LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Monday evening, the City of LaFollette at its monthly workshop, received the 2019-year end audit results.  A representative from Pugh and Company summed the audit by saying “the city is in a steady, healthy financial position”.

The board will vote on the appointment of Jim Rogers to the E-911 board.  Rogers will fill a seat of an outgoing member.

Ordinance 2020-01 amending the ordinance on the Title 8 alcoholic beverages privilege tax will have a first reading at the regular monthly meeting next Monday. The ordinance will amend the City of LaFollette code on alcoholic beverages. The privilege tax is imposed on the business of selling, distributing, storing or manufacturing beer for an annual privilege tax of $250.

Council will have a budget amendment to vote on next week that will include a $14,000 repair to fire engine 105.  The city has already paid for $41,000 in repairs on this unit. Also, on the amendment will be the purchase of six bridge lights to go on the Viaduct bridge totaling $24,950.

Councilwoman Ann Thompson was unable to attend the workshop due to being held up in traffic in Knoxville, according to Councilman Mark Hoskins.  Hoskins was asked via text to get an update on the drainage issues relating to flooding. City administrator Jimmy Jeffries told council that during that last big rain event Cannon and Cannon came out and looked at the area and will be making suggestions to council on how to alleviate the issues.

Councilman Bill Archer has been an advocate of cleaning up the city. Last night he shared with council that he had found information that could allow the city to utilize trustees for clean-up. The city could send two people to Anderson County to be trained for working with the trustee program. Archer requested an update on the response from the hospital proposal.  Jeffries said he had sent the information to city attorney Reid Troutman for his opinion.

Ed Wheeler, a member of the CHET Board, spoke with Jeffries recently about the possibility of the city purchasing a table at the Community Health of East Tennessee (CHET) fundraiser in the spring. Jeffries explained the table would cost $1,000 and seat 10 people.

In the final business of the evening, local restaurant owner Katie Goins brought a signed petition before the council opposing the proposed homeless shelter in downtown. The shelter’s proposed location is across the street from First Volunteer Bank.  Goins told council that the homeless are already hanging out in the park and sleeping on the benches. “This doesn’t need to happen in our town,” said Goins. She continued about the problems the city is already seeing from the homeless. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/25/2020-6AM)

23 Replies to “Signed petition opposing a homeless shelter presented at workshop”

  1. Well, I won’t be going back to her diner again. It’s sad when people look down on those in need of help. I find this a bit hypocritical in all honesty. You always see them saying shop locally and help the small businesses and such. Then you see this. They don’t want to help the ones that need some but want ours to stay in business….so they can pay bills and not become homeless.

  2. Dang what if every town in are great country felt this way? I guess we would have to have them all collected and put in the sea like stones? I will say this no wonder we have so many churches here and I’m willing to bet most of the signees attend one of them surely.? I wonder If they have ever heard any stories In the The Good Book of any homeless people?

  3. It does need to happen in our town. They wouldn’t be sleeping on those benches if they had a shelter to sleep at. What a selfish, egotistical jerk. Can you even imagine being homeless? Add being homeless with your children. Imagine it being 15° outside with no where, no where, to get warm. Imagine that! And you want to deny them a warm place to sleep!? Food? She and anyone else that signed this petition should be ashamed.

  4. Katie lost my business forever!!! I can not believe a so called Christian would block something like this. She deleted her post from last night, i guess she can see the repercussions coming.

  5. Wow I can’t believe that people will stoop so low to kick people when they are down. We need a place for these people to get out of the cold. I pray God blesses this homeless shelter and everyone involved.

  6. This is not an overnight shelter.
    It is the Tennessee Valley Coalition to end Homelessness Day Center. They provide meals, showers. A place to do their laundry. Above all they are developing relationships and providing resources to help with job resumes and job search and housing opportunities. Health and dental resources. They provide hope and love and compassion. This is just like a few in our community to stir up problems before knowing all the facts. It’s not the first it has happened and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Shame on you!!

