(Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Community members attended Tuesday’s City of Cortland Common Council meeting to speak about the homelessness situation, the resignation of the city's library director and more.
Residents of Cortland County provided their opinion on the large number of homeless people in the area. Some also spoke in support of Jen Graney, who recently announced her resignation as the director of the Cortland Free Library.
Graney’s resignation, announced via the library’s March 4 newsletter, came after efforts to provide daytime shelter for the homeless in the library.
The decision by Graney, mixed with the temporary closure of code blue warming centers in Cortland this week, brought forward a collective demand for local around-the-clock homeless shelters and other services.
Below is audio of each of the community members who spoke during privilege of the floor at Tuesday’s meeting:
Sandra Aloi, a resident of Cortland, spoke on behalf of Dr. Mechthild Nagel. Nagel is a professor of philosophy at SUNY Cortland.
Sandra Aloi. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Philip Otieno, a resident of Cortland.
Philip Otieno. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Pamela Pouland, a resident of Preble.
Pamela Pouland. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
John Hoeschele, vice president of the Cortland Free Library Board of Trustees and a resident of Cortland.
John Hoeschele. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Donald Chu, a resident of Cortland.
Donald Chu. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Jessica Hazel, a resident of Cortland.
Jessica Hazel. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Dean O’Gorman, program director for Healing Hearts Collaborative and local resident.
Dean O'Gorman. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
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City of Cortland mayor Scott Steve. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
Cortland mayor Scott Steve and city council members discussed the local homelessness situation and Graney’s resignation, in response to community members on Tuesday.
Below is a recording of the discussion:
