LAKE HAVASU CITY — Despite expressed concerns over funding a nonprofit, Lake Havasu City Council members OK’d a plan contracting for specific services designed to help people in the court system with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Councilmembers OK’d the plan that the city’s Magistrate Judge Mitchell Kalauli explained would offer valuable assistance for the court’s Building Bridges program at a meeting late last month. The contract for services with nonprofit Clothes Closet called for $25,000 in the current budget year with $60,000 in city funds for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year.
“I’m excited about this,” Kalauli said of what the contract which began on Feb. 1 could do.
“It’s like having an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff,” Kalauli said. “By the time people get to the court system, they’ve already fallen over the cliff … We might get them to the hospital, but if there’s no hospital to get them to then we really have a hard time.”
Kalauli described the problem as being able to better treat problems of individuals making their way through the City Problem-Solving (Building Bridges) court participants.
“We’re good at identifying the problem, but we haven’t been so good at providing the necessary services,” Kalauli said.
The services that Clothes Closet and its community resource center would provide would offer those services under a deal with the city.
Specifically, space for service agencies to perform intake services and provide educational and support programs for individuals in need would be provided. Also, laundry services, transportation coordination, clothing and hygiene products and showers would be offered as well.
Members of the public and council members were effusive in their praise of Clothes Closet CEO Christine Watson and what the nonprofit has accomplished for Havasu residents needing a “hand up and not hand out.”
Concern that multiple councilmembers repeated was making sure the city gets what it pays for in its contract for services and it doesn’t appear that the city is simply funding a nonprofit.
“We need accountability,” said Councilman Cameron Moses. “This needs to be accounted for, tracked and documented.”
Kalauli said it would be tracked but getting individuals in the court system on a better path is not always as simple as flipping a switch.
It took a while for those individuals to get into their bad situations and it can take a while for the individuals to get where they need to be, Kalauli said.
“I’m on board with this, because its services rendered,” said Councilman Jim Dolan. She’s providing a service.”
Watson, who started the Clothes Closet in 2009 and relocated it to its current location at 1968 Mesquite Ave. in 2021 thanks to a generous donation, said she needs more employees to continue to bolster her efforts. It’s a lot of work for her and her small staff to perform, she acknowledged.
The council approved the contract on a 6-0 vote with Councilwoman Michele Lin recusing herself.
