Dale Allison asked the Board of Supervisors to place on the record a letter criticizing supervisors and the county sheriff for actions he says undermined Transitions DMC, a faith-based nonprofit seeking to open a shelter for unaccompanied homeless youth.
Allison read the letter during the board's correspondence section at the Sept. 2 meeting, saying Transitions CEO Joseph Meyer and others approached the county in May about a former Public Health building at 522 North Third Street as a possible site. Allison said the organization had relied on information from local school districts and state guidance about homeless children to size the need and to plan two public town-hall meetings and media outreach.
Allison said the letter was prompted by remarks Supervisor Tom Broker read at an August meeting that Allison described as mischaracterizing what Meyer said on a radio interview and alleging Transitions claimed county endorsement for fundraising. Allison said those claims were inaccurate, that Meyer never said he had the county's endorsement, and that the Hawkeye published a clarification on Aug. 22. He also wrote that a subsequent August 26 supervisors meeting became confrontational and that Sheriff Glenn Denning's comments minimized the local homeless population in a way Allison said contradicted school officials and Transitions' experience.
Allison summarized Transitions' work, saying the shelter logged about 3,500 overnight stays last year and that state rules prevent the organization's existing shelter at 515 South Main Street in Burlington from housing unaccompanied minors. He urged supervisors and the sheriff to visit the shelter and consider Transitions' proposals for a youth-specific facility.
Board chair Jim Carey and other supervisors accepted Allison's submission as correspondence; no formal action or vote on the building or Transitions' request occurred at the meeting. Allison attached meeting minutes, a radio interview, news coverage and meeting video to his submitted correspondence for the board's review.
The board did not adopt or reject any part of Allison's letter during the meeting. Allison requested the letter be read as part of the public record and asked that the county consider Transitions' request for the old Public Health facility; the transcript shows no immediate board directive to staff to act on the letter beyond standard filing and distribution.
Allison's letter references the state of Iowa's definition of homeless children when describing the population Transitions aims to serve; the transcript does not cite a specific Iowa code section.
The matter remains in correspondence and public record; Transitions and the board have not announced any change in county policy or approval for use of the building.