At today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Orange County’s sole shelter for battered women - the Women’s Transitional Living Center - told supervisors they were days away from closing their doors.
The answer?
Come back in two weeks and we’ll see.
Rocio Watson, executive director for the shelter, told supervisors that the shelter’s woes began with the delay in approving the state budget and that the shelter had already lost more than $300,000 in funding cuts.
“The budget stalemate has seriously affected our operation,” Watson said, adding that her group works with more than 120 women and children.
Right now, the shelter is awaiting $270,000 in payments from the state.
“These women and children will not have any place to go,” she said.
Watson said her shelter was looking for some sort of short-term assistance until the state funds arrive.
A visibly frustrated County Supervisor Chris Norby said he tried to get the shelter on the agenda Tuesday but was denied by Supervisors’ Chairman John Moorlach.
During the meeting, he also mentioned motioning for a 4/5 vote to add the item as an emergency but no other supervisor chimed in.
So, the shelter - which is holding a happy hour fundraiser tomorrow at Mulberry Street Ristorante at 114 W. Wilshire Ave. in downtown Fullerton - now waits to see if they can survive.
While the group owns its own building, the group needs money for operational costs such as salaries, food and electricity.
Shelter operators already have laid off a dozen workers, and board members have been reaching into their own pockets to pay staffers.
“We’ve almost had our phones turned off,” Watson said.
While Watson was visibly depressed by the lack of action, she remained upbeat that something could be solved by the next supervisors’ meeting.
“I hope we are here on Oct. 7,” she said.
Read more about the shelter here:
First it was cops now battered women and children. What has happened to this great County?
Janet Nguyen will only vote for it if it helps Vietnamese people.
It would be helpful if we knew what time the happy hour was!
I recall a caricature in the Orange County Register of Mr. Moorlach riding a horse as if he were a knight in shining armor. Some knight! He can’t even protect battered women and children.
Last week I read that Mr. Moorlach referred to $1,000,000.00 spent on his legal fees as “spit”. Maybe he should tell that to the families at the battered womens shelter who could have used that money to survive another day!
Don’t worry Mr. Moorlach, they’ll get by somehow. In the meantime I hope you sleep soundly at night knowing that your wife and kids are safe while others were ignored. As a republican I find it hard to defend my party when I hear of heartlessness like this. Shameful, just shameful.
Here’s another prime example of Moorlock thinking of himself over the public he has sworn to serve. I guess there is no political mileage to be had from abused women and children. Why don’t we all just spit at Moorlock.
I guess there aren’t any wealthy donors living in the shelter. Cause, oh boy…they would be falling all over themselves to serve up a heaping pile of tax dollars.
Shameful.
Absolutley shameful.
These supervisors and the overpaid bureaucrats wouldn’t even put it on the agenda.
Worst government that money can buy.
I am thoroughly disgusted with John Moorlach and hope others are too!!
There are several battered womens shelters in OC. Human Options, Laura’s House to name two. Each provides unique and important services. With all the wealth in OC we should be able to help them through this time.
I wonder how Melahat, Chris Prevatt, Alicia Berhow, Art Pedroza, all feel about supporting janet Nguyen now? Nice going Dems and jannies. You supported a POS that would not step up for batered women when you tried to destroy Hoa van Tran due to a plant placed by Melahat lied about Hoa van Tran.
I suggest everyone call Melahat and express your disgust to her for supporting Janet Nguyen when Janet wont even help battered women.
Moorlach should use that Million $ he’s spent on hiring law firm to renige on a contract for the Deputies 1% retro pension ( which comes out of the employees OCERS) for this shelter! Oh!, wait Morrlach has a personal vendetta towards law enforcement which is more important than Battered Women!
What happened to looking out for those who can’t fight for themselves? Why can the Board make its employees pay for their own retirement, yet line their own pockets? They sure a quick to give themselves pats on the back and raises. If the Board does not look out for the children of this County, they are no better than a child abuser. They spend too much of our own money on themselves.