The
Salvation Army has closed its emergency overnight shelter at 206 Peabody St.
while the organization works with city officials on permitting requirements.
Nathan
West, city community and economic development director, said Tuesday that city
officials Monday notified the Salvation Army that its shelter was illegal as an
overnight facility because it lacks sprinklers, among other safety issues.
West said city officials learned of the shelter, which has operated since
mid-February, on Monday.
“We
just kind of pushed things over, and we did emergency housing,” Ramsey
explained. “We did not check with the requirements the city might have had for that." On Monday, a city official “asked what I was operating,” he recalled. “They were unaware we were there.”
“Typically,
we'd expect someone to turn in an application for a new use of a building.”
The Salvation Army began providing overnight services to the homeless after
Serenity House closed its 20-bed Street Outreach Shelter at 505 E. Second St.
in mid-February due to budget deficits and a sewer line collapse, the Peninsula
Daily News reported Feb. 18.
The overnight shelter has been mentioned in multiple news reports since.
Bad decisions and bad communications all around. In other words, plenty of blame for everybody.
Good Lord...
Nathan and the City give awards and praise to Revitalize Port Angeles, who blame the needy for their problems, and want the needy moved out of town.
ReplyDeleteNathan and the City methodically set about closing down the emergency shelters around town. The City staff direct the City Council to stop funding programs for the needy, like Assistance to Victims of Domestic Abuse, and aid to pay utility bills.
City spends millions on Nathan's waterfront projects.
Don't forget "Nathan lies about not knowing this shelter existed."
DeleteOr doesn't Nathan know how to read?
Let's tie all these various storylines together, shall we?
ReplyDeleteHow about the city shuts down the homeless shelter, just as summer is starting. So, hey! Why don't you guys go sleep rough in the woods? That way we can increase the chances of a campfire starting a forest fire, just as the rivers run out of water.
I mean, we've got the first fire of the season in ONP already. And the 4th of July is just around the corner...
Wonder what happened to that million and a half the Serenity house got for the land they sold to Sequim to build their new city hall?
ReplyDeleteHas Serenity House been audited lately? In my experience it is these do-gooder type organizations that no one would dare ask nosy questions have the most skeletons in the closet. If we are going to put up with this crap we need to audit the Serenity House who get a gazillion dollars, hire lots of insiders and, admittedly do a lot of good but what else do they do with all that money. Audit Serenity House.
DeleteThey bought a shopping center on Washington ST south of Safeway.
DeleteWhat possible purpose could they have with a shopping center? Is this legit? Did they really purchase a strip mall?
DeleteThey located their thrift store in one of the buildings. They earn rental income from the other buildings. They support operations with the rental income. Seems legit to me.
DeleteAlready have first fire in the ONP
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite headlines of all times: Take the money and shun
ReplyDeleteThank you. Your kind words are appreciated.
DeleteAs we shuttle the homeless to and fro let us remember this: From the book of Matthew:
ReplyDeleteOn the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"
The only thing I can find that Jesus repeated three times was this:
DeleteFeed my sheep
Feed my sheep
Feed my sheep
Well to be fair I don't read the PDN much anymore either.
ReplyDeleteStill, I'm surprised... no, not surprised, just disappointed that the city couldn't have given them a warning and a timetable to get the building up to code especially given the circumstances (it was a rush job to get emergency housing up for winter with no time for a proper renovation.) At least they aren't kicking out the homeless in the middle of winter, but still, this is at best insensitive stupidity.
Revitalize folks said get rid of em and that's what they did. Now they can get back to painting the stairs...
DeleteWhich ones said that? Pretty much everything anyone ever said in there is still on Facebook. So show us.
DeleteAnonymous 9:36
DeleteLiar, liar, pants on fire. Too bad there's no water to put out your fire.
When was the last time you helped the unfortunate?
Anon 9:15. Says: " Pretty much everything anyone ever said in there is still on Facebook. So show us."
DeleteSeriously? One of the hallmarks of Revitalize Port Angeles is to remove any posts that they don't like, or any conversations that make them look bad. Anybody that ever had any interactions on the Revitalize site knows this, first hand.
Once again, deny, deny, deny. Just look at the PDN accounts of the issues, last fall.
Or, more importantly, Listen to the city council meeting where that young woman talking about the heroin use in Poert Angeles schools, and see if you can hear ANYTHING said by Revitalize Port Angeles leadership about that. You know they were in the audience, as they immediately followed her to laud their own supposed achievements.
The longer that group is around, the easier it is to see what a self centered, selfish, self preoccupied and inhumane group of people they are.
Revitalize + Port Angeles United + chamber of commerce =More Cherie Kidd
Delete7:45. Revitalize takes down trash talk. So does PDN. CK & Harper screen comments. Seems to me, if it's not OK to accuse Max without evidence, it's not OK to accuse Revitalize. But I see it is, for you anyway. So now some revitalize people start a group to help fix exactly what you want. There is no reason to assume that tiny PA can conquer this national epidemic. So possibly nothing will come of this new group. But certainly nothing will come of badmouthing it. So when will we see you there?
