After a lengthy public comment and two votes on Tuesday, Potter County Commissioners voted to rescind a land donation to Homeless Heroes of Amarillo.
At a previous meeting, Commissioners voted 5-0 to donate 10-acres of land on Willow Creek, near River Road, for transitional housing for homeless veterans. However, residents in the area created a petition opposing the location of the proposed tiny home village.
After a lengthy public hearing, Potter County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 against rescinding the 10-acre land donation. John Coffee and H.R. Kelley voted in favor of rescinding the land donation. Blair Shaeffer, Warren Coble and Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner voted in favor of donating the land.
“I have a strong heart for veterans; the entire purpose of this project was to help veterans with homeless veterans in crisis and not to hurt anyone else.
“I favor action over inaction; if someone has a better alternative, I am all ears. I do not see doing nothing as an alternative, unless and until a better alternative comes along, I will continue to support this project," Tanner said.
Tanner did apologize to citizens for not including them in the original discussion about the donation.
"While I favor the project, I fully understand that there are citizens who oppose it; those citizens should have an opportunity to tell us why this project is undesirable and for that reason.
"I apologize that I did not include you in any of this. That was all on me and not on the court," Tanner said.
In a dramatic twist after the first vote, Homeless Heroes representative Tiffiany Belflower took to the podium and requested that the donation be rescinded.
“I will rescind it because I care what people are saying, but I please ask that people help me make this happen,” Bellflower said.
After Belflower's remarks, Potter County Commissioners reintroduced the motion and voted 5-0 to rescind the land donation.
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