Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/316941
FIGHTING FOR NUMBERS After sleeping rough in Volusia County, Marbut appeared fresh and rested at Monday afternoon's commission session as he sparred over data with Vice Mayor Susan Chapman and Mayor Willie Shaw. She started by using information from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, which runs the Pinellas Safe Harbor shelter. "It talks about people who left after one month. Where did they go?" she asked. "Various places," replied Marbut. "Referrals to other programs, or they went out on their own, or they self-referred, perhaps to a job." "At the end [of the document] it says, 'Destination upon discharge' and 'Reason for leaving,'" continued Chapman. "It says, 'Unknown — 3,170.' So we don't know where 3,170 went?" "If you are part of the [Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)], you can fol- low the story of the person. This is internal tracking, not through the entire system," said Marbut. "How do we get HMIS data?" asked Chapman. "You'd have to ask the Pinellas Sheriff's office," he told her. "How do we get the data supporting your claims? I want the raw data that supports your statistics," she replied. "Each city has a different system," said Marbut. Homeless people gathered outside Selby Library and Five Points Park when the park was temporarily closed in May 2013. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader May 23, 2014 Page 71