Grand Junction council sets special meeting after providers push to extend resource center while planning alternatives

Grand Junction City Council members on March 26 agreed to schedule a special council meeting to consider whether to extend the lease and operations of the downtown Resource Center, after service providers told the council that an abrupt closure would disrupt health and behavioral-health care and burden hospital emergency departments.

A coalition of providers, led in the meeting by provider representatives from Homeward Bound and United Way, said they unanimously recommended an extension to give partners time to implement a “plan B,” tighten operations at the site and train the Resource Center population for a different operating model. Mike (provider representative) said, “The resource center as conceived initially was basically a good idea, but it didn't work. ... We would lock the gate at the front” and require check-in for services.

The providers presented three options for the council: (1) extend operations through June 30 with a locked front gate, a single staff member checking people in at the Third Street gate, daily service hours generally from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tuesdays starting about 9–9:30 a.m. to allow set up), and a date-certain plan to dismantle the pavilion by the…