Major Transition for Shelter As Executive Director, Head of Board Resign

Sonoma Overnight Support, a ten-bed emergency homeless shelter owned by the City of Sonoma, is still regrouping after the resignation of two key personnel.

Citing a variety of irreconcilable differences with the board, S.O.S. Executive Director Bill Burrell turned in his resignation early last week - with S.O.S Board President Sy Lenz, quickly following. 

For Burrell the sudden end to his work with the shelter that he helped to found is a bittersweet conclusion.

"Several board members just wanted me out for whatever reason," said Burrell.  "I was never counseled, never told - they just didn’t like the way I was running the place."

But Burrell, who commuted from Novato for his work at the shelter, had been considering quitting his position in favor of a more relaxed retirement. He started work at S.O.S. over three years ago, as an exercise in his spiritual life after training as a deacon post-retirement.

Burrell was active in the founding days of the organization. Along with Lenz, the two "set the policy, set all the organization, got all the furniture there, and made sure we had contact with all the major homeless organizations in the Sonoma Valley," says Burrell.

At times, Burrell found the work grueling and fiscally unsustainable. While directing the shelter, which operates off of a budget of $60,000 per year - about half of which is provided by the City of Sonoma -  Burrell says he earned a $1,000 per month stipend.

Though the job was technically part-time, Burrell says he put in over 30 hours per week managing the facility.

"I think they’ve done a good job and I think we have to move on in a different direction, but we’re very grateful that they’ve put this organization on the map and were there for the people of Sonoma," said S.O.S. Board Member Elizabeth Kemp, who also founded the Brown Baggers.

Lenz and several S.O.S. residents declined to comment on the situation.

But S.O.S. Board Member, and Lisa Leeb says she hopes to see the shelter retooled with more of an emphasis on casework and hands-on support.

"I would like to see is a much deeper understanding of individual clients and their specific needs," said Leeb. 

But, Burrell argues, the shelter is not set up for counselling long-term residents.

"We did some minimal casework with [residents], but it's only an emergency shelter, it's not intended to have anyone there long term," said Burrell. "These people are not helpless, they’re not sick – well most of them have some sort of mental issue – but they’re functioning people."

Currently, S.O.S. members who need County support or services are provided with pre-paid bus passes to Santa Rosa, he said. 

But, since S.O.S. is the only shelter-facility in the greater Sonoma area, without an extensive support system, it becomes difficult for residents to transition out.

"If you want to call yourself a short term shelter, but you don’t step up and get an accurate understanding of what each individual client needs, they’re obviously going to be there more than three weeks," said Leeb. "It's sort of like ok: You allow people to come in, and you have some breathing room because you have a safe warm place to be, but within that first day that intake should be in depth - what services do they have, what services do they need."

The board elected Thursday to appoint an interim director before beginning a longer search for a permanent director, but according to Kemp, has not discussed appointing a new board president.

"They did a great job you know and give them their glory - and now we’ll move on onto the next phase," said Kemp.