HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-01-19 Public Comment - K. Fried - HRDC Warming Center SiteFrom:Kelly & Sandy Fried
To:Sarah Rosenberg
Cc:Agenda
Subject:[SENDER UNVERIFIED]Proposed Homeless Shelter at 3025 Westridge Drive
Date:Friday, November 01, 2019 11:49:32 AM
Please receive this letter as a "no" request to the proposed Homeless Shelter at 3025 Westridge Drive.
I was a Juvenile Officer in Portland, Oregon for seven years and then a school principal for 27 years
before retiring and moving to Bozeman. As a Juvenile Officer and as a school principal (in Oregon) I had
many opportunities to engage the community in my public service. My experience tells me that a
homeless shelter in close proximity to schools is not in the best interest of the children or the
neighborhood that is heavily populated with families with young children. While I believe in investing in
the community ( my wife and I support and serve at both the Food Bank and the Fork and Spoon. We
have also financially supported the hot meal program near Walmart. I have been heavily involved in the
Gallatin Valley Family Promise), I do not however, believe the Westridge neighborhood is an appropriate
place for an HRDC Homeless Shelter as proposed.
While I value the lives of the temporarily homeless, I do not believe, in general, the homeless feel
invested in the community and their lifestyle does not promote the values a family based neighborhood
embraces. As both a Juvenile Officer and principal I experienced multiple instances of safety issues on
school grounds that were in close proximity to shelters. Often times students found discarded needles on
the playground as well as loitering homeless and debris. As a school staff and community, the presence
of non-working, transient people presented a continual safety issue for students. Many times when the
homeless were confronted about being near crosswalks or school grounds, they were unresponsive to
the adults in charge.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Kelly Fried
3146 Madrona Lane
Bozeman, MT 59715
406.600.6630