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It's been more than two months since members of Wheeling City Council asked a basic question of City Manager Robert Herron and city homeless liaison Melissa Adams: Just why are paid city employees -- paid through taxpayer dollars provided by the citizens of Wheeling -- leading the charge to build a new, non-city affiliated Life Hub downtown at the corner of 16th and Market streets, the former First English Lutheran Church?
There's been no real answer provided to that question -- at least not publicly -- since it was posed Aug. 8. But events happening now make it highly important that city officials clearly outline the public's involvement in the Life Hub -- and that includes the amount of paid city time employees are spending on the project.
The Life Hub is set to be the new home to the Winter Freeze Shelter in the coming weeks. This has come to light as council has been grappling to deal with what appears to be a growing homeless problem. According to Wheeling police statistics, during a three-month period this summer, 40% of all charges linked to alleged crimes in the city were filed against individuals who identify as homeless. In recent weeks a city of Wheeling employee was attacked by a homeless man near a camp outside the Nelson Jordan Center in East Wheeling. Herron moved to close that encampment, but changed his mind until the Winter Freeze Shelter opens.
But how that will happen remains to be seen. Adams first publicly stated about 10 days ago that the Life Hub had funding to open the shelter. Then, last Tuesday, she told council it remained short of what is needed to operate the shelter all winter.
As we have noted previously, Adams is a city employee. The Life Hub is not a city entity. So why is Adams -- and possibly others on the city payroll -- spending their taxpayer-funded time setting up a homeless shelter?
The public deserves answers, as well as a full accounting of just how much taxpayer-funded time has been spent working on the Life Hub. If taxpayers are going to be part of this project, then council needs to get on board. If not, then a clear line needs drawn.