BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Board of Supervisors did not hit a majority of yes votes to approve the occupancy of Bakersfield Recovery Services staff at the Family Justice Center.
The names of supervisors who took campaign money from BRS leadership were drawn out of a hat, in order to conduct county business. The two supervisors drawn, Chris Parlier and Jeff Flores, who took money, voted yes. Phillip Peters, who did not take any money in the last year, voted no.
Peters’ vote stopped the motion from passing.
In a statement to 17 News, Peters said “the concerns brought up repeatedly by the public outweighed the benefit of approving the proposed lease agreement at this time.”
The Family Justice Center is still open, and victim services are still being provided. However, when Open Door Network was staffing the shelter, it was able to house domestic violence victims in a private shelter.
Does BRS have a shelter ready to go?
Michael Bowers, the BRS chairman said yes.
“We call it transitional housing support. We also have our Housing Navigation Center on site, which helps with transitional rent,” said Bowers.
Bowers also said BRS has a network of hotel partners, to help connect people with safe housing.
The board’s vote has put a hiccup in the district attorney’s plans, which Bowers said will hurt victims seeking resources.
“While the current occupancy agreement may be revisited in the future, the reality is that any added step in the process can create another barrier for victims seeking help,” Bowers said.
In reality, the DA could bring the agreement back to the board relatively easily.
When asked if the motion could be brought back to board, a spokesperson with the county said “assuming some change in circumstances or additional information, yes.”
The voting process on the issue at the Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday is complicated.
Supervisors who accepted political contributions from BRS or its officers ordinarily would be disqualified from voting. Supervisors Jeff Flores, Chris Parlier and David Couch all have taken campaign money from the group.
That left only supervisors Peters and Leticia Perez to cast votes, but Perez was absent Tuesday.
For anything to be considered, at least three of the five supervisors must vote one way or another, so the clerk of the board picked the names of two of the conflicted supervisors from a jar at random.
They were supervisors Flores and Parlier. Couch was not picked and so did not participate in Tuesday’s action. Along with Peters, Flores and Parlier made the quorum for the decision Tuesday.
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