04/16/2026
I want to give an update on Tuesday nightβs meeting regarding the homelessness issue.
First off, I was blown away by the turnout. A lot of people showed up, and a lot was shared. We had people in that room who have been dealing with different parts of this issue for a long time, often without much recognition. It was also clear there are a lot of people in this community who care deeply about Henry County and want to see things improve.
And it was not just agencies or organizations directly tied to homelessness, mental health, law enforcement, or addiction. We also had people there from other parts of the community, including business owners and others who see the effects of this issue from a different angle.
Just like I said before the meeting, this was a working meeting. It was not a decision-making meeting, and no final decisions were made Tuesday night. The whole point was to get people in one room, compare notes, talk plainly about what is happening here in Henry County, look at what resources already exist, where the gaps may be, and figure out what still needs to be better understood.
What came out of that meeting, at least to me, was that there is already a lot of work being done in a lot of different places, but there is still more work to do when it comes to communication, coordination, and getting a clearer picture of what resources exist, what barriers keep coming up, and where the gaps still are. I left encouraged by the fact that people were willing to come together, share what they know, and keep working on it.
We all left with homework to do, and there will be another meeting soon. There will also be a public meeting later on. I still think that is the right way to do this. The goal is to get to a public meeting where people are given real facts, real information, and honest answers to real questions about what is happening here in Henry County. From there, the public can respond, give input, and help decide what makes sense going forward.
I understand why people are frustrated. This issue affects a lot of people in a lot of different ways. But if anything is going to improve, it is going to take the whole community having a part in it β by what we do, and in some cases by what we stop doing. That is why the facts need to come first, and why the public deserves to have something solid in front of them before that bigger conversation happens.
Thank you again to everybody who took the time to come Tuesday night and to those who are already putting in the work on this issue every day, and to the citizens, business owners, and others in this community who are dealing with the effects of it in their everyday lives.
