COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Most city leaders acknowledge homelessness in a problem in Council Bluffs, but the city council voted down the mayor's proposal to hire a homeless coordinator to work out of her office.
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"The major problem we have with the homeless problem is none of us know how to fix it," said Councilman Joe Disalvo.
He proposed a compromise that would lower the salary for the coordinator position.
"The median income in Council Bluffs for a household is somewhere in the 60 (thousand) range. So to create a position that would be paying that person double the median seems entirely out of line," he said.
Police Chief Matt Davis supported the mayor's proposal, pointing to similar roles in other cities.
"For lack of a better term, a 'shin-kicker' in the mayor's office, who can get all of the city departments working in concert," Davis said.
The chief said the role is a higher-level position requiring coordination across city departments, as well as with Omaha and other Nebraska cities.
"...Taking a long-term, strategic approach and not a day-to-day tactical approach, I think is very well advised," said Davis.
The Iowa West Foundation had agreed to pay approximately half of the proposed six-figure salary during a three-year trial period. The mayor said she was willing to accept the lower wage Disalvo suggested, but the council still did not reach an agreement.
"I thought it was decent thing to maybe have us give a shot to try, right?" said Disalvo. "My hope for the position was different for what everyone else's hope for the position was, which is why we didn't come to terms I feel."
Following the vote, the mayor said she was "deeply disappointed" and that the position is still needed.
