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Council divided over emergency aid proposal for Together Place; some councilors press for stopgap while others warn of fiscal risk
Summary
Councilor Leonard moved to add an item authorizing phased aid to Together Place tied to matching donations; he said Together Place still needed roughly $80,000 to meet a donation threshold. Councilors debated immediate emergency funding, 30-day stopgap options, and concerns about the nonprofit's past fiscal instability and competitive grant scoring.
Councilor Leonard moved to suspend the rules and add a council order to the workshop docket asking whether the city should make a short-term appropriation of opioid-settlement funds to support Together Place during an urgent funding shortfall. The motion to suspend the rules passed by the required two-thirds vote, allowing the council to consider the matter.
Leonard summarized the apparent fundraising picture: "They have received from an anonymous individual that if they were able to meet the $170,000 threshold they would be able to donate $50,000. They have also raised about $10,000... I was also just informed today that they have also been told that they would receive another $80,000 if they were able to guarantee that amount as well," he said. "So that would mean that they would only need to raise another $80,000." Leonard proposed spreading city support into monthly installments (he suggested $13,333 per month) and said he would be amenable to a short-term 30-day emergency fund if the council prefers to wait for fuller financial detail.
Several councilors urged caution. One councilor said Together Place previously lost state funding and had drawn down local dollars quickly; another said a prior $60,000 city grant lasted less than two weeks. "We can't be their bank," a councilor said, urging fiscal safeguards and financial oversight including quarterly accounting and conditions tied to disbursement. Multiple councilors asked staff to meet with Together Place leadership to verify how much unrestricted cash is actually on hand and whether contingent pledges are firm. Suggestions included a short 30-day stopgap, a conditional phased payment schedule tied to accounting and match-building, or vetting the opioid-settlement committee and applicants before reallocating funds.
Why it matters: Together Place provides day-space and services used by dozens of people; councilors said closure would displace 20'50 clients and push service needs into downtown areas. Council members balanced the urgency of avoiding a sudden service gap against the city's fiduciary duty to taxpayers and the need for accountability before committing significant opioid-settlement funds. Staff committed to meeting with Together Place leadership and reporting back for a potential special meeting or the next gov ops review.
