News

May 20, 2023

Kearney Center homeless shelter copes with water leaks, closed kitchen

The Kearney Center is coping with water main leaks that are causing the emergency homeless facility to temporarily cut off its water supply during the day and access to its kitchen. Issues surfaced

The Kearney Center is coping with water main leaks that are causing the emergency homeless facility to temporarily cut off its water supply during the day and access to its kitchen.

Issues surfaced Wednesday, according to Rick Kearney, president of the nonprofit's Board of Directors and the tech entrepreneur the center is named after.

In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, he said board members were notified of the extent of the problem Aug. 4 when it was revealed that cracks and leaks in a water main under the property's slab had gotten "progressively worse."

"We don't know how that's possible, but it's actual," said Kearney, chairman and founder of Mainline Information Systems. "It takes a minute for the plumbers to find the leak, and then they had to jackhammer floors in our central corridor offices. They found the biggest of the leaks, and then it's kind of a stair-step process, where they have to fix the one leak, let it cure for 12 hours, and then see if there's any more leaks."

Located at 2650 Municipal Way, the facility was forced to cut off the water supply during the day as Tallahassee and much of the nation try to cope in the grips of an oppressive heat wave. The Kearney Center serves an average of 300 people per day and its clients. Kearney said portable toilets were brought on site for residents to use, along with cases of water bottles.

While the main leak was discovered and repaired, Kearney said another leak was detected, which affected the center's hot water supply. As a result, Kearney said the shelter had no access to hot water starting Thursday night, which prompted staffers to consult the Florida Department of Health regarding guidance on food distribution.

With the kitchen shutdown, a call went out on the popular Tallahassee Foodies Facebook group that the shelter was in need of "cooked food for the next couple of days" at meal times: 7:30 a.m. for breakfast, 11:30 a.m. for lunch and 6 p.m. for dinner.

"If you are able to, they are accepting donations of already prepared food, plates, bottled waters, ice, and eating utensils only at this time," a member posted. "If it's easier, they will even take pizzas."

Kearney said the water supply is expected to be restored by next week. When asked what's been the impact to clients served at the center, Kearney said, "it's a very uncomfortable circumstance."

"I think we've all experienced plumbing issues in our homes, and this is the same thing because on a larger scale," he said. "We can't use the kitchen, and we don't have hot water for proper dishwashing. We have worked with the health department to ensure that we have a safe kitchen environment, and so we've been working with outside volunteer groups and restaurants and other very generous supporters to bring food in."

In addition, he said, the Health Department didn't impose any punitive action on the facility and instead offered guidance on how to proceed.

The Democrat reached out to the Department of Health for comment and no response has been provided at the time of publication.

Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at [email protected]. Follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.