I am very saddened and very upset with Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District last meeting report. You have failed to live up to the high caring and helping standards of the people of our area.

First, you did not listen to the many folks that questioned your purchase of the old, unsafe middle school. You paid no attention to professional people telling you how dangerous and in need of repair and the costs associated.

Even as the nation was in a COVID-19 pandemic you felt you could move ahead without truly involving the community and listening. Your director and you had big dreams and big ideas about what you might provide the community. You forgot that our community doesn’t have extra funds ready for your use in the coming year.

As the temperatures dipped, rain and sleet were predicted. You did not wish to use your golden purchase as a safe haven for the homeless. While an old building sat empty and you sat in warm homes you generalized that you were being pushed, that you did not have the plans done and you worried about what the neighbors might think. So, no action.

The building sat empty as a man slept on the sideway next to the public restrooms and others in the damp woods.

Campers know you do not sleep on a cot. You sleep on a mat. Cots allow the cold air to go all around you. Where are the old tumbling mats from the schools? Can they be used?

Your board president needs to call for an emergency meeting. Maybe two or more meetings and get some humane action plans in place.

1. Form committees of members of the public to help speed up the progress and become part of the plan. We certainly feel we have not had our opinions asked for. Don’t form huge committees, just action-oriented groups.

2. Use the Bob Chisholm Community Center go you can have your committees come together, and yet safely sit apart. To assist these committees, ask for assistance from staff of the organizations that stepped up to help and use their expertise.

3. Set firm and timely dates for reporting to the board in the big community hall. Report to the community. Put it on Zoom. Be transparent.

4. My own suggestions: Use the big gym so bathrooms and shower are right there. Enter the gym from the back door next to community garden. Should animals be a problem they can be put in fence-pens between the two gyms, already fenced at both ends. Cover with tarps. Personal items place in tagged, black sacks then placed on upper stage by the door.

Send all board members to look at a well-run warming center Astoria. They have it fine-tuned. You don’t need to feed or clothe them like they do in Astoria but it would be very easy since the kitchen is right next door and our community would provide clothing.

Forget the classrooms. You have security gates in all the hallways so the gym can be closed off. There is no reason for a homeless person to leave gym area, with seating feet apart, in the stands if needed.

Take temperatures before they enter building

Get COVID shots for your volunteers.

Check and see what Astoria uses for shower towels.

Report weekly to your community what you are doing and how it is working and how we can help achieve success.

Take pride in this program and continue to make it better

Use this as a trial run for the rest of the winter.

It was noted the plans are not done for the building use and this is a reason to not shelter the homeless. That is exactly why your community is upset. There was no master plan. Not even now! You had ideas without any thought on how you as a board were going to pull this off, what would each room be used for, or who would pay for this in yearn to come? So you spend more money to have someone else do the board’s work.

In closing, I strongly urge board members to step up and demonstrate the humanity of our community. Provide a warm spot for those less fortunate and definitely in need.

Kathleen L. Samsel

Former Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District board member

Seaside