A time for city councils to act

Our community has a problem that only determined residents can solve at this time.

Let me paint you a picture:

You own property within the city limits...sidewalks, street parking etc.

You wake one day to find an obviously disabled, senior man in a wheelchair, sitting outside your window on the sidewalk.

Being a compassionate person, you go out to offer him assistance; he asks for food and a beverage or maybe money, but declines all else. You oblige. This becomes his ritual.

But now he is panhandling, harassing passersby, drinking, defecating in his chair, leaving puddles and odor.

At night he retreats to his truck parked legally, on city streets for 72 hours at a time. Then he has to move it.

He is now making contact with all your guests. 

He refuses your requests to move to another location.

You contact all available state agencies, who arrive for his aid; he declines. They can do nothing.

You contact the police, who can ASK him to leave but have no authority to push the issue unless nuisance complaints are signed. Their hands are tied. 

Remember this is YOUR home he parked at.

Some who pass by, ignorant of the situation, and sympathetic to his apparent needs, oblige him. This only contributes to the problem and frustrates you to no end.

He has made a lifestyle from this. He has been removed from other public places. His present residence is in front of Harvest Food in Coulee Dam. The police have been called, repeatedly, but no complaints. 

Defecating, drinking, smoking playing games on his phone, begging from customers, and harassing those who don’t comply. This is disgusting and everybody’s hands are tied?

WE have the ability to make ordinances that would outlaw this literal ‘crap.’

Connie Williamson

Electric City