Mobile outreach program logs thousands of miles and dozens of transports; council praises program but asks about sustainability

Representatives of the Columbia Basin Resource Center presented a detailed update on the mobile outreach and transportation (Mottz) contract at the Sept. 22 meeting, supplying month‑level billing data and operational metrics for June through August.

Dan Deleno, CBRC director of operations, said the three‑month reporting window recorded 4,177 total miles (3,362 long‑distance regional transports and 815 local street outreach miles), 24 complete client transports covering 17 unique individuals, and 1,776 hours of continuous on‑call availability. "We don't just give someone a ride to a facility, drop them at the curb, and walk away," Deleno told the council, describing case management, post‑treatment delivery of clothing and supplies, assistance with bed deposits, and follow‑through on graduation days to place clients into sober living homes.

David Hunt, CBRC president, and Deleno disputed social‑media allegations that the program simply escorts unsheltered people out of Moses Lake to make the city look better. Hunt said program records show most transported clients are longstanding Moses Lake residents, and program outcomes included multiple treatment completions and at least five Oxford House placements during the quarter. Deleno and Hunt also presented a line‑item fiscal summary: invoiced city reimbursements of $17,530 for operations/mileage during the quarter, plus reported uncompensated labor subsidies and small personal loans to keep the checking account solvent — numbers they said together represented an outsized in‑kind contribution to the city’s public safety goals.

Council members pressed on timing, repeat transports (two repeat detox cases in the period), coordination with law enforcement and jail diversion questions. CBRC said coordination with MLPD and the sheriff is routine, with twice‑monthly coordination calls and on‑the‑spot phone contacts during sweeps. Councilman Lombardi asked about time‑of‑day patterns; presenters said pickups can occur at any hour if a client is ready, and highlighted one case where immediate transport led to nine months sober and housing. Council members commended the program as an effective local intervention and asked staff to consider sustainability and possibilities for private donations; CBRC confirmed they are a 501(c)(3) and accept private support.

The council did not take formal action at this meeting but acknowledged the program’s role in broader public safety and housing strategy and raised follow‑up questions about funding, reporting cadence and metrics to track conversion rates over time.