Post by ~kathlene~ on Nov 15, 2011 16:10:09 GMT -7
The following are notes from an impromptu meeting at the Courthouse Gazebo. These notes have been corroborated by the participants and transcribed from a recording.
Meeting – 15 November 2011 2:15 – 3: 05 pm
Larry Farnes _ County Grounds Facilitatotr
Taryn Hart – Legal Representative
Kathlene Kelly – OM
Laura Jensen – OM
Mark Bickel – OM
1) Miscommunication needs to be addressed. We need to distinguish between requests from the county and requirements. The county can make any requests it wants to make. Requirements imply an “if this – then that” chain of events. If there are specific requests/requirements that the camp cannot handle, they will be referred to legal (as per Taryn).
2) There will be a notice given to the encampment if there is going to be an action taken against us with regard to ticketing and/or arresting for the act of camping. No actionable behavior requires advance notice. Actionable behavior is clearly defined illegal activity.
3) There is no current intention to remove us from the county court house. There has never been a distinct decision or action by the county to have us removed from the court house lawn.
4) Each person who puts a tent on the court house lawn takes personal responsibility for that action.
5) The county commssioners and the Missoula County Health Dept wants an encampment to have a porta-john which they will help us lock down/secure, near the gazebo.
6) When asked by Taryn Hart “If several people put up tents, what would the consequences be?” Larry Farnes replied “I can speak for me and what I saw in the meetings yesterday, you're not going to be arrested and you're not gonna get moved off.”
7) According to Larry Farnes, there are only 2 “groups” that can “push you guys off here”. One of those is the Health Dept. and the other is the District Court judge.
8) The county is concerned about health and safety of the campers. Some of those concerns include charcoal briquet burners found in an abandoned tent and any possibility of individual propane burners/open flame in tents.
9) Larry Farnes said, “This group is pretty well established with the management part of the county and we don't want to push you out of here but they are also concerned with the safety of everyone concerned.”
10) Taryn Hart asked, “Does that mean that there can't be overnight camping here?” and Larry replied, “Well let me tell you this...if there is an overnight camper here, we're not going to evict them. What I have been asked to do by the commissioners is that if a whole bunch of tents get put up and no one is in the tents [i.e.: abandoned long term] then i'm gonna move 'em to the secure space where we store them.”
11) We would like to propose that OM provide Larry with a grievance phone list so that we can answer some of the community's complaints and questions. (Would another solution here be to write our own media statement?)
Meeting – 15 November 2011 2:15 – 3: 05 pm
Larry Farnes _ County Grounds Facilitatotr
Taryn Hart – Legal Representative
Kathlene Kelly – OM
Laura Jensen – OM
Mark Bickel – OM
1) Miscommunication needs to be addressed. We need to distinguish between requests from the county and requirements. The county can make any requests it wants to make. Requirements imply an “if this – then that” chain of events. If there are specific requests/requirements that the camp cannot handle, they will be referred to legal (as per Taryn).
2) There will be a notice given to the encampment if there is going to be an action taken against us with regard to ticketing and/or arresting for the act of camping. No actionable behavior requires advance notice. Actionable behavior is clearly defined illegal activity.
3) There is no current intention to remove us from the county court house. There has never been a distinct decision or action by the county to have us removed from the court house lawn.
4) Each person who puts a tent on the court house lawn takes personal responsibility for that action.
5) The county commssioners and the Missoula County Health Dept wants an encampment to have a porta-john which they will help us lock down/secure, near the gazebo.
6) When asked by Taryn Hart “If several people put up tents, what would the consequences be?” Larry Farnes replied “I can speak for me and what I saw in the meetings yesterday, you're not going to be arrested and you're not gonna get moved off.”
7) According to Larry Farnes, there are only 2 “groups” that can “push you guys off here”. One of those is the Health Dept. and the other is the District Court judge.
8) The county is concerned about health and safety of the campers. Some of those concerns include charcoal briquet burners found in an abandoned tent and any possibility of individual propane burners/open flame in tents.
9) Larry Farnes said, “This group is pretty well established with the management part of the county and we don't want to push you out of here but they are also concerned with the safety of everyone concerned.”
10) Taryn Hart asked, “Does that mean that there can't be overnight camping here?” and Larry replied, “Well let me tell you this...if there is an overnight camper here, we're not going to evict them. What I have been asked to do by the commissioners is that if a whole bunch of tents get put up and no one is in the tents [i.e.: abandoned long term] then i'm gonna move 'em to the secure space where we store them.”
11) We would like to propose that OM provide Larry with a grievance phone list so that we can answer some of the community's complaints and questions. (Would another solution here be to write our own media statement?)