BOMBSHELL!!!! --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "paulvail1964" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > City Homeless Shelter Hearing Continued to March 20 > State orders sister shelter in Morristown closed > > By GARRETT STASSE > > The state says the controversial Jersey Shore Rescue Mission, which > wants to run a homeless shelter in Asbury Park, has been operating > illegally in Morristown and was ordered closed. > > The state Division of Community Affairs said in a letter dated Feb. > 22 that Market Street Mission of Morristown needs licenses to provide > drug and alcohol counseling for homeless men. > > The letter set off another round of controversy at the recent Asbury > Park Board of Adjustment meeting. The mission wants to operate a > homeless shelter on Memorial Drive near Asbury Avenue. The plan calls > for beds for 40 men and kitchen facilities to serve meals to the > needy on a daily basis. > > The mission is before the board for a third time to win use variances > to run the operation on Memorial Drive near Asbury Avenue. Last year > Superior Court Judge Alexander Lehrer, sitting in Freehold, directed > the board to clarify testimony given during the original hearing on > the mission's application for a use variance. > > Ronald Gasiorowski, the Red Bank lawyer representing Stand Up For > Asbury, a group of city residents concerned about the shelter, > produced the letter from the state at the meeting. > > Brendan Judge, the mission's Roseland-based lawyer, attempted to have > the letter quashed as evidence, but was unsuccessful. > > Mission Director G. David Scott accused Gasiorowski of causing the > letter to be written. > > Gasiorowski ignored the charge. He said the state sent a warning > letter in November and an application for permits in December. > > Scott said he believed the mission didn't need licenses because of > the separation of church and state doctrine. > > "You came to Asbury Park after you were told you were violating state > laws," Gasiorowski said. "I call that arrogance. I call that > disrespect for the community," he said, adding he planned to pursue > the shut-down order in court if need be. > > Judge, conferring with Scott, told the board the city mission would > comply with state rules. > > Gasiorowski also challenged the mission's ability to keep the > facility and surrounding streets safe. He said the shelter had room > for 27 men to sleep on mattresses for up to 10 days and facilities to > feed many more during the day. There was nothing in transcripts to > say how the mission would maintain safety for residents and children > who walk past to and from school. > > "Twenty-seven men are basically flushed out every 10 days," he > said. "They're released for the day unsupervised and they're > unsupervised in the shelter. The mission has not submitted itself to > the scheme and statutes of the state; there are no conditions > attached dealing with supervision." > > That "could cause substantial detriment on the community" which would > be contrary to Lehrer's assertion that the mission was beneficial to > the city and region, he said. > > Scott replied that the mission has counselors in the building and > that it plans to have a close working relationship with the Police > Department. He also downplayed a report from the Morristown Police > Department listing hundreds of calls to the Market Street Mission. > Scott said nearly none were for crimes, and some were placed by the > mission because of events outside the mission that they had nothing > to do with. > > The mission can't conduct background checks but counselors ask a > series of questions to determine whether a man should be admitted, > Scott said. No one under drug or alcohol influence is allowed in, he > said. > > Another lawyer for a resident, Paul S. Werther of Teaneck said the > mission needs, but did not get, a license to sell used cars. He said > a state Motor Vehicles Commission official told him there were no > exceptions for religious institutions. > > "It's another indication of operating outside the law," he said. > > Scott said he has a letter from the same agency telling him the > opposite. > > Gasiorowski grilled Scott about the city facility's service area. > Morristown serves North Jersey; the Asbury Park facility is to serve > South Jersey. Gasiorowski noted there are no prohibitions from taking > men from anywhere in the country, he said. > > "Is it your intent to act as a magnet for drawing drug-addicted men > from all of South Jersey," he asked. > > Scott said, "The truth is, if I need help I'm not going to come from > Florida or someplace else." > > The hearing is scheduled to continue on March 20. >
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/lOt0.A/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/Y2tolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
