COUNTY OK ALLOWS CAMARILLO SHELTER TO KEEP RUNNING.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved funding that will allow the RAIN homeless shelter to operate through the fiscal year, despite objections from one board member who wants the cities to absorb some of the costs.

The supervisors, by a 4-1 vote, approved $96,900 for salaries and supplies to ensure that the Camarillo shelter's 56 clients would not be kicked out onto the street early next month while operators search for a permanent facility.

``I'm relieved,'' said Kathy Jenks, shelter director. ``Finally we have some breathing room. If we hadn't gotten the money today, we would have closed on April 3.''

RAIN's budget for the fiscal year now stands at $640,000 - $253,000 of which came from the county and the remainder from federal sources, she said.

The shelter has used rent-free space at Camarillo Airport since last year, but airport Director Rod Murphy months ago informed Jenks that he will begin leasing the space in late July.

She said RAIN will relocate to the former Association for Retarded Citizens building on Lewis Road in Camarillo if it can cover the costs of fixing up the building and operating from the new site.

A recent inspection by county fire officials showed that some $470,000 in renovations are needed, but Jenks said she hopes the bulk of those expenses will be eliminated by volunteer labor.

The supervisors approved the general fund contingency allotment but agreed, as does Jenks, that the shelter should ultimately be turned over to a nonprofit organization.

``There is nothing wrong with being a bleeding-heart liberal,'' said Supervisor John Flynn, in explaining why he approved the funding. ``I wear it with pride. I believe we need to help these little kids and their parents get on their feet.''

Supervisor Frank Schillo, the lone dissenter, said approval of the funding request would place the entire program under county control.

``The cities are still not present,'' he said. ``There is a moral obligation to help these people. I feel uncomfortable with the county being the only one to help. I'm known as a compassionate conservative. I'm not going to vote for it.''

Oxnard recently turned a three-year, $750,000 federal Housing and Urban Development grant over to RAIN - no longer called the River-dwellers Aid Intercity Network since it has expanded to include other homeless people, but is still referred to as RAIN. These funds, however, won't be available until the next fiscal year, starting July 1.

About 38 percent of the shelter's population comes from that city.

Supervisor Judy Mikels agreed that cities should contribute, but she said support would not be organized before the funds were to be cut in April.

``I don't think we should be holding people hostage to leverage money from the cities,'' she said.