Warrensburg, N.Y. — County officials asked the Warren County Board of Supervisors for authority to lease a county‑owned building to the nonprofit referred to in the meeting as the Wait House so the group can rehabilitate the property and create a 24‑hour family shelter, pending a funding decision by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).

At a July 16 meeting, a county speaker said the Wait House would staff and run the site around the clock if OTDA approves funding; the county’s alternative, the speaker said, is to place families in hotels without restorative services. The speaker said the county had recently met with Jason McLaughlin of the Wait House and expected OTDA to visit the facility as part of its approval process.

Several members of the public urged the board not to use 50 Gurney Lane as the shelter location. Linda Clark, who identified herself as a Glen Lake resident and longtime volunteer at the Warren County Historical Museum, told the board that 50 Gurney Lane was intended as an expansion to the museum and expressed concerns about shared septic systems and pedestrian safety for families traveling across a nearby bridge that crosses I‑87. “This is a very poor location,” Clark said, citing lack of sidewalks, proximity to senior housing and the danger of crossing the bridge.

Lisa Doster, a public commenter, also raised safety concerns and urged the county to consider locations closer to Route 9 and retail hubs, noting a recent pedestrian fatality on Route 9. She suggested the county explore immediate vacancies in nearby housing providers as temporary options.

Supporters on the board and in county staff emphasized the need for more family shelter capacity and said the proposed arrangement would allow the nonprofit to rehabilitate and operate the facility. County staff characterized the project as fully funded by OTDA if approved and said the nonprofit would run the shelter and provide restorative services.

No final lease vote was recorded at the meeting; the request made was for authority to pursue a lease and rehabilitation pending OTDA approval. Board members asked questions about access, safety and alternatives, and several public commenters asked the board to postpone any decision until the museum and neighbors could be consulted further.

Action requested: authority to lease the property to the Wait House for rehabilitation and operation as a family shelter pending OTDA funding approval. Outcome: recorded as a county staff request at the meeting; no final lease vote recorded in the public proceedings.

Details disclosed at the meeting: OTDA funding was described as the intended funding source; the shelter would be staffed 24/7 by the nonprofit if OTDA approves; a public commenter estimated renovation costs may be “approximately $30,000 more than expected.”