Conditional Use Permit for Warming Center Public Comment from Sonny MazzulloTo Mark Johnson, Sandy Carlson, Kari Gabriel, Chad Graham, Sam Nunnally, Ryan Hunter, Jessica Dahlman, Sid Daoud, and Jed Fisher,
My name is Sonny Mazzullo and I live at 1330 6th Avenue East. I attended Monday’s marathon work session. I commend you all for taking the time to hear from your constituents, as well
as the thoughtfulness you put into your duties.
I’m a volunteer at the Warming Center. I volunteer there because I care about our neighbors. For that same reason, I stayed Monday night to hear how the behaviors of homeless people
in the vicinity of the Warming Center have impacted those living there. What I heard was alarming and I’m glad you’re committed to addressing their concerns. Every person living in
the Flathead deserves to feel safe and take pride in their neighborhood. I don’t prioritize the unhoused over the housed.
I write with a plea: please do not revoke the Warming Center’s conditional use permit. I believe revoking that permit is the nuclear option. The fallout would be tremendous. Our problems
surrounding criminal homeless behavior would surely get worse. The behaviors would diffuse, but they would not dissipate. We’d have a homeless population with greater desperation and
less dignity than ever before.
Obviously, something needs to change. You are all smarter and more informed than I am. Humbly, I present a few potential solutions to address nearby resident’s concerns shared during
Monday’s meeting:
Restore Mountain Climber Services. Councilman Graham specifically cited travel to and from the Warming Center as contributing to crime in the neighborhood. Residents reported being essentially
able to set their clocks by when they encounter the most problems: when people are coming to and leaving from the Warming Center. However, over the last year, several decisions have
been made to restrict the use of public transportation to and from the Warming Center. First it was a fee for service payable only by a smartphone app, and now there will be zero rides
offered to the Warming Center. Taking nearby residents and Councilman Graham’s comments to heart, it is obvious these operational decisions are exacerbating the issue of travel through
the nearby neighborhoods. Guests at the Warming Center have no choice but to walk through surrounding neighborhoods to get there.
Increase nearby police patrols. I don’t make this suggestion lightly. Our police resources are depleted, as evidenced by the increase in crime city wide. However, if nearby residents’
claims that most of the criminal behavior they are witnessing are committed by guests staying at the Warming Center, then we know when and where those crimes are likely to be committed.
Revoking the Warming Center’s conditional use permit would dissipate these behaviors city wide, further straining police resources. Doesn’t increasing patrols during specific times
in a relatively small portion of the city seem like the easier option?
Build or open more public bathrooms in the vicinity. There is a lot of mental illness in the Warming Center. I’ve experienced it at the Warming Center and been on the receiving end of
a lot of uncomfortable comments. No matter how severe the mental illness, the overwhelming majority of people do not piss and shit in public out of spite or for giggles. They do it
because there is nowhere else to go to the bathroom. Having more bathrooms would increase dignity and reduce conflicts with businesses that homeless people turn to in desperation looking
for a bathroom. Yes, it would cost money, and the bathrooms would require cleaning. But these are smaller problems to solve than a parent having to explain to their child why there
is human feces in their yard.
Increase education in the Warming Center. In the last year, the Warming Center has implemented roadmaps to increase guest accountability. Every seven nights a guest stays there, they
are required to meet with Warming Center staff to discuss ways they are working their way out of homelessness. Staff connects them with the resources they need to help with their goals.
During these sessions, additional emphasis could be placed on neighborhood concerns and encouraging them to be advocates for more respectful behavior in their networks.
If an oaf like me could come up with these ideas after only a day of reflection, imagine what our community could come up with collectively. The council’s decision on the conditional
use permit is an opportunity. With a holistic approach, you can revise the permit in a manner that addresses nearby residents’ concerns while also reaffirming your commitment to helping
reduce homelessness in Kalispell.
Shuttering the Warming Center would be a catastrophic mistake. Which civic leaders on the Warming Center board, which dedicated staff members currently working there, which volunteers
like myself would answer the call next time the city looks for solutions? What homeless person is going to behave more civilized without any respite from their condition and after witnessing
their community turn their backs on them? How much more trauma would we expose our first responders to with 50 more people on the streets every night?
Thank you for your service. It is a difficult decision ahead of you. It will take guts to recommit to the Warming Center. The city council I saw on Monday night has the mettle for it.
Sincerely,
Sonny Mazzullo
1330 6th Ave East
armazzullo@gmail.com <mailto:armazzullo@gmail.com>
406.334.7378
ꍀ⌹