Flathead Warming Center Conditional Use Permit Issue Public Comment from Vicki Walbruch
Mayor Mark Johnson and City Council Members; Sandy Carlson, Kari Gabriel, Chad Graham, Sam Nunnally, Ryan Hunter ,Jessica Dahlman, Sid Daoud, and Jed Fisher.
My name is Vicki Walbruch and I live at 134 Fairway Blvd. I attended the rather lengthy work session last Monday.
I commend you for your position dealing with the issues facing the constituents in Kalispell. The issues presented by the neighbors outside of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) radius
are alarming.
I have been an active volunteer at the Flathead Warming Center for 3 years once the Warming Center moved into the renovated facility on Meridian. It was daunting at first, but I saw
a need to welcome our unhoused into the safe, friendly, and warm environment provided at the Warming Center. A friendly face, a shoulder to cry on or an ear to hear their stories. Our
guests have become a group I consider another family of sorts. I have seen our guests leave, seeking recovery options, moving back with family members, and due to the Roadmap Program
being housed in our community. The Road Map program requires each guest to sit down with a resource person to discuss their needs and goals after seven straight days of residency to
move on with their lives and out of homelessness. I have never felt in danger either volunteering there or where I find our “guests” in the community. I certainly do not shun them either
in public.
Since last week’s meeting, it seemed to me that a visit to the Warming Center during our “season” and sitting down with staff to learn about the resources offered by the Warming Center
and the positive outcome of the Road Map program might have negated the need for the lengthy discussion. I am glad time was provided for those neighbors within the newly established
½ mile radius to express their issues.
I also know there are unhoused in the Flathead who would never enter the center because of the small living space, their lack of good behavior, or PTSD. Our guests are held accountable
to the Occupancy Agreement. I have seen how unruly behavior results in a night out, a week out, or a season out. Unruly behavior is intolerable and affects the safety of the other 46
– 50 guests. Once out into the community, the Warming Center is no longer responsible for that individual. It becomes a community issue and might result in calls to the KPD.
I plead with you not to revoke the Warming Center’s Conditional Use Permit and I suggest you examine the following:
* Continuing to provide service by the Mountain Climber for our guests in the AM and PM might alleviate the neighbors’ issues, such as loitering or feeling unsafe.
* Police patrols after hours in the new ½ miles radius where the Warming Center is not in control of the unhoused. Yes, it adds to your already stretched resources, but it seems the
appropriate response for those neighbors.
* As a resident of Kalispell who utilizes the Parkline, I no longer have access to the public bathroom at Depot Park. It was closed due to misbehavior and is currently under renovation.
Porta Potties available within certain areas of the city might also alleviate human waste issues.
* Establish a homeless advocacy group among the three cities and a homeless advisory council.
Homelessness results from a cascade of events and a cornucopia of risk factors.
It could occur to any one of us. It is key that the Warming Center remains open, thus providing desperately needed resources to our guests on-site,
offering them the hand up, not a handout. We take care of each other in the Flathead.
Sincerely,
Vicki Walbruch,
134 Fairway Blvd
vicki.marie52@gmail.com <mailto:vicki.marie52@gmail.com> 406-471-1034