Letter: A local approach to drugs, crime and homelessness in Moses Lake

They deserve a clean, safe city where you and your loved ones feel comfortable wherever you can go in the city. We know that many good things happen in Moses Lake, and we are grateful for the wonderful people, local companies and natural beauty that make our city so special. We all want Moses Lake to continue to be a city where they are proud that their friends and family come to visit and spend some time.

But like other cities we have our fights. We all see and experience the unsightly and uncertain conditions of illegal activities such as violation, illegal camping and drug activities. It harms our economy and our way of life. Many of us are afraid of walking through some of our parks or going to the shop or in certain parts of the city.

This is unacceptable and you don't have to endure it. It is simply wrong for you, me and our 27,000 roommates to feel unsafe and to have the effects of the bad decisions of other people.

We want you to know that we as a city council have heard you loudly and clearly. We all feel frustrated about what's going on. We all experience this. But together we have the will and the means to take measures and use a different approach – a local approach that builds on some of what we have already done, implement new ideas and fences into the talents and resources of good people here in Moses Lake.

While the majority of our collective efforts have made a positive difference, we also know that some things did not move the needle in the right direction. Despite the best efforts by the good and hard -working people who have had the sleeping center for five years, homelessness in Moses Lake has not declined by a significant border. In fact, many state that it has only deteriorated. As a result, a majority of the city council decided that we will allow the sleeping center when the state scholarship expires at the end of June. The sleeping center cost almost 700,000 US dollars a year for the operation of around 40 beds. While the sleeping center was financed almost exclusively with a grant fund, these funds are still tax money paid by the citizens of the state of Washington.

This is not about whether people need help or whether they deserve it. Instead, it is about the role of the city in this complex topic. I think all of us believe that we should love and serve our neighbors, including our neighbors, who are caught by addiction, mental illnesses, trauma and other problems. They are humans and need our collective help. However, the city has limited and inadequate resources to provide social services, and the majority of the city council has decided to concentrate on our core functions, including police, fire, streets, parks and other fundamental city services.

Other government agencies, churches and non -profit organizations are better equipped and created to provide social services. We can all love and serve our neighbors by contributing to these groups.

This trip is about clarifying the roles of the various non -profit organizations and social services, and it is also about finding the best way to tackle the homelessness and at the same time maintain the standards of Moses Lake, a safe, entertaining, attractive and inviting place for all 27,000 of its residents and our shops and visitors.

A new approach

Our community spoke and it is time for a new approach that changes the course, but also recognizes and incorporates existing efforts that have proven to be effective. We are working on a plan to do exactly that. The plan comes together and will probably have the following components:

In cooperation with non -profit organizations that bring individuals to an animal shelter and the complete “wrapary” services that you need to get back on your feet (these wrap services are not sufficiently available in Moses Lake, but are available in larger cities in the region). A shining example of a non -profit organization that does this type of work is the Advance Recovery Navigator program.

New and closer restrictions in camping on public and private property, sleep/lie on sidewalks, drug activities, lying around as well as other crimes and nuisance.

Temporary restrictions and/or closures in certain parks and/or in city ownership buildings and facilities. Regular and frequent monitoring of our parks and open rooms to recognize illegal activities (including illegal camping) at an early stage before it gets out of control.

Continuation and improving the emphasis on the police to proactively enforce drug activities, entering and other illegal activities.

A program with which we can work with our companies and owners to clarify them through available resources to combat disorders in private property, including the detection of illegal camping, early violation, illegal storage of personal property, open burning, etc.

Partnership with faith groups and selected non -profit organizations that have resources and services to recover and become self -sufficient.

Creation of information materials and online resources that refer people to the corresponding non -profit organizations and government agencies that can help to deliver them.

While we develop this plan, we would like to include it. We cannot find out this alone and need the different voices and perspectives of this community to create the best possible plan. In May and June we will carry out a number of public meetings, including a town hall meeting, to further develop this plan and to hear from all parts of Moses Lake.

A call to act – what you can do

You can be part of the solution and help us to develop and implement this new approach. Here are some things that you can do now:

Call 911 when you see illegal or suspicious activities such as illegal camping, enter, drug activities, etc. For example, if you see people who are doing drugs in a parking lot, call it.

Go up, no handout. Instead of giving Panhandlers money, for example, consider that you donate to non -profit organizations and voluntarily donate to non -profit organizations that specialize in helping to recover and get back together. Panhandler often use the money they give them to pay for their addiction.

Take part and show yourself to our public sessions while we develop this plan. We will announce meeting data and times in the near future.

Call 988, 211 or the Washington Recovery Help Line (866-789-1511) if you or someone you know have a physical crisis, a residential building or substance consumption challenges. Help is available.

For immediate mental health or emotional support, call 988 to achieve the lifeline for suicide and crises around the clock.

You can choose 211 to accommodate accommodation, apartment investigations, food resources or other basic needs to connect with local services in your region.

For support in connection with substance consumption, gambling problems or mental health problems, contact Washington Recovery Hilf Line under 1-866-789-1511.

These services are free of charge, confidential and for everyone to ensure that nobody has to face challenges alone.

A better future

We are an incredible city with amazing, caring people, and here in Moses Lake so many wonderful things happen. But none of us want our city to pout these problems more. We cannot allow our city to be a magnet for crime, drugs and homelessness. Although these problems will never disappear completely, we can get back our city and approach it again as it used to be – a place where we can go freely and comfortably and comfortably go and go through all of our parks, shopping centers and inner city. A place where parks and rooms are clean and free of organic waste, drug utensils and garbage. A place where we and our loved ones can go shopping without fear or complaints. A place where we are proud to call at home and to visit our friends and family.

Dustin Swartz
Mayor, Moses Lake