The Mountain Road Church in Fruit Heights, no doubt following their Christian Faith, believed their house of worship could be utilized during downtime to house the homeless in Davis County. Not as a 24/7 homeless shelter, but as a place to sleep for the few nights when temperatures drop so low that being outside becomes life-threatening.

State law requires each county to have a place to shelter the homeless when a “Code Blue” is declared, defined as when temperatures are “expected to drop to 18 degrees (including the wind chill) for two hours or more during a 24-hour period.”  In these conditions, being outside is life-threatening.  According to state records, Davis County had 23 Code Blues this past winter.

The proposed arrangement for the Mountain Road Church would be as follows: At 7 p.m., a bus would bring unsheltered people to the church where they would be allowed to sleep inside. Building would be locked, and a sheriff deputy would provide security. The next morning, the unsheltered people would be taken back to where they were picked up the night before.  

Davis County was also looking at potential shelter locations in Kaysville earlier this year but Mayor Tamara Tran said there is “no way in hell” that she would allow a shelter in the city. The empathy continued from Councilman John Adams as he was quoted saying “It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let one come here.” They’re both right in invoking Hell in this situation as that’s what the homeless in Davis County are going to experience this winter. Maybe the Mayor and Councilman could use a few Sundays at The Mountain Road Church to thaw their own hearts.

To continue the Mountain Road Church saga, when learning of the arrangement, a cheerful cohort of residents, reminiscent of the loving mobs in centuries past, showed up in all their grassroots splendor and let the city and church know that a true Christian puts empathy for property values above all else.  And rightfully so! Imagine the crime, the drugs, the threat to the public that these homeless people, locked into a church and under guard for 23 nights a year, could cause! Just think of our children (but don’t include the 1,300 homeless children currently attending Davis County Schools).

I do share a glimmer of hope. In my neighborhood’s social media pages, GroupMe text threads, and sidewalk conversations, I’ve actually found that those who support sheltering homeless on winter nights outnumber those who don’t. And it’s not even close. We have a classic situation of a vocal minority showing up to meetings, combined with spineless government leaders that cater to that minority instead of doing what’s right. That’s how the wonderful “defund police” movement gained traction across the country with its outstanding outcomes so why not follow the same game plan here?

So here’s a member of the silent majority breaking their silence. Please, can we have a leader step up and let a few dozen homeless people have a warm bed 20-30 times a year? As a resident of Kaysville, I’d be proud to be the city that stepped up! Right now, I honestly feel ashamed and wonder if I made a mistake moving here from Salt Lake City (I had already crossed Draper off the list after those remarkable residents quashed a women and children shelter several years ago).  

The beautiful Christian faith that the Mountain Road Church shares with many in our community includes the scripture: The First Shall be Last and the Last Shall be First. I look forward to the day when our poor, suffering homeless brothers and sisters finally get their turn to be first. But in the meantime, maybe we in Kaysville can be the First so we don’t end up being the Last…

Ben Walker

Kaysville