  7. Apparently none of you realize what goes on downtown already. I work downtown and its a struggle to not step on needles or have someone follow you asking for money or cigarettes. It wouldn’t solve people still sleeping outside. I am sure the shelter wouldn’t tolerate drug us and such. Also, you all apparently don’t know Katie very well. She feeds several daily no charge. She also helps many of her elderly customers. Takes them food when they can’t get out. Also goes to them if they are ill and need help. While I do feel badly for some of these people most bring it on themselves. I am tired of my children seeing this on our streets. I am tired of seeing it. It will only bring more here. New people show up around here every single day. See them a few days and gone. After they have bummed or robbed someone. But who cares about any of that.

    1. The homeless in LaFollette have been here for years and years. Due to our increase in population all over the world every country, community ect is experiencing more and more homeless, just as we need more and more homes jobs and food all over the world. Did not Jesus say we would always have the poor with us. Some of us will be called to do other things in this world and some of us will be call to help the homeless, drug abusers, Mentally ill and many many other callings. The Tennesse Valley Coalition along with many volunteers are trying to do what we can for the these we fill need our help and love. The Campbell Co.Day Center and pervious endeavors the coalition has been involved in such as the winter shelters,and the previous mentioned resources has gone a long way in helping many of these people.As Christians we know you are not going to win everyone toGod , but even if we can win one to the Lord it is worth it, and if we can help one homeless person it it worth it. God did not discriminate and we do our best not to also. Maybe if we can help get one more homeless by getting them off street and back into productive society, or one more person off drugs then just many we want need to give someone on the street money or cigarettes, or have to side step a needle. Anyone who is interested in volunteering or donating to the Campbell Co. Day Center please watch for our opening soon.

  8. Why don’t we start a patition of our own to vote a yes and take it to council.??. Maybe we should gather up all the homeless folks young and old and there’s plenty and bring them before the council and let them speak for themselves.

  9. There but by the Grace of God go I. Yes they can be bothersome but we are too show Gods love to everyone. Even the Homless and drug addicts and alcoholics. not all of these people are Homless because of drugs and alcohol. Sometimes you have things happen in your life that you can’t control and then it can cause this to happen to you. Please try to look past yourself and look at what Jesus would see in them. He would do all that He could to show them His love and to hjelp them and so should we. God Bless them all.

  10. I will never understand why you look at the homeless as ” those people ” . There are many who became homeless because of one bad situation that they couldnt get out from under . Getting sick and losing a job, mental illness, veterans returning home with so much pain and anguish, victims of domestic violence who have no where to go , and the one that gets everybodys attention, the person who’s addicted to drugs or alcohol. What you don’t seem to understand is homelessness is going to continue to be here , no matter if you have a Day Center in the middle of town or not . They dont spend the night . They are able to go there to get help with basic daily needs and life skills . A friendly face to greet them and let them know that they matter . God forbid you get in a situation where you need help. And like I said earlier , I get approached at Walmart, the dollar store, and almost every gas station asking for spare change or a cigarette . There’s no homeless Day Center close to these places , but yet it still happens . We need to get on our knees and pray for our town instead of sticking our noses in the air and being such hateful people . It’s so much easier to help than to hurt. Get your facts straight before you cause damage that could have been avoided .

