Polk County commissioners pull River of Lifehouse contract after concern over required church attendance

Polk County commissioners pulled a consent-calendar contract with River of Lifehouse on June 18 after a commissioner raised concerns that the transitional-housing operator requires residents to attend weekly church services and that requirement could conflict with the use of public dollars.

The contract (listed as contract 25-99) would have funded six beds at River of Lifehouse, a transitional housing program in Dallas, at a cited cost of $32,008 a year for the county whether or not all beds are filled. A commissioner said the program’s publicly posted rules state that “all residents are required to attend weekly church services,” and expressed concern that mandatory religious participation could create a legal barrier for people the county is trying to serve.

A county staff member offered to review the contract language and discuss options with Jody, then report back to the board later in the week. “I can have a conversation with Jody and look at the contract on that piece and circle back with you all later in the week on it,” the staff member said. Commissioners agreed to pull the item from the consent calendar and set it aside pending that review.

The discussion focused on two tensions: the county’s need to use public funds without creating mandatory religious conditions, and the fact that River of Lifehouse is a nongovernmental, faith-based provider that establishes its own program rules for services it offers. One commissioner said the county could decline to contract with the provider if the county is not comfortable with the provider’s rules but should first ask whether the provider is willing to make services optional for county-funded beds.

County staff will follow up with the provider and return to the board with recommended contract language or alternatives. No formal vote on contract 25-99 was taken; the item was removed from the consent calendar for later consideration.