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Tag: Jennifer Spurr

  • Letters: homelessness, mental health, solutions

    Letters: homelessness, mental health, solutions

    Latest letters and reader comments discuss homelessness in Citrus Heights, along with several ideas for funding and potential solutions.

    Being homeless isn’t the problem; illegal activity is
    [RE: Guest Opinion: What if your son or daughter became homeless? Nov. 11]   I am a community member trying to protect my daughter from the illegal activity that many of the homeless in our community are committing. My daughter shouldn’t have to see the penis of a man urinating in public, even though he is someone’s son. She shouldn’t have to witness a woman shooting up in the parking lot of a store, even though she is someone’s daughter. As a mother, I am doing this to protect my child from other people’s grown children. If you have to have it explained to you that it’s not the fact that they are homeless that’s the issue, then you are not listening.
    -Jennifer Spurr

    Mental health needs funding, but lifestyle choices also have consequences
    [RE: Guest Opinion: What if your son or daughter became homeless? Nov. 11]       I agree with some, but not all of the points outlined in Mr. Warren’s opinion piece regarding homelessness. We clearly do not have enough mental health services available. Foster youth aging out of the system with no support is definitely a problem. These things should be funded and addressed. However, I can tell you where most sons and daughters who are not mentally ill or foster youth would go if they became homeless. They would go home to parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and friends.

    Most of us have lived lives that would give us somewhere to go, at least temporarily while we get back on our feet. However, many of the homeless have made choices that have made them unwelcome in the homes of their parents, siblings, extended family and friends. I personally do not feel that the community in general, and children in parks in particular, should bear the burden of the choices made by drug addicts and criminals. If a person’s family and friends, who know their character and behavior, don’t choose to live with them, I would prefer not to live with them in my neighborhood either.
    -Rebecca Holt

    Homeless, drug addicts make me want to leave Citrus Heights
    [RE: Two fires ignite at homeless camp near Citrus Heights homes, Oct. 29]   We moved to Citrus Heights in Spring 2014 and it was an overall nice area. Now it seems like the homeless and druggies and criminals are enclosing our nice city from all sides: Auburn Boulevard, Antelope Road, by Walmart, Jack in the Box, and on and on. It makes me not want to live here anymore.
    -Roxanne Gray

    Additional comments from Facebook:
    Kris H.– Why don’t they use money in their bank account for the City of Citrus Heights and buy a lot and purchase some tiny houses, with some rules attached, and give these poor sons and daughters some place to go? But nobody thinks of positive feedback on the homelessness.

    Linda M.– There should not be “residents” in our public parks. Most of them are homeless for a reason. Drugs, alcohol, mental illness and/or the inability or unwillingness to hold down a job… The homeless that became homeless through no fault of their own and are working to get back on their feet instead of just looking for a handout or stealing from the people whose tax dollars pay for these parks… they are the minority.

    Joseph P.– Heck, let them have a park, but station police there over every shift. Confront the wrong doers. Enforce the laws, not just whatever seems convenient. Actually get out and do checks. When I was a teen, I couldn’t even walk through a park without cops rolling by talking with all of you. Now it takes 45 minutes to respond to a drive-by shooting.

    Want to share your own thoughts? Post a comment on our Facebook Page, or click here to submit a letter to the editor.

  • The Civic Minute: what’s happening at Citrus Heights city hall? (Nov. 9)

    ARCO gas station proposal. Hazardous waste drop-off. Half-million dollar grant. Backyard chickens. Those are some topics on the agenda for the Citrus Heights city council’s upcoming Nov. 9 council meeting. Here’s a brief summary of what’s on schedule, followed by vote highlights from the Oct. 26 council meeting:

    PRESENTATIONS:

    • Top 20 city landmarks presentation by city staff.
    • Presentation on the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting event, to be held on Dec. 7th.

    PUBLIC HEARINGS:

    • Grant Funding: Part two of a public hearing will be held on how $589,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding will be allocated in Citrus Heights. A draft distribution of funds would send $383,000 to the Citywide Accessibility Improvement Project, $118,000 to program administration, and the remaining 15 percent to seven community organizations.

    ACTION ITEMS OF NOTE:

    • ARCO proposal: Councilmembers will consider a staff recommendation to approve a contract with Analytical Environmental Services (AES) to conduct an environmental impact report for the proposed ARCO gas station and car wash at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard an Sungarden Drive. Although AES submitted the highest bid of $115,000 out of four bids received by the city, staff recommended AES as “the most qualified” based on the firm’s experience with similar projects and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. The lowest bid received was $89,500. An additional $10,000 is included in the project proposal to cover additional traffic impact analysis, if needed. All costs will be paid for by the project’s applicant, Cal Ventures Group, LLC, and not the city.
    • Hazardous waste drop-off: Councilmembers will consider a staff recommendation to discontinue Republic Services’ three annual household hazardous waste drop-off events and instead contract with Sacramento County for disposal services at two year-round locations. The recommendation cites declining participation and complaints from residents about the inconvenience of the current drop-off events. If approved, residents would be able to drop off hazardous waste at the county’s North Area Recovery Station at 4450 Roseville Rd. and dispose of antifreeze, batteries, oils and paints at the Kiefer Landfill at 12701 Kiefer Blvd in Sloughhouse. Costs to the city are proposed to remain the same, with the city contributing the first $75,000 toward hazardous waste collection and Republic Services retaining responsibility for outreach and any additional costs.

