Covington had two work session last week - one about homelessness and another regarding making changes to the city's charter.

Homelessness

Planning Director Randy Vinson said homelessness is a serious issue in Covington and Newton County and it is only going to get worse if steps are not taken, in a follow-up email Saturday.

The council is planning to organize a meeting with local clergy to discuss what is being done currently and what can be done going forward to address homelessness issues, he said.

Covington Housing Authority Director Greg Williams said in an email that the need to provide additional housing in Covington was stressed. However, the authority's housing units are full and it has a very long waiting list. It won't be able to take any additional steps unless additional funding is found.

City Charter

The city also held a work session regarding it plans to update the city charter, which was written in 1962.

City Manager Steve Horton said in an email that the meeting was predominantly about how to go about the process of reviewing the charter to identify areas that need to be changed.

City attorney Frank Turner, Jr. provided everyone with a highlighted copy of what sections of the Charter cannot be changed without state legislature approval. The charter review committee will meet next at 2 p.m., Oct. 12 at City Hall.