Refugee Bowling Green representatives Matthew Stevens and Alice Tarnagda stand before the Barren County Fiscal Court on July 8 amidst a full room of Barren Countians, some of whom spoke at the special-called meeting and shared their concerns for the 30 individual refugees looking to reside in Barren County. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
In a letter sent to Barren County and Glasgow leaders, Refuge Bowling Green, a “locally founded” nonprofit that assists refugees thrive and acclimate in their new homes and communities, announced they were “slowing down” the process that aimed at settling 30 individuals in Barren County.
“After several weeks of discussions with local government leadership, we have decided to slow down the process of resettling refugees in the Glasgow/Barren County area,” the nonprofit wrote in a letter sent to Glasgow Mayor Henry Royse. “We strongly believe that having the support of local government officials and leaders from every public sector in the area is crucial to the successful adjustment of refugees in the United States.”
The discussion of the proposed settlement of these individuals initially came into the public discourse when Refuge’s representatives came to the Glasgow Common Council in June. Daniel Tarnagda, Matthew Stevens and Ray Woodie all appeared at the meeting — at the request of Royse — to clarify some misconceptions circulating on social media. For example, the refugees proposed to settle within the county were not “illegal,” as some social media posts claimed, but were vetted by the U.S. government, and would come from central American countries and not the claimed Afghanistan.
There were two more public meetings afterwards — one at the July Barren County Fiscal Court meeting and the other a “freedom of speech” meeting at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Glasgow — that essentially had members of the community ask the same questions such as those concerning their job status, their demographics and whether or not they would qualify for public programs — such as those offered through the Housing Authority of Glasgow.
Some community members spoke in favor of Refuge Bowling Green’s mission, but others were uncomfortable by the nonprofit’s process.
Due to the tumult of the community, the state asked for a letter of support, which the Barren County Fiscal Court announced they were not signing during the July meeting. Despite this the letter states they do not plan to stop the process all together, but, rather continue to “work” with leaders in the area.
“We plan to continue working with leaders in the Glasgow area to further discussions, enhance education about refugee resettlement, and build a strong base of support,” the letter states. “Our hope is that this will enable future resettlement efforts in the area to be managed smoothly with community support and collaboration.”
In the original reporting it was stated the nonprofit was planning to settle these 30 individuals in September, but with this “slowing down” it is unclear of the new timeline.
“While we acknowledge that the final decision on refugee resettlement lies with the Department of State and is at their discretion, we remain committed to making the Glasgow/Barren County area welcoming for newcomers and a safe haven for refugees and immigrants,” the letter states. “We will collaborate with the Department of State and the local community to ensure the successful resettlement of refugees in our care to the best of our ability.”
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