Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Code Blue Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tompkins County approves Cherry Street site for 2025-26 Code Blue shelter after tense debate (10-1)
Summary
The legislature authorized using county-owned Cherry Street for Code Blue sheltering this winter and to continue negotiating a co-located navigation hub with the city. The vote passed 10'to'1 after members debated timing and collaboration with Ithaca.
The Tompkins County Legislature voted 10 to 1 on Sept. 16 to authorize the development of a temporary Code Blue shelter at the county-owned Cherry Street property for the 2025-26 cold-weather season and to continue negotiations with the city of Ithaca on a co-located navigation hub.
Legislator Anne Corman moved the resolution, noting the county had determined the originally planned site at 100 Commercial Avenue would not be ready by November due to required upfits such as flood-plain mitigation, HVAC, plumbing and fire alarms. In the debate, several legislators said they regretted the timing and the level of collaboration with the city. "I think that to Shauna's point, this was not a collaborative process," said one member who announced they would vote no in protest of process, not substance. The motion ultimately carried 10 to 1.
The resolution authorizes the county administrator or designee in the Department of Social Services and Facilities to develop the Cherry Street location using Tompkins County Code Blue allocation for the 2025-26 season, and directs continued negotiation with the city on a navigation hub for subsequent seasons. County administration told legislators a service provider partner is being sought; Volunteers of America has been engaged to support broader shelter development work.
What happens next: Staff will identify and finalize a service provider to operate the temporary shelter and pursue HHAP and other applicable funding opportunities; legislators requested status updates at subsequent meetings.
