Councilman Carl Ferebee called for a motion to table the matter after Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky presented information on the estimated costs and the zoning hurdles Leah Reed and the Eastern North Carolina Poverty Network would have to go through the turn the building into a homeless shelter.

His motion died for lack of a second and Councilman Ernest Bobbitt introduced one that would end discussion of the matter. “This has been talked at a couple of meetings,” he said, explaining he would rather see the city retain possession of the building for future city use.

Before taking a final vote on Bobbitt's motion, Mayor Emery Doughtie called for others who wanted to speak during an unscheduled public comment section of the meeting to come forward.

Carolyn Holmes, a member of the Angel's Closet board speaking on behalf of its director, Gilbert Portela, said the organization supported Reed's effort.

Holmes said Angel's Closet was willing to furnish the shelter with furniture, linens and any other supplies needed.

LaCount Anderson, of the Union Mission, said, “The Union Mission has been very involved in the plight of the homeless and near-homeless. Thirty-nine dollars on a motel room is a waste of money. A lot of $39 has been spent by church members.”

Shannon Smiley of the John 3:16 Center said, “The women and children need a place to stay.”

She said planners of the Room at the Inn program thought of Roanoke Rapids because it would offer the best access to the resources needed.

“As a community we need to attack this together,” said Joel Rice. “We can do it as a community.”

Jerry McDaniel, a candidate for Greg Lawson's council seat, took a different approach, saying it would be better for the group to build a new building than trying to rehabilitate an old one.

Lasky, in her presentation, showed the primary needs for the building include roof replacement and it has plumbing and drainage issues, the heating and air need upgrading, there should be an electrical system evaluation and upgrade and the building is currently inadequate for handicapped accessibility.

A shelter, her presentation showed, is not specifically listed in the city's table of permissible uses and its occupancy classification would have to be group residential.

To use the building as a shelter would require a conditional use permit.

In addition, Lasky noted in her report, the North Carolina State Building Codes address requirements for occupancy changes that include handicapped accessibility for bathrooms, showers and doorways; energy code compliance for lighting, heating and cooling and fire protection by sprinkler systems and fire alarms.

The estimated cost range for the proposed change of use is $81,000, not including the undetermined cost of of making the building handicapped accessible.

In the end, council voted 3-1 to turn down the request with Ferebee dissenting and Greg Lawson absent.

Reed said following the meeting she plans to move forward with the project and a November 4 start, using churches instead of the fire station. “Nothing was certain,” she said of the vote. “We knew that was possible. We are moving forward. God is in control.”