The Aberdeen City Council will vote Wednesday on a recommendation to sell the South Michigan Street property the city bought last August for a longer-term homeless encampment.
“After more than a year of trying to seek additional funding for a longer-term shelter, the city has been unsuccessful in its attempts,” reads the report to the council, signed by Community Development Director Lisa Scott. “Since funding has not materialized, staff is recommending that the Michigan Street property be declared surplus and put up for sale.”
If accepted by the City Council on Wednesday, Mayor Pete Schave would be authorized to market the property for sale for an amount of $65,000, which covers the city’s cost of the purchase of the property and clearing and grading the site.
In mid-March, the City Council voted 8-2 to move the homeless camp from its current location, in the parking area on the north side of City Hall, to the property at 421 S. Michigan St., pending outside funding the city has requested from the state and county. The city didn’t get any money and has been footing the bill for the City Hall camp for a year at a cost of about $35,000 a month.
At the last City Council meeting April 15, the council unanimously voted to shut down the City Hall camp May 15, with no alternative location.
The city established the camp behind City Hall after the long-time camp along the Chehalis River was cleared by the city.
The city has been pushing county government to split costs for the homeless camp, essentially saying Aberdeen bears too much of the financial burden for homelessness services to people from a much wider area. The county administers most of the state funding that goes to homelessness and it has disagreed that its state funding can be spent for that purpose.
Wednesday’s council meeting will again be held using telephone audio conferencing, which allows the public to listen in but doesn’t offer the opportunity for public comment. Public comments will be accepted via email to City Clerk Cliff Frederickson at cfrederickson@aberdeenwa.gov, with “City Council public comment” in the email subject line. Be sure to include your name and ward number, or city if you’re not resident of Aberdeen.
Instructions for accessing the council meeting can be found on the city’s website, aberdeenwa.gov, and clicking on the agenda center tab.
Councilwoman resigns
Ward 1 Councilwoman Shaney Frame Crosby announced she is stepping down from her seat for personal reasons.
“It is my sincere hope that the council will work hard to bring family wage jobs to town, when the COVID-19 crisis is over,” she wrote in an email to Mayor Pete Schave April 16. “Good employment will be necessary for the maintenance and growth of this community.”
This is the second resignation from the council in just over a month. In mid-March, Ward 5 Councilman Jerrick Rodgers resigned his seat. Residents who reside in these wards can apply for the open seats by submitting a resume and letter of interest to Mayor Pete Schave. The deadline is May 1 for the Ward 5 seat, June 5 for the Ward 1 vacancy.
