Cottage Grove council refuses donation of 13 pallet shelters to Community Sharing

The Cottage Grove City Council voted 5–2 on Feb. 24 to deny Community Sharing’s request that the city transfer 12 small pallet shelters and one large pallet shelter for use as emergency warming shelters at the nonprofit’s site on Birch Avenue.

Community Sharing Executive Director Mike Fleck told the council his organization intends to operate warming shelters on extreme‑cold nights and asked the city to transfer the units so the nonprofit could install them on its property. “We believe this is a critical service needed in our community to prevent our unhoused neighbors suffering, extremely cold nights outside,” Fleck said during his presentation.

Councilors and dozens of residents questioned whether Community Sharing had consulted neighbors, how the site would be operated and whether the program could expand beyond temporary warming nights. Councilors repeatedly raised concerns about outreach, public safety and the limits of the…