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Cunningham Township approves agreement with Urbana to fund day and night staffing for winter emergency shelter
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Summary
Trustees authorized the supervisor to sign an agreement with the City of Urbana to fund daytime and nighttime staffing for a public winter emergency shelter, approving the measure despite a remaining $22,000 shortfall to reach the supervisor's longer-term funding target; the occupancy permit runs through May 23.
Cunningham Township trustees voted Feb. 9 to authorize Supervisor Charlene Chenoweth to sign a recipient agreement with the City of Urbana that funds daytime and nighttime staffing for the township's public winter emergency shelter.
The board approved Resolution T2026-02-004R after Supervisor Chenoweth explained the additional nighttime staffing is required to operate through the shelter's current occupancy-permit date of May 23. Chenoweth told trustees the township is currently about $22,000 short of reaching the operating target for that period but said donations and pledges have closed much of the prior funding gap.
Why it matters: Township leadership said maintaining nighttime coverage is essential to keep shelter operations safe and to preserve progress made connecting unsheltered residents to coordinated entry, case management and housing vouchers. Chenoweth emphasized that providing shelter has reduced winter fatalities in the community.
What the board discussed: Trustees asked how many families on the prioritized wait list overlapped with families in hotel placements and sought updates on nearby RPC-operated family shelter usage and SOAR supports for Social Security disability navigation. Chenoweth said December case-management records showed intensive work with dozens of families and that RPC family-shelter use has varied night to night (reported as between zero and three families on some nights). She also said the township has helped more residents navigate SSA in recent months, noting eight individuals received assistance in December and 13 SSI awards had been recorded fiscal-year-to-date.
Vote and next steps: Trustee James moved the resolution and Grace seconded. The clerk called the roll and the resolution passed by majority vote. The supervisor is authorized to sign the recipient agreement with the City of Urbana and continue fundraising and donor engagement to cover remaining operating needs through the occupancy-permit period. The board said it will return to discussions about longer-term shelter models and funding in future meetings.