DeleteAnon 8:05
DeleteNo, you can't get away with whitewashing what Revitalize does like that. Let me rephrase that. YOU can delude yourself with such whitewashing, but most everyone else knows well what a bunch of insensitive, self centered people make up Revitalize. "Take down trash talk"? I guess you can characterize anything you don't want to hear about what is going on as "trash talk".
"There is no reason to assume that tiny PA can conquer this national epidemic." I see you parroting the official party line. The usual lack of responsibility for what the leadership and it's policies have resulted in. It is not any one local that is at fault, it is a "national epidemic".
How DARE you!!! You obviously are so disgustingly self absorbed and clueless as to continue to justify how the Revitalize leadership, along with most ALL the civic leadership of this town WILLFULLY ignored that young woman who asked for hope for the youth of Port Angeles. What kind of morals were you raised with? Is the all-mighty dollar really the most important thing in your collectives lives?
Revitalize did start up a group in response to the outcry to their abhorrent behavior. Why? To try to make themselves feel better.
See me at any group like Revitalize? Please. I was raised better than that. I did attend a number of their meetings, and know first hand how selfish and unrealistic they are.
No matter how much lipstick you put on, we still can see you are pigs.
Look forward to a repeating leafleting campaign in town, to remind everyone, including visitors, exactly how the leadership of this town responded to that young woman's pleas for help and hope.
If the City is SOO concerned about homeless and needy people in the city, how come it does everything it can to make things difficult for them? Cuts funding, and harasses the few private folks that scrape together SOMETHING to try to help.
ReplyDeleteIs it really so difficult for staff, and city council members to understand that when they cut the funding to a variety of different programs specifically for people in need, those people DON'T HAVE the resources to do anything about it. THAT is why they are called "needy"," victims", "abused".
With the City harassing, instead of helping, they join the ranks of the abusers.
Oh it was in the paper, sure they knew - unofficially. Entirely possible the City ignored it as long as they could, but some event or complaint forced them to take official notice of it. It happened last year with that flophouse on 2nd or 3rd above Peabody creek. 'No fire suppression system' wouldn't be acceptable in ANY public lodging. 'No permit' - well, you might as well mention it then and there, as shoot 'em down again some other time. Too bad it had to happen at all, but it was going to sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteIn the case if shelters, "build it and they will come" really does come true.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of what the City knows:
ReplyDelete"Public Works and Utilities Director Craig Fulton said:
“We need to be very clear to the people. The river will not run dry, and we will not be running out of any drinking water. There will be plenty of water for municipal consumption, but there will be impacts that will be occurring to fish viability [in the Elwha River, where the city draws its water].” "
Unbelievable.
Amazing! Craig must be a psychic, to be able to state with such authority that "the river will not run dry."
DeleteI just feel so much better now, so relieved! It's another great day in Port Angeles, people!
Will we have enough water to wash the homeless people off of the sidewalks?
DeleteJust as an FYI...Apparently no one has found this blog by searching for phrases like, "port angeles drought," or "water shortage port angeles?" But I'd imagine that as this situation continues, phrases like that will become pretty common - which is exactly what the real estate folks are worried about.
DeleteWell, those who are smart enough to worry, anyway.
Search terms of the future...They may prevent some of us from being able to sell our homes...
DeleteSadly, I think it is too late.
DeleteAt this point, anybody who buys a house, and doesn't do the research to see the region's water situation has been changing, is a moron.
You saw in today's PDN, the headlines saying the Sol Duc is running so low, they've shut down parts of it, or something to that effect?
By the end of summer, I think property values are going to drop. Selling will be difficult.
Part of the drought update is viewable here: https://youtu.be/9jbhmdwW_NU?t=50m22s
DeleteI tried to listen to this council meeting through the city's recording but it wouldn't work. Ironic that a private citizen can do more for government transparency than the government.
Also of note, the final council packet said this was a verbal update only. Clearly there was a powerpoint with information that should have been made available.
And the city's website is down right now too.
The city audio files are balky, I can only get them to play if I download them, and it's slow as hell. I thought they would stream but it does not happen.
DeleteI think we have learned by now that what the city says isn't worth much. This water situation is a classic example.
DeleteIf you were able to watch the video of last Tuesday's city council meeting, you would have seen the Mayor give Revitalize Port Angeles yet another commendation. For being so "positive". And, of course, for their work on that silly "contest".
Yes, ignore our youth pleading for hope and asking for help, but reward the "leadership" anyways. Sick.
The Public Work's Director, Craig Fulton, for some reason, used old information that had no relevance to the current situation as the basis for his "update". He HAS attended meetings with professionals who have shown him how dire the situation really is, but has decided to ignore what he has been told. Must be part of that Revitalize strategy of ignoring things that are less than positive.
So, despite Craig Fulton assuring everyone the Elwha will not go dry, the river flows keep dropping. Yesterday they were are 477 cfs.
