Lima City Council voted against an ordinance that would support an isolation and quarantine facility for homeless people and families.
Council voted 5 to 2 with one person abstaining on a second reading for an ordinance that would enter into a contract with Coleman Professional Services which would provide $500,000 from CDBG Coronavirus funds for an isolation and quarantine facility for the homeless. The ordinance did not pass because it needs a two-thirds majority. The ordinance will now head to a third reading which only requires a simple majority. Peggy Ehora, 5th ward councilor was absent from the first reading, but voted yes on the second reading explained what the facility would do for the city.
She said, “Any time that you can offer any kind of services to get people on their feet that’s what we should all be striving for. We have issues with housing and homelessness in this community and we have had for years.”
Council also voted to accept a gift of around $500,000 from the estate of Gloria Jean Lawrence to be used by the Parks department to purchase playground equipment.
