Tomball’s Day Labor Site will live to see at least a few more months after the Tomball City Council agreed to consider alternative funding options for the facility that provides dozens of day workers a place to gather while awaiting job opportunities.

The City Council voted 3-1 July 6 to table an agenda item that would have renewed the lease on the site with property owners Frank and Russell DeNina. The council’s decision was met with no small amount of displeasure from a crowd of more than 30 who filled the seats at City Hall and pled with council members to renew the lease, which requires the city only pay the ad valorem taxes on the site, about $1,400 a year.

More than 20 city and local residents, including former mayor H.G. “Hap” Harrington, addressed the council and all generally shared the same opinion: keep the streets of Tomball clear of day laborers by retaining the site.

Many reminded council of the situation a decade ago when business owners, customers and residents complained to the Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tomball Police Department and City Hall about day laborers milling around Tomball streets looking for work.  The situation created an unsafe shopping environment, many said, and caused intimidation among shop owners and those driving or walking through Tomball.

Sallie Fisher, who owns a business on Commerce Street, told council she “lived through the fiasco” ten years ago and that day laborers would “congregate and intimidate, not because they were Hispanic,” she said.

“If we take the Day Labor Site away from those folks, they’re not going to leave,” Fisher added.

Several members of Tomball’s self-proclaimed “Faith Community,” local pastors and ministers, also addressed the council, including Al Navarro, Pastor of the Hispanic community at ChristBridge Church.

He explained several day laborers visit his church and he often feeds them breakfast or lunch.

“When people are down, it’s not the time to step on them,” he said. “They’re simply asking for work, and they have shown appreciation for being here.”

Sarah Starns is President of the Tomball Farmer’s Market, which is in its second year being held at the corner of FM 2920 and Cherry Street. She has worked to gain the Farmer’s Market full accredidation with the State of Texas and has since begun an advertising campaign in several trade publications.

“We’re just now getting some traction and one thing that would cripple us is a lot of men looking for work,” Starns said. She added that by eliminating the site and sending the workers out onto the streets, the Farmer’s Market would be “crippled or shut down.”

“Allow them to work. Allow them to feed their families,” she said.

The lease was initially brought before council on June 7 after the DeNina’s notified the city that the lease was expired. At the June meeting, the council agreed to table the item to pursue alternative funding. Councilman David Quinn said at the time, and reiterated his comment July 6, that he felt the city should “step away” from any ties to the site.

However, at last week’s meeting, Shawn Cox, assistant to the City Manager, explained that no alternative funding sources had been found.

In June Quinn suggested that the Tomball Chamber consider funding the site. Last month the Chamber Board of Directors met and agreed not to fund the site, an action he said left him “slack-jawed that the Chamber turned it down.”

Councilman Mark Stoll said he would be in favor of a lease that required the city to pay the taxes on the site, but turn over the operation, maintenance and costs of the portable toilets at the facility to a third party. That option was not considered by council.

In an address to the audience and those who spoke during public comment, councilman Derek Townsend said “we are the government, not these guys sitting up here. Everyone who spoke said ‘We’ve got to wait for the federal government. We’ve got to wait for this, wait for that.’ You are the government,” he said. “You have elected officials who represent you, but you are the ones who tell the people exactly how you want us to vote.”

However, Townsend, along with Stoll and Quinn, voted to table the item in order to find an alternative funding source despite the pleas of the audience.

Rick Brown was the lone council member who voted against tabling the measure, wanting instead to approve the lease agreement.

Among the alternative funding options, Quinn suggested Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries (TEAM) or the Tomball Rotary Club, of which he is a member, pay for the site.

“TEAM would be an excellent organization to funnel the money through,” he said.

Quinn also asked local land owners to “be patient with us” while the council finds another option.

“I would rather us keep looking,” he said.

Stoll said he has received phone calls and e-mails from people who oppose the day labor site.

“I was elected by the residents to watch over our finances,” he added. “It’s hard to look at city employees and say we can’t afford to pay you, but we’ll pay for the day labor site.”

Stoll also recommended the city ask TEAM to consider paying the taxes on the site. Mayor Gretchen Fagan asked Stoll if he would be willing to approach TEAM with such a proposal.

“No, it’s not my responsibility,” he said.

Fagan offered a potential solution to the issue when she said she could accumulate pastors and ministers from at least 15 Tomball area churches who would be willing to pay $100 in order to retain the Day Labor Site.

While council seemed appeased with that proposal, none said they would take the lead to initiate such a plan.

The council will vote again on the expired lease in December. Until then, the site will continue to operate, with the 2010 taxes on the site having already been paid by the city. The bill for the ad valorem taxes on the site will not be calculated until October with the bill being due by the end of January 2011.

Russell DeNina has previously said that if no entity opts to take over the funding, he would likely close the site due to liability issues. At the July 6 meeting, DeNina said he would keep the site open while the council makes a decision.

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