PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County appears to be in for a lively debate ahead over whether to provide a temporary campsite for the county’s homeless.
The issue blew wide open last week when Port Townsend City Councilwoman Freida Fenn approached the county Parks and Recreation Committee with the idea of allowing temporary camping for the homeless at Chimacum Park, next to the Tri-Area Community Center on Rhody Drive.
The lone Republican on the Board of Commissioners after Jan. 1 is anything but thrilled about Fenn’s proposal.
“I am just basically against having a tent city at all because you are basically forming a ghetto, a slum,” said Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon.
“I don’t think that slums do any good. This is not a practical solution.”
Rodgers said he has health concerns regarding proper facilities, such as water and sewer.
Rather than passing the problem on to the county, Rodgers said the city should consider other sites such as Chetzemoka Park or Kah Tai Lagoon-area property.
“All have good facilities and are closer to the (county) Health Department,” said Rodgers.
Democratic majority
Rodgers is likely to face some opposition from the newly elected Democratic majority coming onto the county board — David Sullivan and Phil Johnson.
Sullivan, of Cape George, said the commissioners needed to look seriously at the low-cost housing demand in the county and the need for sewer, water and transportation among the homeless.
“We have a whole continuum of housing needs program,” Sullivan said.
The county commissioner-elect indicated he would support such temporary facilities, but he was awaiting a task force’s recommendations.
“There is a lot of county land to consider,” he said.
The group Sullivan refers to, Continuum for Care, is a federally funded organization sponsored by Olympic Community Action Programs.
It is developing an infrastructure for a community organization to help solve Jefferson County’s growing problem of homelessness.
