Vote for Lincoln Center Homeless Shelter Expansion Tabled

(KNSI) — Several dozen residents and neighbors crowded into the St. Cloud City Council chambers Monday night for a public hearing on whether to allow more residents to live at the Lincoln Center homeless shelter.

The hearing was set up so the operators could address the Zoning Board of Appeals’ decision against increasing the shelter capacity.

Executive Director Larry Flegel commended the board for putting so much effort and consideration into his request to amend the conditional use permit, which would allow Lincoln Center to remodel the facility.

Flegel wants to provide a sleeping area, office space for social workers and nurses, a dining area, computer banks, and a more secure entry. He also wants to increase the shelter’s capacity from 19 to 29 residents.

Among the conditions in the CUP was installing a proper sprinkler system and a two-to-one resident-to-staff ratio. Flegel said he had no issue with any requests except for the staffing numbers. He told the council, “This staffing ratio is more than a maximum security prison requires, and we would need to have about 52 staff to comply. That is about 12 to 13 on each shift that all shifts. The Board of Appeals was correct in determining the requirement of the original conditional use permit of one staff at all times was insufficient. But Homeless Helping Homeless feels a ratio of one to six, which would require for staff at all times, is more workable.”

Flegel says that would allow one staff member in the sleeping area, one in the food and dining area, one to monitor cameras and control entry, and one for the outside parking and smoking area.

There are reportedly 19 residents at the shelter and one staff member.

Some neighbors and business owners came to Flegel’s defense, saying that there were complaints of homeless encampments around town, and he took it upon himself to house them without the help of government dollars. They said it’s not fair what the city is asking about staffing requirements. And as for the police calls, one neighbor said police calls that once were spread around the city are now concentrated in one area.

Other neighbors said they’ve had issues with residents wandering through yards, urinating on their properties, and arguing that the southeast side is no longer safe.

Dan Fenis with First Fuel Bank and Joanne Hall, who manages Casey’s General Store near Lincoln Center, say their customers have been harassed for money, and residents have tried to get into customers’ vehicles. They told the council that their customers say they don’t want to do business there anymore because they fear someone hurting them. Hall says her employees have been spit on and had pizzas thrown at them. Their plexiglass shields that were put up for COVID-19 are still up not because of COVID but because the staff doesn’t want to be attacked.

Fenis says he has tried working with Lincoln Center, but in the last 30 days, someone lit a pile of paper towels on fire in a bathroom, and security footage has captured fighting, drug overdoses, and an assault with a hammer on security footage. He said residents have also damaged his property by throwing rocks at fuel storage tanks.

Councilman Mike Conway told Flegel the council, neighbors, and business owners have been more than patient in what they’ve been dealing with since the shelter opened in terms of crime and livability issues in the neighborhood and the time allowed to come into compliance with the sprinkler system and staffing. He warned Flegel if he were operating a business of any sort, “we would not be here because you would not be open. The ordinances, you would have had too many fines…You wouldn’t have been allowed to open until X, Y, Z was done.”

He commended Flegel for what he has accomplished so far and said, “It’s not the vision that’s the problem here. It’s the fact we don’t have the support staff, we don’t have the management skills to be able to do this project and expand it. My concern is I’ve heard a lot of, ‘well, we’re going to be we’re going to be this is what we plan.’ The problem is I can’t live on that anymore. The east side can’t live on that anymore. In my opinion, I need to see concrete plans. When is this going to be done? Where is this funding coming from?”

Conway said he wanted to go on record praising Flegel for helping people who may not otherwise get help, but his time allowed to come into compliance is up.

Councilman Paul Brandmire also said the shelter can’t properly supervise those in the shelter now, so “if we’re not managing the residents that are already there, how in the world can we even consider putting more in there that are also not being supervised? I mean, it just defies logic.”

Councilwoman Carol Lewis said she could see both sides of the issue and that rarely is there a situation where everyone who testifies is right. She added there’s a lot to be said for the misbehavior of the residents who wander into neighborhoods and cause trouble, but there is another low-barrier shelter in town no one ever hears about. Lewis commended Flegel for taking an uninhabitable building and trying to make it a place where people could live. She said that many residents are dealing with mental health issues, and it’s difficult, but there’s a great need for a place like Lincoln Center. She urged the other council members to put stringent conditions in place for the permit and implement solutions put forth by residents and business owners for moving the bus stop and increasing police presence and asked for a review in 90 days.

Councilman Dave Masters agreed with Lewis saying the city should work with Flegel and give them another chance.

Council President Jeff Goerger understands what shelter operators are trying to do but had strong words for people who came out in support of increasing capacity, saying they’re discounting the effects on the neighbors, businesses, and those who create jobs. He says as the CUP is written, he cannot support the expansion.

Councilmembers Steve Laraway and George Hontos were absent from Monday night’s meeting but have gone on record saying they want to deny the zoning permit for expansion.

City Planner Matt Glaesman said he would draft a resolution establishing a finding of fact for denial based on Monday night’s discussion but added that it could be tweaked or revised at the next meeting.

A final vote to uphold the Zoning Board of Appeals’ decision against the increase is July 11th.

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KNSI News reporter Jake Judd contributed to this story.

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