The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie Church in the Park Director Mike Brooks addresses the Elkins City Council during its Thursday meeting after the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission asked the religious group to stop hosting events in the city parks.

ELKINS — Church in the Park officials asked Elkins City Council to allow them to continue hosting events in the city’s parks Thursday night, after the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission asked the group to stop doing so.

More than 40 members and supporters of the religious community group attended Thursday night’s meeting to voice their opposition to being asked to no longer offer their weekly religious and free meals events at the city’s parks.

During the public comment section of the meeting, Greg Johnson, a representative for the Lunch with Neighbors Feeding Ministry at First United Methodist Church, spoke about challenges faced by those who live on the streets in the area, including addiction, mental illness, illiteracy, theft, no proper documentation and more, and how the churches have had to step in when the community would not. 

Johnson described how several people in the religious group have taken people to rehab, the homeless shelter, the DMV, the Social Security Office, the Housing Authority and the Randolph County Circuit Court, and even used their home addresses so people could receive mail. He called on the City of Elkins and Randolph County to lend a hand.

“The community has kicked the street people can around long enough,” Johnson said. “Those of us trying to help need a concerted effort from the city and county. We need social workers on the street and at all the feeding ministries. Look at using opioid settlement money. Look at a grant from West Virginia First Foundation. I’ve been doing this for five years. Currently, there are more homeless in this community than any time I’ve seen in the last five years.”

Melody Morici, a volunteer with the group, said she felt the need to clarify statements that were made by the City of Elkins to the media, including The Inter-Mountain, regarding why Church in the Park was asked to stop holding their events in the parks.

“Since there was statements made by somebody from the City of Elkins regarding Church in the Park on the local news and on the front page of The Inter-Mountain today, I wanted to, on behalf of our group, clarify that every time we’re in the park, we clean up everything,” Morici said. “We do not leave trash. There have been members of our group that have actually taken trash when it’s overflowing. We try to leave it cleaner than we found it. I have personally cleaned up trash that was already there when we got there.”

Morici also addressed a comment regarding the group not properly booking the park spaces “like any other organization,” stating that the group had been following the “first come, first serve” rule the Elkins City Park pavilions’ signs say is allowed if the space is currently not in use. She also commented that those signs appeared to have been replaced in the last week and no longer said “first come, first serve.”

On Friday, the City of Elkins released a statement in its weekly “City Hall News” column for The Inter-Mountain that reads, “As of July 25, none of the City’s park pavilions are available for free use. All pavilions must be reserved and rented. Contact the EPRC, which operates independently of the City, with any questions.”

Later Friday afternoon, a city representative emailed a request to alter the column so the information about changing the pavilions policy was no longer included.

The Inter-Mountain sought clarification on the issue from the city on Friday afternoon, and a city representative sent the following by email:

“At its July 16 meeting, EPRC took action and made the decision that all EPRC park pavilions must be reserved through the standard EPRC rental process.”

During Thursday’s meeting, Morici also added that members of their group had offered to pay the rental fee for the pavilions in the past, but “were denied that opportunity.”

Church in the Park Director Mike Brooks explained what the group has done and wants to continue to do for those in the community.

“What goes on in that park is life for the people who are outcasts, and God favors the outcasts, and we ask for your help,” Brooks said. “We do the best we can with cleaning up, we bring food, we bring God’s word and we try to instill hope. Church in the Park, alone, has brought 20 people to rehab. We brought three last month. We have baptized 26 people. Others have come forward to receive Christ, and it’s a focal point for the community. Everybody knows Church in the Park… they go to church in the park because we’re going to treat them with dignity.”

Pastor Steven Tolson, of Celebrate Recovery at the Refinery Church in Elkins, spoke briefly as well, offering his support to Brooks and Church in the Park and informing council that Celebrate Recovery was back in operation after five years as of May.

“We’ve served 300 meals,” Tolson said. “I’ve taken two people to rehab. The work that (Brooks) does and the work that we do is hand-in-hand. I’m just letting you guys know there is a resource. If any of the council members can reach out to me, I’m not hard to find. I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Church in the Park volunteer Pastor Mike House, of the Ambassador Baptist Church in Elkins said the group and other churches were asking for the City’s support.

“Today, we’re here just asking the city, and we’ll be approaching the county as well, to partner with us,” House said. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There’s already many, many ministries, many things going on, and we just want you guys to partner with us, financially.”

Gary Lockett, former pastor for Highland United Methodist Church and a Church in the Park volunteer, stressed that Church in the Park needs to continue their work.

“We’re giving them hope,” Lockett said. “We’re letting them know, ‘Hey, we care about you. God loves you’… Help us and let us keep coming to the park.”

David Biggs addressed council, not as a volunteer of the Church in the Park group, but as a supporter and a homelessness “success story.” Biggs explained he used to “be that homeless person sleeping up on the bench behind the railroad station,” but he was now three years clean, after 10 years in prison, and firmly believes that everyone deserves a second chance.

“I believe what (Church in the Park’s) doing is the right thing,” Biggs said. “That might not be my God, but I’m supporting 100% on what they’re trying to do to help these people. … I just hope that everyone on the council sees that (Church in the Park’s) doing the right thing.”

Only one member of the audience was denied the chance to speak at the beginning of public comment. As per West Virginia law, if someone wishes to speak on a topic that is not on a city council meeting’s agenda during public comment, the council must vote to allow that person to speak. The approval must be unanimous among all council members. Fifth Ward Council Member Burley Woods voted to not allow the audience member to speak, and when questioned by another audience member as to why he voted that way, Woods said he would happily discuss the matter with the person after the meeting had ended.

While giving her meeting report, Elkins City Attorney Gerldine Roberts asked council to indulge her as she spoke on the dedication of city officials and employees. “Every employee, every elected official, every appointed person I deal with in the City of Elkins has the best interests of this community at heart to a daily basis,” Roberts said

Roberts noted that, shortly after being elected, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco established the Addiction & Homeless Resources Task Force that “deals with exactly the questions that people are asking this evening.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Marco explained that after “praying long and hard,” he was going to “pass” on making any comments and ended the meeting.

The Church in the Park group will also meet with the Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 20.