Gastonia has opened a temporary indoor cooling station for homeless and vulnerable residents when the heat index rises to 95 degrees or above.
WCNC reports Mayor Richard Franks expressed frustration last Thursday after an emergency city council meeting failed to produce solutions for the city's troubled cooling station for homeless residents. He said, "It made Gaston County look like a bunch of hillbillies."
The controversy began when the city opened an outdoor cooling station that sparked immediate community backlash. Critics questioned why people experiencing homelessness were being asked to seek relief from extreme heat in another outdoor location. Last week, Franks said some city employees worked against using the Salvation Army Building for heat relief.
"We're gonna do what's best for every citizen and some of my compadres on the right side of the aisle are gonna get mad because a little bit of money has to be spent. That's OK, because you got to do what's right. And we are, as a body, gonna do what's right," he said.
The cooling station is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Gastonia at 107 S. Broad Street, with tables, chairs, bottled water and a public restroom.