The North State is in a triple-digit heat wave that's set to last most of the week. In Chico, the city has no current contract to set up a cooling center — despite officials initially saying they did.
When asked if there were plans for the city to open a cooling center, two officials initially said the city was contracting with Safe Space, a nonprofit that works with churches to provide air-conditioned buildings that residents can access during the day.
In an email to NSPR, Chico City Manager Mark Sorensen said the "Safe Space contract was extended for a year.” Public Works Director Erik Gustafson said the city was "currently partnering with Safe Space to provide both cooling and warming center services."
But according to Safe Space Executive Director Hilary Crosby, the contract with the city expired over a month ago, and a new one hasn’t been signed. Safe Space says negotiations were underway, but the nonprofit hasn't been contacted by the city since it requested some changes to the contract in July.
Without funding from the city, Safe Space said it isn't able to provide a cooling center. Instead, their outreach team will be distributing water and other cooling supplies to vulnerable people.
"We're operating as if we're unfunded," Crosby said.
When pressed on the status of the contract with Safe Space, Gustafson said negotiations had stalled following amendments and clarifications to the contract requested by Safe Space.
"Typically contract status can go to month-to-month status or, if purchasing thresholds aren’t exceeded, we can use those services on an as-needed basis until the contract extension is finalized.” Gustafson said in an email. “That is simply the case here, the contract expired and I just haven’t had time to sit down with Hiliary [Crosby] and discuss the minor changes."
He added that he didn't expect any further hangups with the contract and that the city intends to extend it by a year.
When asked yesterday afternoon if the city had other plans for a cooling center during this week's heat, Gustafson said the city would "operate as needed until the contract is officially renewed." He did not respond to an email requesting information on where a city-run cooling center would be located, how long it would be open, or what services would be provided there.
According to the city of Chico’s website, the city activates an emergency cooling center when temperatures are forecast to stay at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit with no precipitation for several consecutive days. A heat advisory — which is issued ahead of extremely dangerous heat conditions — is in effect in Chico today through Friday, with temperatures forecast to hit 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
So far, there has been no public communication from the city about any available cooling centers where residents can go to seek relief.
The California Department of Public Health told NSPR in an email that there are "no statutory or regulatory mandates for local communities or the state to provide cooling centers."
