Flathead Warming Center Public comment from CJ CongdonAimee Brunckhorst
From: cjcongdon@paymentsolutionsnw.com
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2024 11:31 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Flathead Warming Center
Mr. Mayor and Council Members,
First, thankyou for doing one of the most thankless jobs I can think of. I commend you for trying to come to a
thoughtful decision that will undoubtedly anger a very large portion of the population no matter what the decision
is.
After attending a couple of the meetings and watching the others online I have concerns on this very pressing issue
the same as everyone else. I have sat quietly and listened to both sides of the story during meetings but also
attempted to engage in conversations/civil debates with my neighbors and beyond every chance I get. There are
valid points made by both sides regarding the homeless but the only side that truly matters are those with skin in
the game so to speak. The neighbors within a mile radius of the site. Why on earth would we listen to anyone
outside of this bubble? I live about S00 yards from the front door of the Warming Center and if I thought for a
second that my opinion would matter if it was in Evergreen or South of town or any other location, I would consider
myself deranged. Those of us who feel the effects of the Warming center are the only people who should be heard.
If any of you have a different opinion, I would love to hearyour reasons why.
I grew up here and like many of us, choose to stay here and raise a family for the incredible recreation
opportunities during the winter and summer. You know why I love summer the most now? I love the summer
months now because I don't have a steady stream of drunks and drug addicts parading in front of my house on
their way to the Warming Center. Like clockwork when they are open, I have groups yelling and screaming at
themselves, each other and sometimes the street signs, trees, and bushes as the meander their way to the
Warming Center for the night. These are not locals. These are not people who need to wash their clothes to be
clean for work the next day.
As a part of my morning routine, I make sure to walk around my front yard and down the alley to pick up their trash
they left behind. This is part of being a good neighbor. As a part of my walk I'm sure to walk the inside of the fence
and pick up the trash they throw over the fence as well. Before I even get out of bed, I check the security system to
see if anyone has tried to break into our vehicles again. I realize that not just the people from the warming center
are thieves but when someone did break into my truck, they stole many things as well as a check book. They wrote
themselves a check for $800.S0 and cashed it. When I reported it, the officer that took my statement said the
woman who cashed the check was a known member of the transient community. I realize this isn't a direct action
of the Warming Center themselves. I will be giving that name and the police report to the Warming Center when
they reopen. I guarantee they let her stay there anyway.
Are the hundreds of signatures on the petitions to rescind the CUP being recognized for anything? If not, may I
please have an answer why.
When Mr. Flatau does his research in the neighborhood around the Warming Shelter, what defines the
neighborhood? Just Meridian Road? I urge him to please come southeast to West Wyoming, Seventh Ave WN, St"
Ave. WN, California Street and all the surrounding streets and avenues. This is their path of travel. Those people
who spoke and live on Liberty Street and the surrounding streets who say they haven't experienced any problems
are probably correct. Why would they walk that way? It's a path to nowhere. There is nothing for them that way!
They walk from there to Downtown. I promise you that anyone walking from the Warming Center to Downtown is
not walking down Meridian and taking a left on Idaho. They are walking straight through the street and avenues we
live on. And when they do so, they have zero regard for the people or their property as they travel. Again, These are
not locals in need. These are enabled drunks and drug addicts hereto soak up the resources they found out about
at the Warming Center from the network of homeless who travel the west side of the country. Ask them. Interview
them. Ask them why they are here.
I have family and friends who work in Law Enforcement and Fire/Paramedic services who were dumb founded
when we told them we bought in this neighborhood due to their experiences at the Warming Center and the
surrounding neighborhoods. Unfortunately, we didn't listen because we loved the house.
Why can't there be a vote? If we can send ballots to vote on school levies, why not ask the people in this ward to
vote on it? Pretty simple if you ask me. If approved without a vote, you are putting the needs of addicts ahead of tax
paying locals.
The first gentleman who spoke on the 161" said to you that if someone freezes to death, it would be on your hands if
you rescind. If one of these people hurts a local woman or child, who's hands will that be on?
Im sorry this email is so long, to close I will say this. I will listen and work with the Warming Center if we can get a
written statement from their attorneys that they will never expand and that they will change the "Low Barrier"
status of the shelter. If not, I will spend the 60-day period using my energy to fight this thing with everything I have
as well as put my property on the market so I can watch this neighborhood crumble from a distance.
Thanks foryour time,
C.J. Congdon
406-260-5144