Winnebago County Opens Emergency Shelter After Staffing Shortage Closes Oshkosh Warming Shelter

“Well, because it’s life threatening — I mean, people will die if we don’t have the shelter open, and that’s the reality of the situation. Sometimes things are hard, and you just have to step up and do what you need to,” says Winnebago County Executive Jon Doemel.The county is asking its staff to work in the shelter.

“We are starting with our human services. We are offering incentives for people to cover shifts, especially since we are looking at 24 hours a day for the next few days over the Christmas holiday, so we will take care of our people that are willing to step up and take care of our people,” says Doemel.

The warming shelter had to temporarily close its doors due to staffing shortages.

Doemel says drug use among shelter residents is driving staff members to quit.

“Right now, the drug issue is rampant and sometimes these people can be very hard to deal with, especially because the Day by Day is a wet shelter, so whether you’re drunk or you’re high, you have an ability to come and have a warm bed,” says Doemel.

Day by Day Shelter officials declined an on-camera interview but told us they are working to urgently hire more staff members, take care of current employees and put people into hotels.

The county is also offering hotels to people in need.

“Ones that are down on luck or maybe have a job, we’ll put them up in a hotel. If there are any veterans in there, put them up in a hotel,” says Doemel.

Doemel is unsure how long the emergency shelter will need to be open.

“The weather will let us know,” says Doemel.

Day by Day is hoping to reopen in a few weeks.

The emergency shelter, which can house up to 25 adults, will remain open continuously from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 8a.m. Saturday before shifting to daily hours of 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. only.