ROCKINGHAM — Place of Grace will get a little help with its winter-time heating bill courtesy of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.
The board approved using $15,000 from its discretionary fund to contribute to offset heating costs for Place of Grace’s emergency shelter.
The emergency shelter opened Nov. 1, 2024 and runs through March 1. Senior Pastor Gary Richardson previously told the RO that the emergency shelter would be able to hold 20 people in addition to the cap of 12 men and 12 women regularly housed.
The motion was made toward the end of the meeting —after commissioners returned from a lengthy closed session to discuss economic development (based on the section of the statute that was cited) — by newly elected Commissioner Jamie Gathings.
Commissioner Justin Dawkins asked about the figure for the allocation, and Gathings replied that the heating bill for Place of Grace throughout the winter is about $15,000.
“They are the only emergency shelter we have,” said Gathings. “I’d like to see if we could help them out a little bit through this winter.”
Chairman Dr. Rick Watkins said that Gathings and Commissioner Robin Roberts had visited Place of Grace within the past week and had learned about the costs associated with running the shelter.
Prior to the vote, Commissioner Jason Gainey suggested the board should look at aiding Place of Grace in the long term, calling it “an asset to our community.”
Watkins agreed, saying it needs to be a part of the board’s strategic planning.
“On behalf of Place of Grace Church, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Richmond County Commissioners who generously voted to donate $15,000 towards our Emergency Cold Weather Shelter,” Richardson told the RO in a statement. “We are thrilled to have our county as a partner in this mission to help every individual who has been affected by opioid abuse. We strive to ensure that everyone has a hot meal, a warm bed and a message of hope with the opportunity of a pathway to a new life.”
Richardson said the contribution would help Place of Grace continue to make an impact in the lives of those being served.
“This generosity is not only a reflection of a commitment to our cause but also an inspiration to others in the community,” Richardson said, encouraging anyone with questions to contact the church.
What eventually became Place of Grace started out in 2014 as a tent city on the grounds of New Life Church on Airport Road. A nearby building was rented for a while before a facility was built on church property two years later.
In 2018, Place of Grace entered a land-swap agreement with the county government, trading the church property for the old Rohanen Middle School.
The board had set aside $25,000 in discretionary spending for the 2024-2025 budget.
Commissioners voted in October to use $10,000 in relief efforts for those in Western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene, with the stipulation that the money be spent in the county. Click here to read that story.
County Finance Director Cary Garner said not all of that funding has been expended, but has been committed.
VICE CHAIR FINALLY SELECTED
Prior to the allocation, a majority of the board elected Commissioner Andy Grooms to serve as vice chairman.
The 4-3 vote was between Grooms and former chairman Jeff Smart and was split among the same lines as the December meeting when Dawkins’ vote didn’t count because he joined remotely.
“I just want to thank the board for your vote of confidence,” Grooms said. “I’ve worked with everybody up here, except for Commissioner Gathings, for a couple of years now. I’ve always tried to learn and grow as a commissioner and do what’s right and that’s not going to stop.”
Last month, Grooms had initially run for the chairman spot and, although he had a motion on the floor to put the election off until the January meeting, Watkins won the vote.
There was also a stalemate for the vice chair position, which was eventually postponed.
“I think everybody sitting at this table could serve in either one of these positions…I don’t place any more value on either one of ‘em, but I want to get as involved as I can,” Grooms continued.
Alluding to the December meeting, Gainey said he found it “difficult … to grasp our processes and I think that we should revisit how we vote on things moving forward.”
“Our process, by precedent, has been to allow remote voting,” Gainey said, adding that it “has bothered me and kept me up at night, knowing that we have allowed that month after month.”
During the July 2024 meeting, the board technically didn’t have a quorum as four of the seven commissioners joined remotely. However, voting was allowed and the issue wasn’t brought up until December.
Click here to read about the December meeting.
Earlier in Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved a proclamation recognizing Jan. 20 at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The RO will have more next week on local MLK activities.