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Turlock Gospel Mission promissory‑note amendment fails after council splits over weekend day‑center operations
Summary
The council considered and rejected an amended promissory‑note agreement to fund restoration of day‑center services operated by the Turlock Gospel Mission; the motion failed following public comment and debate over operations and neighborhood impacts.
The City Council considered an amendment and restatement of a promissory note to fund restoration of a day center operated by the Turlock Gospel Mission (TGM). City staff said the proposal would extend a previously approved forgivable loan from 10 to 12 years and formalize operating commitments for day services at a facility across from the shelter.
Adrian Werner introduced the item and described the day‑center services the loan would support: phone and mail access, showers, laundry and a location for emergency overflow. “The shelter will operate Monday through Friday,” Werner said, noting neighborhood concerns driven by earlier operations and that the agreement reflected council direction to limit weekend day‑center hours.
A TGM representative told council the day center would centralize services and provide shelter, cooling and warming functions during inclement weather and operate as overflow when needed. “This project to restore services to the day center would give us a central location for our clients to engage those services and a place for them, to find safety during times of inclement weather,” a TGM speaker said.
City staff described contract timing and loan forgiveness mechanics: the contractor is required to begin work within 10 days after agreements are signed and to complete construction within 120 days; the loan forgiveness period would start on the council’s approval date and forgive a portion annually over 12 years, with ongoing HUD and city monitoring tied to CDBG funding. Staff also said TGM had approved the revised documents at its board meeting in December.
Public commenters and several council members pressed for guarantees about construction timing, whether a local emergency declaration would be required for overflow use, and how this day center would differ from other local services such as the We Care dining hall. Neighbors’ long‑standing request that the day center not operate weekends was raised repeatedly.
When council voted, the motion to approve the amendment failed on a roll call vote: Council member Abraham and Council member Bridal voted yes; Vice Mayor Moniz, Council member Phillips and Mayor Bublak voted no, so the amendment did not pass.
What failed: the amendment and restatement of the promissory note (forgivable loan term extended to 12 years) and the associated project approvals did not receive council approval; staff said the proposed start date for loan forgiveness would have been the date of council approval.
Why it matters: the day center would have restored a centralized site for daytime services and emergency overflow for people experiencing homelessness; the council’s rejection leaves the project unresolved and keeps neighborhood concerns and operational questions active.
Sources: City staff presentation (Adrian Werner), Turlock Gospel Mission representatives and council roll call at the meeting.
