In the last few weeks, there has been coverage on the request for restraining order by Eureka Councilmember Kim Bergel against Cornelius Lowenstein. The next court date is on March 19. At the last hearing, Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Kelly Neel said the parties agreed to continue the hearing and will meet privately to see if they can resolve the issue and discuss future exhibits.
Today, March 3, maybe the last Eureka City Council meeting attended by Cornelius Lowenstein. It is not a secret that he plans to move. I attended the meeting to see how public comment would be handled this evening if Lowenstein spoke.
Mayor Susan Seaman and Councilmembers Austin Allison and Heidi Messner were absent today. Mayor Pro Tem Kim Bergel, Councilmembers Natalie Arroyo and Councilmember Leslie Castellano were present.
Lowenstein was at the meeting with supporters. Others present for the meeting included Harbor Commissioner Richard Marks, Matthew Owen, Eric Bergel and Kathy Srabian.
Lowenstein, Harry Wilcox and James Graham spoke on issues that concerned them and every single one of them mentioned needles and drug addiction.
Lowenstein started his remarks by addressing, "Dear Citizens of Eureka" and spoke about HACHR (Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction)."Nothing has caused as much damage and harm as HACHR."
Lowenstein spoke about grant money, the liability created by HACHR. He spoke about photos of "sitting Councilmembers sitting next to Brandi Wilson." Wilson is the former director of HACHR."If Seattle is dying, Eureka is drowning" said Lowenstein. He ended his remarks with "Make Eureka Safe Again."
"I am not here to badger anyone or get in anyone's face," said Wilcox. " I am here to discuss solutions."
"The biggest problem in Eureka is lack of mental health care," said Wilcox. "I have sat with two of the three people here and discussed ideas."
Wilcox said he used heroin for 40 years. He has been clean for 13 years. "Every time I pick up a needle, it talks to my addiction."
Wilcox: "If you are not going to listen to us, don't get mad at us." Ignoring constituents and concerns is contributing to the negative energy. "People are leaving in droves."
Wilcox said he had a meeting with Councilmember Castellano about needles and that she and Mayor Seaman "agreed to work with him."
James Graham said, " You got a big heroin problem." He mentioned how many people he saw nodding off on the way to the Council meeting this evening. "HACHR is 90 per cent of Eureka's problem." He asked Councilmembers to get rid of HACHR or at least regulate HACHR. " You got drug addicts running the place."
No other media was in Council chambers while I was there.
Related posts:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2020/03/insulting-comments-with-no-facts-to.html?m=1
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2020/03/false-accusations-and-baseless-aka.html?m=1
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2020/02/bergel-lowenstein-hearing-continued-to.html?m=1
(with links to all previous coverage on the request for restraining order)
In all the council meetings I attended, I have never seen Eric Bergel there. And he didnt even address the council and his ex wife.
ReplyDeletePeople might be silenced or intimidated or bullied out of town. But the problems will persist. #makeeurekasafeagain
Just there to intimidate you.
DeleteYour speech was great, I liked how you threw in voter fraud. Everyone gave a great speech.