-----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
Lawrence Community Shelter
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 Kentucky is
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 Kentucky.
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 Lawrence.
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 Kentucky site and be in the
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