THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008

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Questions Aplenty On PADS Site

By CRAIG ADAMS

Journal Reporter

The possibility of legal action against the city of Park Ridge regarding a proposed PADS site emerged during a City Council workshop on Monday, May 5.

The question emerged when council members began questioning representatives from the Ministerial Association, PADS, and the residents of the neighborhood around St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Ald. James Allegretti (4th) asked Rev. Amity Carrubba of St. Mary's if she believed the city's zoning ordinance did not apply to the PADS shelter.

"Is that the belief?" he asked. "What's it based on?"

Carrubba replied that her understanding is that serving the homeless within the realm of a religious institution in the United States. She said in 1917, the church built the structure and the city designated the area for church use. "Our overnight lock-ins, single mom groups, AA, NA, all fall under that church regulation. It is indeed a ministry in the church for the church by the church," she said.

Ald. David Schmidt (1st) followed by asking Carrubba if she consulted an attorney. She replied that former city attorney Paul Keller is a member of her church. "He has offered his pro bono services," she said.

Schmidt then asked her plans if the city decides the shelter must go through a special use application process. "Will you ask your parishioners to use their money to sue themselves? Will you sue the city?" he asked.

"We have not considered that," Carrubba replied.

The groups also discussed the possibilities of other locations. Ald. Richard DiPietro (2nd) asked, "There appears great opposition to the location. Has the Ministerial Association researched other sites?" A member of the citizens group, Mike Casey, offered a list of other Park Ridge churches as options asking why they were not considered.

Fred Nelson of Redeemer Lutheran Church replied, "The churches, for a year, have had conversations." He explained they weighed several issues including security, parking, and where there was passion and energy ready to work for the program. "St. Mary's was the clear choice. We did think about this," he said.

Ald. Donald Bach (3rd) asked why the churches approached PADS for support before coming to the neighbors for their input.

Carrubba replied, "We didn't have any information to share."

Bach pointed out, "Establishment of a shelter is information."

Beth Nabors, executive director of Journeys from PADS to HOPE interjected, "Without our partnership, they didn't know if they'd be doing a shelter or not."

Carrubba then admitted, "We're not perfect. We're making our way through this entire process. We could have engaged the community in different ways at different times. I do apologize for the upset that this has caused. St. Mary's first and foremost wants to be a good neighbor."

Before the question sessions, all sides took time to state their positions.

PADS representatives explained the program runs background checks on all the homeless patrons, holds mandatory training sessions for volunteers, and the structure of the program.

Residents expressed their fears of crime in the neighborhood, the increase in traffic, and the incidence of mental illness in the homeless.