What does our City Council and City Manager have to say about this,daily waste of EPD resources? And the negative effect on revenue and tourism?
Operation Safe Streets:
How is it that St Vincent dining facility is any different than any other business that continuously disrupts their neighbors and causes loss of revenue to nearby businesses? Wouldn't most businesses be put on notice, sued or shut down?
Fact is, nobody wants to be the bad guy and point out the obvious fact that this is the only goodwill location (locally) that tolerates poor behavior on a fairly routine basis.
The existing problems are at absolutely no fault of the hard working and dedicated staff that works there everyday for low or no pay. The failure falls squarely on the board of directors who handle the oversight of the facility.
Directors have an obligation to those working at and using the facility, as well as nearby neighbors and the community, to make the location safe for everyone. Take a long hard look at what other local groups are doing to be good neighbors and then drive by this location to decide for yourself. Many businesses have been forced to close their doors for far less egregious behavior.
It's time that free meal (as it's known by locals) step up their game and either damand better behavior from ALL of their guests. If not, perhaps its time they close their doors and let the more responsible groups in town provide the services our truly homeless folks need and deserve.
The following is an excerpt from a memo dated May of 2017 from former EPD Chief Mills to City Manager Sparks.
"For approximately thirty years, individuals have gathered at 3rd and Commercial, adjacent to the Saint Vincent de Paul (SVDP) due to the provision of a free meal.
However, in the past year the
number of people spending the day on the sidewalk and street has grown, resulting in an increase in vandalism, trash accumulation, graffiti, drug use, and other violations of the municipal code such as Sit and Lie and Camping..."
How is the negative impact from St Vincent any different from that caused by Floyd Squires' properties?
ReplyDeleteA neighbor left a can of cat food out for the raccoons (his cat didn't like it). It not only drew the raccoons but it drew an infestation of ants. Because it was left near my front door, I have to deal with the ants. I don't like pesticides so I use less toxic methods but it doesn't keep them from coming back. I guess I'll have to get some ant poison and put it out where other creatures can't get to it just to sole a problem I shouldn't have.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me in a much smaller scale, what I'm dealing with is much the same as ordinary people are dealing with because of the free food location.
I can understand the ants always looking for food same way people are always hungry. I know what I can do to get rid of the ants and I asked the neighbor to not put out food near my door (he thought the raccoons would eat the food even if it was crawling with ants...lot he knows). But like the clueless neighbor the people in charge of the free food in Eureka seem to be clueless about the cause and effect, not of feeding people, but of placing requirements on those receiving the food and what happens when they don't.
I wonder if they're afraid of the larger issue which is how to deal with those who become angry and violent when refused entrance to eat. Letting people do what they want means not having to confront them and risk possible violent responses. So they think they're avoiding problems but all they're doing is making other, innocent people have to deal with the problems.
I don't know what the Eureka City Code has as far as public nuisance, but here's an article about the State codes:
https://www.shouselaw.com/public-nuisance.html
There is no difference!!! And the city needs to take a damn stand and quit helping Betty enable these freeloaders. If it were any other business that was creating ALL OF THE BS that St Vinnies creates it would have been shut down long time ago. DO YOUR JOB CITY OF EUREKA!!!! Is this really want you want your grandkids to grow up around?? REX......is this the kind of shithole you want for your two sweet grandbabies??? I hardly think so, so then get it in gear and stop helping the enabling BS. If they aren't from here and are homeless bus their ass out of here. The ones that are getting all the freebees like shelter, phones, SSI make them earn their way like you and I have too.
ReplyDeleteBut Betty™ has a cute website! It's chock full of all things Betty™... and who doesn't love that? Building a brand name is a lot of work! Thank Mother Nature, The City Of Eureka is helping to build that name for Betty Chin©®™... using our tax dollars!
ReplyDeleteNasty old Floyd Squires doesn't have a cute website. Floyd was never given an award by Obama™. Floyd is bad for Eureka. But I don't want to end this on a sour note, so.... BETTY™ ROCKS!!!!!!!! YAY!