By Kiara Velez, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
"Social media is not always correct," said Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson during the November 20th Apopka City Council meeting, addressing rumors that had been circulating about his resignation from the Next Step Foundation's Board of Directors.
According to its Facebook page, the Next Step Foundation is collaborating with community partners to develop a comprehensive plan to address homelessness and related issues.
The confusion stemmed from a post on The Apopka Critic stating that Nelson had resigned from the Next Step Board and a mass email statement sent by Pastor David Schorejs of the Next Step Foundation.
Commissioner Diane Velazquez read off the written email sent by Schorejs during the meeting, which said, "Some may have heard that the Mayor was resigning from the Board. It has been discussed because the Mayor is in full support of this effort and does not want those who have 'ought' with him using that against the effort".
In the email, Schorejs clarifies that Nelson was not asked to resign, but instead, it was a "suggestion he made if it would help".
When asked to clarify the meaning of the email, Schorejs made the following statement to The Apopka Voice:
"The Apopka Critic had said the Mayor resigned. He has not! He had expressed a willingness to resign from the Board if it would help and somehow that was shared. I was attempting to say that he is still a Board Member."
The Apopka Critic is a local Facebook page with over 14,000 followers.
"All this Foundation wants to do is bring some love and care to individuals who are in bad situations. The noise of politics should not be involved," the Apopka Critic account said in response to the situation in a recent Facebook comment.
"We at the Critic apologize if we misled anyone with our source's information. Nelson certainly should have been more forthcoming when asked about the situation during the Council Meeting," The Apopka Critic posted on his Facebook page.
In the initial email to stakeholders, Schorejs acknowledged the organization's challenges, particularly with securing a long-term location for the homeless community in Apopka.
"This is one of those hard-to-write emails,"Shorejs said. "I am a man who likes to get things done and to acknowledge that I (we) are stuck is hard for me to do. But we are at an 'interlude' in results - not in the effort, as we continue to work on many things behind the scenes! Unfortunately, a place (Drop-in center - transitional shelter) is not yet identified and secured. There has been great progress in ruling places out but little results in confirming a location."
Schorejs emphasized that work behind the scenes is still ongoing.
"We do not yet have a location. There is resistance to having it near downtown. But if it is not accessible to them, it defeats the purpose," said Schorejs.
The Next Step Foundation Board members are still in the process of setting up a meeting with the City Commissioners to ensure "full buy-in" and allow each Commissioner to voice any particular concerns. The next community meeting will be scheduled for early 2025, but in the meantime, the Foundation's vision of providing a safe and supportive space for those in need remains a priority.
