Galesburg City Council on Monday could approve buying the current home of the Galesburg Rescue Mission to provide a permanent warming shelter and possible homeless shelter. The purchase would be for $350,000 for the two properties at 435 E. Third St. Rescue Mission Director Darrell Grimm tells WGIL the Rescue Mission has been looking to sell the property with their pending move to the former Nielson school building. Grimm says they hope to be fully moved into 547 N. Farnham St. by July. For the past two years, the city has had a warming shelter in the winter months first at Hawthorne Gym and then at Moon Towers, with plans to move into the Salvation Army building. Mayor Peter Schwartzman says that Salvation Army has struggled in obtaining funds to bring their facility up to code. Schwartzman says the Rescue Mission building allows the city to acquire a newer building that can be prepped to serve as a warming shelter. There are two properties being purchased but which will be used for w
Galesburg City Council approved opening a warming center once again this winter in the Hawthorne Gym. It will be the second year the city will have hosted such a center for the houseless in the gymna…
There will be a warming shelter for those in need this winter in Galesburg. Once again the shelter will be located at the Hawthorne Gym after a variance denial by Galesburg Aldermen on Monday prevented the shelter from being located at the Salvation Army. Council unanimously approved an agreement with the Knox County Housing Authority for a $76,000 grant. The warming shelter is funded by the City, KCHA will administer, hire staff, and receive the grant, while Salvation Army will oversee day-to-day operations and direction of staff. Salvation Army's location at 510 N. Kellogg was formerly a church and the change of use requires the installation of a sprinkler system according to Community Development Director Steve Gugliotta. The Overall Code Review Commission unanimously denied the variance request. Council could have overrode the commission's recommendation, but the motion failed by a 2-2-3 vote, in which Members Bradley Hix, Larry Cox, and Jaclyn Smith-Esters abstained. Haw