Hagerstown Considers Adding Day Shelter For Homeless
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- Hagerstown Police Chief Arthur Smith is renewing his push for a downtown homeless shelter.
The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown newspaper reports that Smith discussed the proposal with the city Council on Tuesday.
Smith says a day shelter would give homeless people somewhere to go other than the downtown library.
He first backed such a plan in 2003 after the library's executive director complained that the building attracts so many homeless people on cold days that regular patrons sometimes have nowhere to sit.
The library building is set to reopen next year after an extensive remodeling and expansion project.
Councilman Forrest Easton says he wonders if a shelter would just bring more homeless people into the city.
Mayor Robert Bruchey says the idea may be discussed at a future work session.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
