Strange story for sure –

June 25, 2020 – Meanwhile, the center owes money. According to fire protection company Brewer and Company, they have been waiting for months on a payment of $125,000 for installing a sprinkler system in the building. They’ve had to cut their Christmas bonuses as a result.

“Our community has had a lot of hits here with a lot of economic challenges, as we all have in the Appalachia area. This is a challenge we don’t need,” Hatfield said.

There is also a concern for the men and women still staying in the center.

“It’s unfair to anybody that works there that doesn’t get paid, and it’s unfair to the people that live there that’s trying to do right, that’s going to fall back on account of it,” a resident said.

Eyewitness News reached out to Executive Director Belinda Harness for comment and did not immediately hear back.

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