    OTHER ITEMS:

    • Backyard chickens. The city’s economic development department will give a one-year update on how Citrus Heights’ new regulations on backyard hen-keeping have played out. In 2016, the city council unanimously voted to amend the city’s zoning code to allow for hen-keeping on smaller lots; a one-year update was requested at the time. (See 2016 story)
    • Prescription drug safety. At the request of Councilman Bret Daniels, the council will discuss prescription drug pill bottle locking devices.

    The city council will meet at 7 p.m. at 6360 Fountain Square Dr. The full agenda packet can be viewed by clicking here.

    HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCT. 26 COUNCIL MEETING:
    Present: Mayor Jeff Slowey, Jeannie Bruins, Bret Daniels, Albert Fox, Steve Miller
    Meeting length: 2 hours 25 minutes.

    Quotable: “By no means are we done with homelessness. There’s a lot of work to be done.” – Mayor Jeff Slowey, commenting on the city’s Homeless Navigator program being recognized and awarded by the League of California Cities.

    “There is no necessity for this. We don’t need it. The community doesn’t need it. The community has spoken: they don’t want it.” – Councilman Bret Daniels, commenting on FoodMaxx’s liquor license request.

    • FoodMaxx liquor license request (Denied, 4-1). A request for a “Letter of Public Convenience and Necessity” to allow the sale of distilled spirits at FoodMaxx on Sunrise Boulevard was denied by councilmembers in a split 4-1 vote. (Read more in news briefs)
    • Police salaries/benefits (Approved, 5-0). The city council approved a 3-year agreement with the Citrus Heights Police Officers Association that included a 2% salary increase for CHPOA members and a $100 increase in the monthly maximum paid by the city for health insurance premiums.
    • Debt policy (Approved, 5-0). The city council approved a recommendation by the city manager’s office to adopt a proposed debt policy. Although Citrus Heights has no debt, the approved 12-page policy is based on SB 1029, a recently passed state law which effectively requires cities to have a debt policy in place 30-days prior to taking on debt.
    • Homelessness. During public comment, Citrus Heights resident Jennifer Spurr told council members that her home has had an ongoing issue with homeless activity and said she no longer feels safe living or shopping in the city. Because the area behind her home is on Caltrans property, Spurr said she wanted to know what council members would do to work with police and Caltrans to ensure jurisdictional issues don’t get in the way of stopping homeless activity behind her home. Mayor Jeff Slowey told her he was aware of her particular issue and said he would bring it up with Caltrans during a scheduled Nov. 2 meeting. Spurr’s issue was previously featured in an April 4 report on Fox 40.

      Video of the Oct. 26 council meeting can be viewed by clicking here.

  • Citrus Heights News Briefs: homeless camp, local jobs, missing toddler

    Hiring, SRPD
    The Sunrise Recreation and Parks District is now hiring. // Photo courtesy, SRPD.

    Latest news briefs include the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District announcing new job openings, a missing 2-year-old being found, Citrus Heights Community Center bookings reaching a new milestone, and news of a local family’s battle with a homeless camp behind their property.

    Fox40: Citrus Heights family concerned about homeless camp behind home
    A perpetual homeless camp behind a Citrus Heights home near Interstate 80 and Antelope Road is causing safety concerns and frustration for a local family who lives next to the camp, according to an April 4 report on Fox 40. Cameras showed sleeping bags, clothes, and trash outside a fence behind the family’s home, which reportedly has been a homeless camp for five years.

    Resident Jennifer Spurr told the TV station that the problem is exacerbated by the camp being located on CalTrans property next to the highway, causing jurisdiction to reportedly lie with the California Highway Patrol and CalTrans, rather than the city. “Citrus Heights and CalTrans are kind of fighting over who’s actually going to solve the problem. Meanwhile, we’re at home threatened by these people, and we feel like there’s no recourse,” said Spurr. Citrus Heights Councilman Bret Daniels posted the story on his official Facebook page and said “when residents cannot even go into their own backyard, something has to change.” (Watch Fox 40 segment)

    Community Center reaches 7,000 bookings since opening in 2010
    According to an April update from the Citrus Heights Community Center, the local event center on Fountain Square Drive has now exceeded 7,000 bookings for its facilities since opening in 2010. More volunteers are currently being sought to help answer questions at the front desk, provide tours, and do basic office administrative work. For more information or facility availability, the center can be reached at (916) 727-5400.

    CHPD: Missing 2-year-old found
    Responding to several questions posted by community members on the Citrus Heights Police Department’s Twitter page on Tuesday, police said a missing child had been located safely by police and was returned to parents. According to the tweets, the missing child was a two-year-old in Batman pajamas who had last been seen on Sunrise Boulevard. As previously reported on The Sentinel, CHPD averages around 50 missing person calls per month.

    Sunrise Parks District is now hiring
    Know someone looking for work? In an April 4 posting on the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District’s Facebook page, several seasonal park and janitorial positions were announced, with additional job openings also posted on the district’s website. Other openings include aquatics positions, teacher aide jobs, basketball and baseball coaches, and day care/pre-school teaching positions. More information is posted at sunriseparks.com/about/job-openings/

    Other happenings around town included Babies & Bumps being held at the Community Center on Saturday, and Sylvan Ranch Community Garden’s annual plant sale fundraiser being held at the corner of Stock Ranch and Sylvan roads on April 7-9.

    Also in the news last week: