Dorris, Hollister: Quality Inn Homeless Shelter Good For Joliet

JOLIET, IL — Two candidates for Joliet City Council, Hudson Hollister and Pastor Warren Dorris, announced Monday that one of the main goals of their Joliet's Renewal Agenda is to turn the Quality Inn Hotel on Larkin Avenue into a homeless shelter for the MorningStar Mission.

They urge the current Joliet City Council members to delay any vote on the proposal until after the April 6 races decide the three at-large seats.

Dorris and Hollister announced Monday they support the MorningStar Mission's proposal.

Their Joliet Renewal agenda calls for Joliet to "welcome all people especially those who are poor, isolated or overlooked ... We support MorningStar Mission's purchase of the Quality Inn property. We support expanding the city government's translation services. We oppose the city government's creation and filling of public-service jobs without opening them to all applicants," their joint statement read.

Hollister and Dorris held their noon news conference at the Barrett's Industrial Supply Store at 326 Henderson Ave.

Hollister and Dorris want the city's voters to know that they are in favor of the sale of the Quality Inn on Larkin Avenue to address Joliet's growing homeless population.

"There needs to be a long term look at the homelessness in Joliet," Hollister said.

Dorris said he often sees homeless people congregated near the busy Joliet intersection of Larkin Avenue and McDonough Street, just up the road from the Interstate 80 exit.

"There's people out there who have no other choices," Dorris said.

"We want to make sure that you are welcome here, that if you need service, it is provided. We're going to do that by supporting the MorningStar Mission's goal to secure the Quality Inn. Now, I've had several people tell me, 'Pastor Dorris, you have a multi-million dollar facility" referring to his Prayer Tower Ministries Church of God in Christ at 500 Stryker Ave.

"And I told them, yes, and that's why I want it because we have an opportunity. We have a responsibility to feed the poor, to take care of the homeless and those who are less fortunate."

Here are some of the other topics of their joint campaign platform:

Make Prudent Plans Yet Expect Blessing:

"We oppose the development of NorthPoint's East Gate Business Park Chicago because it was haphazardly approved, conforms to no long-term plan, will overwhelm our roads, and will not benefit Joliet's working people."

Do Justice:

"We support body cameras for our police department and we will prioritize the necessary expense over other budget priorities. We will invest our time disproportionately in economic development projects for our poorer areas such as grocery stores on our east side."

Pursue Reconciliation:

"We will resist efforts to pit Joliet against other governments and neighboring municipalities, believing that our region is strongest when its governments work together."

Later in Monday's news conference, Dorris said, "they call the city of Joliet the city of champions. Everybody in the city doesn't feel like champions."

Dorris said the addition of body cameras to the Joliet Police Department are vital and need to happen this year. He said body cameras will reveal instances when citizens make false accusations against the police, therefore, protecting officers from liability.

Likewise, body cameras will show when "the citizens are not treated fairly," he said.