  11. That’s crazy!! Yes a homeless shelter should be in Campbell County. There are people that are homeless not on drugs. But she’s not homeless, she’s got food, shelter, and money, so she doesn’t understand how in a blink of an eye things can changed. Sad sad sad

  12. Its like this since I’ve seen both sides homeless and not it’s hard and they need help to get on there feet those drug addicts you talk about there people also and maybe did you think that’s there normal because they don’t have help the people at the shelter are amazing people I have meet them personally and like to call them my friends in stead of blocking programs and stuff why don’t they start helping get more and for those addicts I was once one of those two but turned my life around with jesus help almost two years ago and learned a valuable lesson hes all we have and in the bible it says give not take so stop trying to take if the get one person safe it should be worth it just because you have a little discomfort you want to complain jesus never promise anything easy now did he god bless everyone we are all his bride remember that

  14. The homeless need help. Resources that are available so they can get off the streets. They are not looking for a hand out, they are looking for a hand up. Someone to help them ,someone to tell them that it is not hopeless. When they we children, I am sure that this is not where they wanted to be. We are ALL GOD’S CHILDREN. LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.

  15. I’m coming to LaFollette Saturday,
    The Lord gave me a heart for the homeless
    I have a sock ministry, I don’t know where to go , but thanks to this forum I do now
    We could all be here one day, not only
    Could but with the Bible being fulfilled
    We will many will be homeless in the end
    I’m blessed, but realize that the only reason
    Me and my wife are not is because we work
    I’m in construction my body is wearing
    Out , have compassion, maybe God will have mercy on you, anyway can’t wait to share
    My socks

  16. I knew Katie would be attacked over this. She said YES we need a homeless shelter but not downtown. I agree with her and I am a Christian. Also the homeless and prostitutes already bum from her customers as they are walking in and out of her restaurant and they do it at the coffee shop too. I know because they have asked me for money before as I have been walking in. I can see her concern. Some people just want to hear what they want to hear. What if you had a business downtown would you want your customers aggravated while they are trying to walk in or out of your place of business? I would say not. Again she IS NOT against a homeless shelter…she just doesn’t want it downtown.

    1. I totally agree. The need is there but the location is not appropriate. I know there have to be better locations for the shelter.

    2. So Katie doesn’t want it downtown. Well, I hate to break it to you, but everywhere the coalition tries to place a shelter there is another Katie who doesn’t want it in their back yard. It’s a problem everyone knows exists and most think we should do something about it…just out of their sight. It’s a constant battle the coalition has been fighting for two years now. This proposed day center is a place that provides resources to bring individuals OUT of homelessness, not to perpetuate the problem. That being said, with a day center downtown (which is where the homeless are sleeping and can get to easily), you may initially have a small increase in volume of individuals. This bothers some people. However, when I think about being part of a community that creates a refuge for those less fortunate, I am overcome with joy and pride. Let them come. Let us provide and give them the tools they need to lift them out of their current state. When someone is lifted out of addiction and homelessness, someone gets their brother or sister back. Someone gets their child back. A child gets their mother or father back. I want to be a part of that. I don’t want to be a part of shutting the door in their faces…ever.

    3. First of all, it’s not a homeless shelter, it’s a day center where they can have resources to get employment and housing. The homeless stay there now and there is now shelter so what is the excuse? Second, if she is so concerned about her customers, then she should make the atvs that are clearly at her business, stop parking on the sidewalks. There are so many elderly people that have to walk out in the road and risk getting hit by a car just to get around them. Plus, it’s not even beside her business! She posts all these things about God’s compassion and love yet stands against a place that would help get these people employment and housing and the things they need. A pure hypocrite! You can post all the lovey dovey posts and have as many gospel singers perform that the building can hold, it doesn’t make you anymore Christian than the homeless people she’s fighting against. One day, she may find herself on the streets and will have nowhere to go. The Lord giveth and The Lord Taketh away!

  17. Homeless people are people we all are supposed to be brother and sisters in this world we are supposed to take care of each other they need help then why not downtown has always have people walking around L street was always the worst place some people just need a better way I think the homeless shelter is a good idea and hopefully will help alot of them get there life back no matter if there drug addicts or not they all deserve kindness

  18. I have been in her restaurant so many times for breakfast and I always see one particular older homeless woman that comes in there and Katie’s sits her down and feeds her so do not say she doesn’t have compassion for the homeless she does this and doesn’t have too

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