12/07/2021 - Special - MinutesCity of Port Orchard
Special Council Meeting Minutes
December 7, 2021,
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Putaansuu called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Roll call was taken by the City Clerk as follows:
Mayor Pro-Tem Ashby
Councilmember Chang
Councilmember Clauson
Councilmember Cucciardi
Councilmember Diener
Councilmember Lucarelli
Councilmember Rosapepe
Mayor Putaansuu
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Present via Remote Access
Staff present via remote access: Police Chief Brown, Code Enforcement Officer Quesada, City Clerk
Rinearson, Deputy City Clerk Floyd, and City Attorney Archer.
Kitsap County Commissioners present via remote access: Commissioner Rob Gelder and
Commissioner Charlotte Garrido.
Kitsap County staff present via remote access: Doug Washburn, Human Services Director, and Alex
Wisniewski, Parks Director.
The meeting streamed live to YouTube.
A. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Putaansuu led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 6:02 p.m., Mayor Putaansuu recessed the meeting for a 25-minute executive session pursuant to
RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) related to agency enforcement action. City Attorney Archer and Police Chief
Brown were invited to attend, and City Attorney Archer noted potential action to follow.
3. DISCUSSION ITEMS
Special Minutes of December 7, 2021
Page 2 of 3
A. Public Health and Safety Issues at Veterans Park Discussion with the Kitsap County
Commissioners
Councilmember Diener pointed out he works for Kitsap County. He does not believe this is a conflict
of interest but if anyone disagrees, please let him know.
No one voiced any concerns.
Mayor Putaansuu asked if there were any citizens who would like to comment.
Jade H. asked what is going to be done about vehicles being stolen in Kitsap County and asked if there
would be any upcoming meetings about enforcement.
In response to Jade H., Rob Putaansuu noted this is a comment portion regarding the Veterans Park
issue, but said we have not defunded our police, and is not aware of any upcoming meetings
regarding enforcement.
Mayor Putaansuu explained we are here tonight because of a serious situation at Veterans Park.
There are more than 100 people living within the park, which is a county park within City limits.
Enforcement action has started due to health and public safety concerns. The County has also
implemented new polices, but they are not the actions we are looking for to address these concerns.
The County has installed a couple sani-cans and there is a dumpster located at the site. There are
rodent problems, and the trash sits for up to a week on the ground. Our code enforcement officer
visited the park today and there has been some cleanup, but there is much more to be done.
Several photos of debris and trash were shown.
Councilmember Cucciardi thanked the county commissioners and staff for attending this meeting.
He would like to hear what can be done, not what can't be done.
Commissioner Garrido spoke to what they have done which is cleanups, assistance from the church
community and drug court graduates. We need to figure out opportunities for the homeless.
Additional discussion was held regarding the garbage and sanitation concerns, the wellhead within
the park, neighbors, facility on Mile Hill to house the homeless, concerns for staff safety, large
volunteer cleanup events, brush clearing, providing sharp containers for needle collection, County
policy regarding unauthorized encampment response plan, timelines, concerns by West Sound Utility
District, differences between being homeless and those that choose to live a life of criminal activity,
deaths that have occurred in the park, looking into what Olympia has done for their homeless, waste
occurring near the water, fires within the park, closing parks at dusk similar to what the City of Port
Orchard implements, putting up a fence along the right-of-way on Mile Hill, asking the County to
make the park more active to help discourage people from living there, and redevelopment of the
property.
Special Minutes of December 7, 2021
Page 3 of 3
Councilmembers and Mayor Putaansuu asked the County to come up with a specific timeline of when
things can be accomplished at the park, provide more porta-potties, remove the trash more
frequently than weekly and take off site, and stop the criminal activity by enforcement.
In response to Mayor Putaansuu, Commissioner Garrido noted regarding the timeline, they will touch
base within a couple weeks.
Councilmember Cucciardi explained it would be great to have the County provide a memo regarding
the timeline by the City Council meeting on December 215t
Mayor Putaansuu asked if there were any citizens who would like to comment.
Tom said people are taking this seriously. He understands there are difficulties and likes the long-
term plan but thinks there should be more temporary housing facilities. He believes there are many
people who think this is the right way to go by building these facilities. He also spoke about the Mile
Hill location listening session.
At 7:29 p.m., Mayor Putaansuu recessed the meeting for a 15-minute executive session pursuant to
RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) to discuss legal risk of an agency enforcement action for a property. City
Attorney Archer and Code Enforcement Officer Quesada were invited to attend, and City Attorney
Archer noted no action to follow.
At 7:44 p.m., Mayor Putaansuu extended the meeting for 10 more minutes.
At 7:54 p.m., Mayor Putaansuu reconvened the meeting back into session.
4. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m. No other action was taken. Audio/Visual was successful.
Brandy Rinearso ; MMC, City Clerk Robert Putaansuu, Mayor
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