Homeless issue Public Comment from Vaughn PenrodAimee Brunckhorst
From: Vaughn Penrod <vaughn@pencoadventures.com>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2023 8:44 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Warming center
After the meeting on Monday I made it a point to do some research regarding the warming center and the
comments that were made by the founder Tanya. Pretty much everything she told you was exaggerated in one
way or another. She spoke of many things but the one thing that caught my attention was she said there was a
zero tolerance policy. This is not true. I know for a fact from a person within the warming center that because
they don't want to discriminate they take folks in all conditions. Alcohol, drugs and so on.
I also found out that the warming center was given a conditional use permit to provide services for our local
homeless folks. I support this. Now because of what it has drawn in to our valley our local folks are afraid to
even go there. The root of our problem is the warming center. I was also informed that the conditional use
permit is up for renewal. This permit should not be renewed in my opinion. We can put these ordinances in
place and give our officers the tools they need to enforce the issues or we can not renew the permit and
eliminate the one thing that is causing most of the problems. It is very sad. The pictures that Doug Russell
showed on Monday night are the very things we have been seeing for the last year. This might be a bit
extreme but these are the images of third world countries not Kalispell, Montana. Thank you for your service
to our city.
Sincerely,
Vaughn Penrod