OTTAWA — Ottawa city commissioners tabled a request Wednesday by Project Hope to apply for a state homelessness grant. Commissioner Blake Jorgensen urged the delay, which effectively kills the application request — because of the state timetable, the commission had to approve the application at the meeting. The city didn’t have much time to prepare for the application, and applying for the grant on behalf of Project Hope would expose the city to some liability for paying for and administering the grant, he said. City manager Richard Nienstedt told commissioners that if they so wished, he and staff could continue to work on homelessness. It’s increasingly becoming a problem in the area, he said, and the city could spend this year working with Project Hope, the county, school board and ECKAN in coming in with a joint plan for responding to homelessness.
The county commission rejected Project Hope’s application request at an earlier meeting, citing many of the city‘s concerns.
Thursday, March 17, 10 p.m.
