As Webster County experiences another stretch of harsh winter weather, local leaders are taking a closer look at how to protect residents most vulnerable to extreme cold — including those without stable housing and others facing unsafe heating conditions.
Scott Allen, administrator of the Webster County Health Unit, said discussions around warming centers have been ongoing for more than a year as part of a broader effort to address homelessness in the county.
“We’ve been really concerned with the winter storms we’ve had this year and how they affect our unsheltered population,” Allen said. “This has been something we’ve been working on incrementally, trying to build resources as we can.”
Webster County has been collaborating with Community Partnership of the Ozarks and other local stakeholders, recently forming a homelessness task force to better understand the scope of the issue and identify realistic solutions. That group has since divided into two subcommittees — one focused on long-term strategies to address homelessness countywide, and another focused specifically on cold-weather emergencies.
The cold-weather sheltering group is now working toward a goal of having between one and three warming centers available by next winter.
“It’s a big process,” Allen said. “There are a lot of moving parts, and we’re trying to work through those responsibly.”
Participants in the discussions include county emergency management, local emergency planners, members of the faith community, rural behavioral health representatives, community navigators, and other local partners. Churches are being considered as potential locations, as they are often centrally located and already equipped to serve the public.
Ideally, Allen said, the county would like to see warming centers available in multiple areas, including Marshfield, Seymour, and the Rogersville or Fordland area.
However, planning a warming center involves more than just opening doors.
“Transportation is a huge piece,” Allen said. “How do you get someone without a car to a warming center? And this isn’t just a homelessness issue — there are elderly residents in Webster County who are heating their homes with their ovens because their furnaces don’t work.”
Other questions under discussion include how centers would be staffed, who they would serve, and what policies would be in place. Topics include whether centers would be open to men, women, families, or all three; whether pets would be allowed; and how to handle individuals with substance use issues or criminal backgrounds.
Logistical needs are also being addressed, such as providing cots, blankets, hot meals, and warm drinks, as well as determining what happens when temperatures remain dangerously low for multiple days.
Another challenge is establishing the temperature threshold that would trigger a warming center to open.
“The higher the threshold, the more often the centers would need to be open, and that adds complexity,” Allen said.
While no final decisions have been made, Allen emphasized that progress is being made and that community leaders are committed to having a plan in place by next winter.
“There’s discussion happening, there’s a goal, but nothing definitive yet,” he said. “This is something that’s actively being worked on.”
Community members interested in being part of the solution are encouraged to get involved. Taylor Williams of the Webster County Health Unit’s health education team is coordinating the meetings and maintaining an email list for those who want to participate.
“It’s a big process,” Allen said, “but I think we have everything in place to be able to do this next year.”
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