Concerned citizen Public Comment from Janelle Willett[NOTICE: This message includes an attachment -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe.]
May 6th, 2024
To the Kalispell City Council Members,
My name is Janelle Willett and I was born and raised here in Kalispell, Montana. I am a 3rd generation Montanan. I love this city and the people in it. I am writing this letter as a
concerned citizen. I have been heart broken and appalled at the way those experiencing homelessness and housing instability have been talked about and treated as of late by our community.
I am making this comment in a personal capacity, but to do so I would like to share what my professional life has looked like. I currently serve on the CHS (Collaborative Housing Solutions)
Education committee.I have worked for 20 years at Christ Church Episcopal and Camp Marshall as a youth minister. I have worked as a substitute teacher, a para professional and currently
I am the Heart Locker High School/Young Adult Case Manager for School District 5. In all of these roles the groups I’m serving may change, but the goal remains the same. Love my neighbor
and treat every person as I would want to be treated. It’s the golden rule, the highest call and it’s the most basic principal for life. Humanity needs one another to survive. We
always have and we always will.
While an increase in crimes is always a concern, I would personally like to know how many of these crimes are non-violent? When we close access to things and no longer allow our unhoused
to have use of bathrooms, trash, and potable water- we are going to see things “go sideways.” Everyone needs to use the restroom- and if none are open where are people going to go?
Everyone needs to throw things away. If trash cans are locked up, what do we expect will happen? Everyone needs to exist somewhere- if all possible public parks and spaces are eventually
closed to those “disturbing the peace”, where are we suggesting they exist? Most of us have the luxury of having the worst moments of our lives happen behind closed doors. We’ve all
been dysregulated; crying, talking to ourselves, feeling angry, etc. People experiencing homelessness don’t have this luxury. And so unwillingly share the most vulnerable parts of their
lives on the streets in front of all to see.
Our valley is growing, there’s no doubt about that. We can either work together to meet the growing and changing needs; or we can continue to divide ourselves, argue and bicker. These
articles highlight some towns/cities that are combating homelessness and seeing some success. Please take the time to read through them.
Cities make big bets in fight against homelessness | Bloomberg Cities (jhu.edu) <https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbloombergcities.jhu.edu%2Fnews%2Fcities-make-big-bet
s-fight-against-homelessness&data=05%7C02%7Cabrunckhorst%40kalispell.com%7Ce7cdf901c6434bfc16ec08dc6e256c12%7C6219d736f71146359cbaff616a81b398%7C1%7C0%7C638506355660306369%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJ
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https://bloombergcities.jhu.edu/news/these-cities-are-finding-new-ways-lead-homelessness <https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbloombergcities.jhu.edu%2Fnews%2Fthese-cit
ies-are-finding-new-ways-lead-homelessness&data=05%7C02%7Cabrunckhorst%40kalispell.com%7Ce7cdf901c6434bfc16ec08dc6e256c12%7C6219d736f71146359cbaff616a81b398%7C1%7C0%7C638506355660317597%7CUnknown%7CT
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We could be one of these cities. Just recently I took a group of high school students to volunteer at the Butte Rescue Mission. One of their employees shared “Kalispell is where Butte
was 5 years ago. Homeless numbers increasing with a lot of fear and frustration surrounding them. We have seen so much of that angst dissipate with the opening of this shelter and
the collaborative work other organizations are doing.”
We need MORE shelters, not attacking the few we have. We need more behavioral/mental health services. We need more addiction services. We need our hard working police force to be
trauma informed and trained. We need a housing authority that MANDATES more low income/section 8 housing be available. It is absolutely sickening to see the sheer amount of apartment
buildings that have been allowed to be built here with NONE of them being affordable. We can do better. You as our city council must do better.
Kalispell has long been known for the sheer amount of beauty that surrounds us.
Let us also be known for the sheer amount of beauty WITHIN each of us.
Sincerely,
Concerned and Caring citizen,
Janelle Willett