DeKalb County officials announced the county will open four 24-hour warming centers and one overnight site in response to an expected bout of cold weather.

The announcement came during the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting when a county staff member, Zach, said the county would operate Front Line Response International at 2585 Gresham Road; Toby Grant at 593 Parkdale Drive; Mason Mill Recreation Center at 1340 McConnell Drive; and Exchange Recreation Center at 2771 Columbia Drive as 24-hour warming centers "until further notice," likely about a week or longer. Zach also said North DeKalb Senior Center at 3393 Malone Drive will operate as an overnight-only site.

The warming centers are intended to supplement shelters the county has already opened for the winter, Zach said, and county staff added that transportation pickup stops would be provided and that the county would send an email blast with details. "Each of those 4 will be open on a 24 hour basis until further notice, which will probably be about a week's time, maybe longer," Zach said.

Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, chair of the Planning, Economic Development, and Community Services Committee, told the board that the committee previously allocated $375,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for warming centers. "We did allocate $375,000 of ARP funds for our warming centers," Long Spears said during her committee report.

Commissioners asked staff to ensure the full list of centers and hours was distributed so constituents and community partners could share the information; Zach said the county would resend the information and noted that some previously circulated lists did not include the North DeKalb Senior Center overnight schedule. "We will make sure we get that email blast out to you, this morning," he said.

The board did not vote on the warming centers during the meeting; the announcement was presented as an operational update and a resource for residents during cold weather.

County staff and commissioners encouraged residents and community organizations to share the locations and transport information once the email blast is distributed.