This morning, at 9 am, the flows had dropped to 431 cfs! 46 cfs, or about 10% of the remaining total flows in less than 24 hours!
If it were to continue to drop at that rate, the river would be dry by June 29th.
That likely will not happen. Maybe by mid July. But it is hard to understand, with the declines happening, that Craig Fulton sees fit to tell the public the river will not go dry this year. What is the point of deceiving the public about a utility he is supposed to be "expert" in? Why do we pay him so much, for such incredibly bad advice?
There's always a cost to doing nothing. Whether its water or homelessness. Imagine what could happen with the money the county is giving to the new toxic waste recycling industry they are helping create and instead invested in the needy, giving these folks a second chance, so they could get on there feet and have dignity and hope and become contributing citizens. Sure there will always be a few that won't pull out of poverty and drug abuse. But, a few of these unfortunate souls could be the next Einstein or Steve Jobs. At the end of the day everything revolves around money. It could be you in need next.
ReplyDeleteIt's all the same with the city.
ReplyDeleteThey KNEW that this shelter existed, and they had to know the conditions there. They just chose to turn a blind eye, and drag the situation out for whatever reason.
They also have to KNOW that the water situation is bad, and going to get worse, and that there tepid response is totally inadequate. But no, they want to drag this situation out, too.
They'll tell people they have to use less water sometime after the river runs dry - but not before.
Typical. Why plan? Why look ahead?
As of 3 pm, Elwha at 425 cfs.
ReplyDelete52 cfs drop in 24 hours. And we were impressed with 100 cfs drop in a week?
Let's see. 8 days at 50 cfs drop per day gets you to, umm. 400 cfs.
DeleteNo water.
Even if the dropping slows, you eventually will lose the flow...Craig Fulton knows this.
DeleteWhich brings us to a simple but important lesson to be drawn from this: Don't trust people who lie to you.
Sure, Fulton isn't Glenn Cutler, but that's hardly a recommendation. But clearly he is a willing accomplice to stupidity and status quo insanity.
And he is a liar.
Bullshit, and Fulton is not a liar. You folks are so focused on your hatred, deserved or not, that you are blind to the true situation regarding water flow. For example, do any of you know how much the domestic water (in CFS) the City of Port Angeles uses? How does that relate in terms of total stream flow? See, you don't really know. Rather, you're full of ignorance and fear. The truth is the river won't go dry this year, and there will be drinking water available. What's going to happen is that fish will likely die, just as Fulton alluded to. Evil Nippon may have to shut down for a few weeks, but that's not a certainty. In the longer term, Port Angeles will likely dig a second collector well to supplement the existing Ranney Well. I like some of things I read on this post, but get a grip and do your research rather than pulling facts out of the orifice where some of your heads normally reside...
DeleteDear Anon 8:23
DeleteSad to see you so full of anger and hatred. Look at your post. Angry accusations that are not based in any demonstrable fact.
I understand., It is a stressful situation that we have been put in, due to a lack of basic planning by those we trust our everything in. Our properties, our livelihoods, our investments and our ability to function on a daily basis. What is the point of having all these "public servants", if they can't do the basic things we count on them for?
The FACTs are clear for anyone to see. The water in the river is flowing out to the strait 24/7, and there is nothing to take it's place. That isn't fear or ignorance.The flow is declining and diminishing by millions of gallons each day, There is no disputing that.
Yes, you are right. Nippon uses more water than the city. The city uses a small percentage of the normal flows. But a small percentage of no water is still no water.
A "collector well", as the name suggests, collects water from the river. No water, no water to collect.
Even more important is that Fulton has attended a number of meetings with water professionals, and others who study these things, and has been asked to plan for a hotter, drier future. A future that looks a lot like what we experienced this winter. Winters with no freezing temperatures, and no snow pack. But, even in his "update" to the council, he uses old data.
You may want to think our concerns have something to do with some "hate" of something. (I'm not sure what THAT is all about). But, the concerns expressed are very clear. The water levels in the rivers all throughout Clallam Country are dropping at an alarming rate. A rate never recorded before. This is a cause for obvious concern.
That, at that officially (the same system he city relies upon) recorded rate of declining water levels, it is easy to see the water will run out. No other logical conclusion can be drawn from the data.
But, this is "uncharted territory". Maybe you are right, and the water will appear from places unknown.The way things are going, we won't have to wait very long to see if the river will go dry.
Wait. PA Power and Light needs an Equipment Operator? It's your money folks. Just say hell no! :D
ReplyDeleteok so maybe i will still have water to drink..MAYBE....but what about a shower once in a while....dirty laundry and those nice plants i put in around my house..i guess they will be toast (toasted)...
ReplyDeleteIf water use is severely restricted, it is my fervent hope no one at the city or PUD wants to restrict water use by imposing reductions as a percentageof a household's average historic use. I once lived in a town where such a strategy was implemented during a drought. We have always conserved water-to the extreme, some would say. If you have to cut back 25% from an already very low number of gallons, it is punishment for doing the right thing all along.
ReplyDelete