it for relocation.
I would guess that
you
will have an overlap period where programs are being run at two
locations.
36
Months - (April, 2010) - Vacate the 944
new
location exclusively.
I
appreciate the commitment that you and all the volunteers at LCS have
to
moving people from homelessness to housing, employment and health
care. I was impressed with the comments made last
week by voluteers,
and
I look forward to further discussions about our needs in the
community.
Sincerely,
Rob Chestnut