“Ministries at Main Street” calls the church to BE THE
CHURCH, caring for the poor as Jesus Christ has instructed us. We the “Ministries
at Main Street,” have been called and sent to
be the light of the world on behalf of Jesus Christ. We shine that light in the
direction of all who are without permanent places to live, inviting them to come and be fed and offered a bed.
Questions asked of us by our neighbors in and around Main Street, along with our responses:
Points of Concern and Questions
1. The close proximity of the middle/high school and elementary school bus stops in relation to the shelter's front doors,
as well as the fact that the middle school students board the bus in semi-dark conditions for a portion of the school year.
Will the residents be kept inside during the times the students are loading and unloading?
A. Yes. Until 8:00 am, when they are transported into town. Some, however, do walk.
2. The Coventry Little League fields that operate for more
than half the year and the amount of children involved in activities there. (Safety issues)
A. The fields are used approximately 3 months out of the year. They are supervised by coaches and parents while there. No
one going inside is screened, meaning if there is someone intent on criminal activity, there are no barriers or monitors to
them currently. Those attending the shelter are monitored, and very strictly. Having a shelter actually increases protection for a community, when they work closely
with law enforcement, which we intend to do, as we did before.
3. There are several elderly residents that do not drive and have to walk to tend to their day-to-day errands. (Safety
issues)
A. Same as above.
4. There is a daycare center within a block and 1/2 of the shelter. (West Main Street)
A. Same as above, and to the best of our knowledge, daycares are required by law to
be locked.
5. There are approximately 24 children under the age of 14 that belong to just the East
Main Street side that have free play of the neighborhood. Will there safety be jeopardized at any
time?
A. No. The shelter operates from 10:00
pm through 8:00 am. Children are under a 10:00 curfew in North
Coventry and are not permitted to be out without adult supervision. 8:00
am Children at the bus stop are currently monitored by parents.
6. There is a dead end with thick woods at the end of East Main Street.
(Just a concern)
The
shelter changes nothing here, and contributes no impact to the neighborhood.
7. Why have the residents not been notified via a letter or meeting (aside from the paper) as to the proposal for a permanent
shelter or given any other information regarding it?
A. A neighborhood picnic was planned to discuss our intent with the neighbors. However, there were those within local government that thought that we should just
deal with things if complaints should arise, on an individual basis. We relied
on their expertise in this judgment. We apologize.
8. What is going to be the criteria and guidelines followed for processing each person into the shelter?
A. We mirror what is currently in use by the Montgomery County Department of Health
and Human Services, and freely share information, to and from them, as well as Chester,
and Berks Counties. We also work very closely with Health and Social Service
agencies locally.
9. What issues will the residents have? (Drug/Alcohol addictions, criminal records, mental illnesses).
A. The people who stay at the shelter, are not residents—they are guests. Some do suffer from addictions and/or mental illness, and are in our neighborhoods
now. Should someone with criminal behavior in their past seek shelter, we are
able to obtain this information as they are checked through our intake process; through our shared information with the counties,
and anyone who poses any kind of a threat is redirected to qualified shelters/programs/law enforcement/etc. It is also fair to note that our guests included a Physiologist, an historian, local war heroes, business
owners, people who are very well read, the handicapped, law-abiding, religious, and many of whom are employed.
10. Will there
be any sex offenders permitted to reside at the shelter and if so will they be registered under Megan's law?
A. On a case by case basis. Also, we have
no control over the Megan’s Law registry, just as our neighbors do not have the ability to block a new neighbor.
11. What times
will the residents be allowed into the shelter and at what time each day must they leave?
A. 10:00 pm till 8:00 am.
12. How long
(ex. 1 month, 2 months) are they allowed to reside in the shelter?
A. As long as they need Christian ministry and help.
13. What will
be the maximum amount of people allowed in the shelter at anyone time?
A. We are prepared for a maximum of 30, but will not turn away those finding themselves
in emergency situations.
14. How many
people will be supervising the residents during each time frame? (Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Overnight)
A. Overnight staff is a total of three.
15. What qualifications
will these supervisors have in regards to dealing with persons with special circumstances or addictions? Degrees, experience?
A. Please see question 8, and know that staff is trained, accordingly, in support of
our mission.
16. Will the
shelter be locked down during certain hours (particularly overnight from dusk till dawn) to maintain the safety of those at
the shelter as well as the neighborhood residents?
A. Yes. There is a curfew of 12:00 midnight,
with allowances made through staff pre-approval for working conditions, such as backshift, or early morning start times.
17. If there
are problems that should arise, who can homeowners/renters contact? (Aside from the church officials)
A. Neighbors always have the emergency numbers for local governance, but a more direct
answer can be provided by the Church office. (610) 326-1120.
18. Is the
Parish House zoned for this type of use?
A. We are working with the Township.
19. Is the
building within codes to house many people and are there drills and enough exits to get the residents out should a fire or
flood occur?
A. The building is currently undergoing work to make it safe for our guests, including
fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures.
20. Where will
the residents be from? Are they all local within the Pottstown area?
A. Yes, the guests are from our area.
21. How will
the residents be getting to and from the shelter each day?
A. We provide transportation from two local spots in Pottstown. Others walk.
22. Will the
establishment of the shelter affect our property value or the chance for resale of our homes?
A. Not to our knowledge.
23. Have any
other more rural locations been considered as an alternate to this location?
A. Yes, other locations were considered. The
cost of running a shelter is formidable, and the additional cost of buying and renovating a building makes it impossible to
establish—particularly when people are in need now. St John’s owns their property, eliminating this cost.
And most importantly, this is the historic, and religious work of the Church for 2000 years.
24. Will state
agencies as well as the Board of Health be involved in the daily operations of the shelter?
A. As mentioned earlier, we work closely with County officials.
