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Tompkins County officials weigh use of $10,000 allocation for GIAC showers as Code Blue season ends
Summary
County staff asked the Human Services Committee whether $10,000 allotted previously should continue to pay for GIAC-run shower services after Code Blue warming centers closed; DSS reported March sheltering counts and transitions to housing.
County Administrator Charlene told the Health and Human Services Committee on April 16 that the county is asking whether $10,000 previously set aside should continue to fund temporary shower access and related services provided by GIAC now that the Code Blue shelter period has ended.
"Based on the allocation of $10,000, we didn't come with a specific direction as to what time frame that money should be utilized," Charlene said. She asked the committee to give clear direction on whether the county should continue to pay for GIAC to provide showers, staffing and related services until the allocation is exhausted.
Legislators and staff discussed how the GIAC arrangement is structured. Charlene explained that the county is not paying GIAC for facility use but is paying for two temporary GIAC staff for four hours a day to operate the service; invoices had not arrived as of the meeting. There is a sign-in sheet for people who use the showers, and GIAC will submit invoices to the county for the staffing. Charlene said the county will monitor remaining funds and confirmed: "when we receive the first invoice, we'll have clarity how much of the allocation is still left." The $10,000 allocation had been approved by the legislature earlier in the fall.
Adena, representing the Department of Social Services, reported shelter numbers for March and described the closure of Code Blue operations. She said the county sheltered 98 people in hotels in March — reporting "81" adults and "11" children in the transcript — and that KeyBank warming center counts varied between about 25 and up to 32 people on cold nights. Adena added that, during the past 30 days, staff transitioned 26 Code Blue clients to more stable housing. She confirmed that Code Blue had closed as of the morning before the April 16 meeting and that the county expected to continue temporarily housing people in hotels when needed during cold weather.
Committee members urged regular check-ins on funding availability. One legislator suggested continuing the GIAC showers as long as funding remains: "If we have the funding and it's available, at the moment, I think we should keep doing it." Committee members and staff agreed to track invoices and remaining allocation before making a final determination at a subsequent meeting.
No formal vote was taken on extending the GIAC arrangement at the April 16 meeting.
