News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville will extend its agreement with UCHRA’s Substance Abuse Solutions program to provide social work assistance to the homeless.
City Council Thursday unanimously approved the extension of the program through June. The pilot program began last summer as an attempt to provide help to a growing homeless population. City Manager James Mills said 149 clients have been assisted through the program.
“I believe the program has worked very well,” Mills said. “They’ve always responded in a very timely fashion. The services provided to the clients that are listed as one of the 149 are basic living, basic needs, just providing a meal or something similar, emergency housing, transportation, addiction, medical and mental health assistance. So this program has worked and we would like to continue it.”
Mills told the council earlier this week that a more long-term plan would be a part of this year’s budget discussions. Mills said the city could look at a more long-term agreement with UCHRA or potentially hiring a new member of the police department to do this sort of social work.
When the program went into effect, Mills said many police departments have hired their own social workers in an effort to keep police doing enforcement work.
Also Thursday, the council approved an agreement with Titan Development LLC to add a third party to the infrastructure agreement for the new 10th Street shopping center. City Attorney Dan Rader said the addition of the third party does nothing to materially change the agreement.
“The main thing is the city council should know is that the original people are still obligated,” Rader said.
The new shopping center, featuring a Food City, includes numerous infrastructure improvements in the area.
Cookeville City Council also approved the creation of a Division Of Information Technology and Telecommunications to be overseen by City Manager James Mills.
