COMPASSION | DIGNITY | MORALITY

Most likely, you've seen members of Boone County's Homeless Community as you navigate your way through town.

The problem is only getting worse.

In 2023 the County's own Task Force recommended building a County-Owned Homeless Shelter.

The Fiscal Court discussed the idea, and the questions and comments from our leaders were unacceptable.

At one point, Commissioner Chet Hand asked the Task Force Leader if the County could possibly house these folks in the County Jail.

The question was enough to prompt several leaders, including Judge/Executive Moore to quickly reply that it would be inappropriate based on moral and ethical grounds; as the goal would be to at least leave these individuals with their Dignity in-tact.

Boone County's Total Annual Budget is nearing $300 Million Dollars.

We have over 600 Students classified as Homeless according to local leaders and professionals.

Schools send food home to children who indicate they don't receive the proper amount of food each day.

We have folks committed to helping these students.  

It isn't enough.

Meanwhile, we have leaders who feel spending County Taxpayer Dollars to keep these folks fed and in some cases, Alive, is inappropriate.

How can this be?

Commissioner Hand said in-part during the 2023 meeting, "...we recently considered a project for the new homeless shelter, and the proposal that came in, was the Taj Mahal of homeless shelters.  It had all kinds of outbuildings and extra stuff, and things were wedged in here and all these different programs that we were going to pay for in this building."

Commissioner Hand further stated, "And myself and the other commissioners were, were pretty adamant that, like, we're not really interested in a ginormous taxpayer subsidized program, but we are interested in making sure that we take care of their safety."

When you envision a leader; someone with the ethical and moral compass to unite a community, and protect its citizens, this cannot be what you imagine.