Here’s what he had to say about Pahrump’s homeless shelter plan.

Last week, the Nevada Outreach Education Organization and the NyE Coalition of Communities hosted a Community Town Hall to provide information about the efforts to build the Temporary Housing and Nutrition Center (THNC), and after the formal presentation was over, it was residents’ turn to speak. to say.

THNC is a homeless shelter and soup kitchen project being developed by an advisory committee of approximately 30 members representing a variety of public and private sector organizations. As expected, there were many town hall attendees willing to speak out against the project and ask pointed questions. But there were also many who took the time to show their support for the effort.

A local resident who opened the audience question-and-answer session did not specify his name but said he was grateful for the town hall meeting and the THNC project in general.

“I have been in this region for seven years. It was always a need. “I’m sure almost everyone here tonight knows someone who could use help… Most of the people who live there don’t want to be there,” the woman said. “If we can do something as a society, it will benefit the entire state to see that these people can get back on their feet, be productive, and not have to depend on us.”

That’s when the negativity started, with the next speaker, Beth Borysewich of Voices of Nye County, announcing her intention to start a petition against the project.

“This is ridiculous. I think we need to be here to look at a community chest to help all the people who created Pahrump, who built Pahrump, and to help them with what’s going on in their homes. Instead of helping these homeless people who don’t want our help, help them with insulation, windows, doors, the ability to go outside and garden… I’m very much against that,” Borysewich said.

Victoria Paulson then wanted to know why certain organizations and individuals were not listed in the project proposal as they were initially. McKenna explained that Nevada Assemblyman Greg Hafen II and Wulfenstein Construction, whom Paulson cited, were approached to be part of the advisory committee handling the project, but they did not respond, leading to their names being removed.

Paulson also questioned why such a large percentage of the funding received by Nevada Outreach and NyECC was used for expenses such as salaries and consulting fees.

McKenna asks, “Who do you think would volunteer…and want to work with 3,500 unique people a year?” he retorted, adding that case management staff at Nevada Outreach deserve to be paid for their work.

“Our greatest service is through our employees,” added NyECC CEO Stacy Smith. “Our staff is our most talented and valuable asset. They’re the ones delivering the vehicles, they’re the ones providing the training, they’re the ones going out into the community. They’re the ones doing this. If you don’t have people with you, it just doesn’t happen miraculously.

Many commentators focused on their skepticism about using grants to fund such a large operation; others suggested they came with “conditions.” McKenna did not deny this but maintained that both Nevada Outreach and NyECC have operated for decades using various grant sources.

Another speaker, who identified himself as a former teacher, said he thought the grants were nothing more than big government, and others also expressed concerns about the “strings” attached to such funding sources.

“If you want to understand how grants work, come see me. “I helped a good portion of the people on this committee learn,” NyECC CEO Stacy Smith replied. “Yes, grants come with safeguards. They’re not strings attached, they’re safeguards… They have rules.”

Jenney Sartin, CEO of the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce, addressed Clark County’s move to ban homeless camps and expressed concern that the people the new law would affect would migrate to Pahrump. “Where do you think they’ll go?” he asked.

But McKenna said he doubts Pahrump will become a hotspot for homeless people.

Stephanie Hashimura of the Nye County Republican Central Committee and Jill Skelton, a former district teacher who now works with foster children, had just one question for project supporters.

“Did you go through the right channels? (Pahrump Regional) Planning Commission, BoCC (Nye County Commission), to see if they would authorize you to build this?,” Hashimura asked.

“None of that has been done because we haven’t picked a location yet,” McKenna replied. “We won’t bring it to the county for planning until we have plans. “I don’t even have a property yet.”

Skelton then asked about those coming out of the foster care system. “Protect youth who are 18 years old when DCFS cases are closed and left on their own – many of whom come from facilities here in Pahrump because they cannot be housed – and those who cannot hold a job or have savings and are not able to find housing to begin with, is this covered?” McKenna said yes, such people can receive services at THNC.

Lou Baker, who is running for Nye County commissioner, asked: “If we can afford millions of dollars for an animal shelter, don’t you think we can afford more money for people?” An unidentified woman said, “If someone working at Walmart loses their job or their husband or wife dies, they will not be able to pay their rent.”

“We don’t have the income level here. If you pick someone up off the street, have them cleaned up, and then take them out, for what? A $10 an hour job? Dwight Lilly asked. “I think a better way to approach this is to encourage people to rely on their churches and their families… We are not equipped as a town to run a homeless initiative here, ma’am, which is actually what you’ve put together.” .”

Maryann Hollis claimed: “They will stare at us in the streets, in parks, in libraries, in museums, with packed lunches. How does a nightly sleepover solve this problem?”

While there is no guarantee it will have the intended impact, the project proposal calls for outdoor facilities in the hope that those using THNC will stay onsite all day as well as at night, project leaders said.

“The one thing I understand from all these presentations is that you are saying this is coming. Whether we like it or not, we have no say and no vote. “Am I right or wrong?” resident Jane Davis requested.

“If we can get the grants, yes,” McKenna said. But if we don’t get the grants, we won’t let it go forward.” He added that the advisory committee is working to gather input so that public concerns can be appropriately addressed.

After all the wrangling was over, McKenna said he was really pleased with how the town hall went.

“Of course, there were minority haters there who always attended county commission meetings and complained, but I think they were surprised at the reaction they got from the rest of the crowd,” he told the Pahrump Valley Times. “I received tons of emails and messages thanking me for doing the project and having the courage to stand up to the vocal minority. I’m not here to make friends. “I’m here to help the community.”

For more information about the THNC project, visit NevadaOutreach.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at [email protected]

Did you miss the first episode?

This is the second part of City Hall’s reporting on the proposed homeless shelter and soup kitchen, focusing on questions and statements from residents. Details about the official presentation were included in the first episode, which aired on October 25. Readers can find the first chapter online