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Deb Williams <br />From: Mara Wiltshire <mara.e.wiltshire@gmail.com> <br />Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2021 6:30 PM <br />To: DL-Council <br />Subject: Public comment on no sit/no lie ordinance <br />Hello city council members, <br />My name is Mara Wiltshire and I live on 8th and Grand Ave in Everett. I have worked with the ESDA through the <br />AmeriCorps VISTA program as a planning coordinator with the goal of helping to end the cycle of poverty through <br />e quitable access to housing, transportation, services and employment. <br />My thoughts on this ordinance are that the language needs to be amended if it's to be tied to the pallet shelter program <br />so that whoever is enforcing it is required to check the shelter for availability prior to issuing a warning. If the shelters <br />are full, no warning or citation should be given. <br />I would also like to suggest that instead of police enforcing this ordinance as the first responders, that the city invests in <br />a street ambassador program similar to the one used by the downtown Seattle MID. I'm aware that their program is <br />funded privately by the businesses in that district which is what had been proposed at the Everett Station District last <br />year by the Everett Station District Alliance (and the city council approved) but was ultimately opposed by a small <br />n umber of businesses. Since it won't be privately funded at this time like Seattle, I would like to suggest that the city <br />apply for a grant for the funds as a health and safety issue. <br />Even if no grant funds can be acquired, at the very least I would like to see it written into the ordinance that COET will be <br />e nforcing this and not regular police alone. <br />Thank you for you time. <br />Best, <br />Mara Wiltshire <br />1 <br />