News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville City Council postponed the final reading of its panhandling ordinance Thursday after a public hearing at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center.
About 30 people participated in the public hearing prior to vote. The council heard concerns and suggestions from a mix of business owners, long time residents and religious leaders.
After listening to concerns and suggestions, the council stepped away for a 15 minutes closed door discussion. Once returning to the stage, the council thanked the community for the input and unanimously decided to move the final hearing to October 15th with no public comment.
Councilman Eric Walker said he wants to review the community’s comments before casting a vote.
“I for one want to see an ordinance get passed and be correct,” Walker said. “I think many of us on the council do as well. But, we do need to get it right. We have heard everyone’s input and taking some time to evaluate that and go back and make sure we have the correct ordinance for our city.”
During the public hearing, Cookeville resident Tony Gammon spoke about his concerns of the panhandling issue spilling into the city.
“As a business owner, our company takes care of cleaning up and sweeping up these properties late at night,” Gammon said. “And, we also mow and take care of the landscaping on a daily basis. My people are approached by individuals not wanting food, but wanting money. What for. Typically for drug abuse. We have tried to allow them to get them phone numbers to get help. They refuse that.”
Cookeville resident Anna Richmond addressed her fears that the ordinance violates the first amendment and criminalizes homelessness.
“When municipalities regulate panhandling, which is a form of free speech. Our first amendment rights become an issue,” Richman said. “This ordinance regulating panhandling is unconstitutionally vague and over broad. It is depriving panhandlers of their free speech rights and raises serious concerns by targeting the homeless.”
While the council faced opposition against the ordinance, the SAS team implemented earlier this month receive positive feedback. The pilot-program provides on-call social workers for police 24/7.
Mayor Ricky Shelton said the city is trying to address both panhandling and homelessness, but the two overlap. Shelton said the purpose of the ordinance is to make Cookeville’s community feel safe.
“The problem that we are discussing here tonight is not always the problem of homelessness, mental health or even poverty, as you mentioned, and those are definitely issues,” Shelton said. “We are also discussing potential fraud being committed by organized and sometimes aggressive panhandlers that are creating a public safety issue diverting money away from those that are truly in need. Everyone does have rights, however those rights should not infringe upon on somebody else’s right to feel safe and secure in our city.”
Council Charles Womack said the public comments were useful and showed that the two main concerns with the ordinance are safety and first amendment rights.
Police Chief Randy Evans spoke at the meeting from a law enforcement perspective. He said the ordinance gives an opportunity to interact with the homeless community and help them find human service programs.
Evans said the city has received 169 calls of soliciting, which is a 37 percent increase from last year.
The ordinance prohibits the conducting of commerce including panhandling on right of ways, sidewalks, and streets inside the city limits.
