2018/02/07 Council Agenda Packet

area to be sure that clients weren't hanging around. However,she wasn't sure if a treatment facility would address the issues that the downtown area is having with the homeless population. She wondered if a treatment center would encourage folks to have better behaviors. She stated that all sorts of people need treatment, not just the homeless. Neal McEntire,2942 Colby Avenue,stated that he deals with addicts every day in his downtown barbershop. There is Compass Health in the downtown area who deals with the mentally ill every day. When prisoners release from jail,where do you think they go -they come downtown. He is offended when people state that Everett needs to do its fair share. He stated that he googled drug treatment centers and it listed Everett as having 14 treatment centers. Everett does its fair share. Michele Conly,2928 Rucker, stated that she didn't support a downtown facility. She stated that there has been a lot of work to revitalize Everett. She owns her building and runs her business out of that location. She didn't support a facility in the downtown area. Diane Claussen, 222 96th' Place SE,stated that she would support the code amendment adding one more facility. She works with mentally ill and addicted clients. There is an opioid epidemic. There are waiting lists for treatment. If there was treatment where people are at, it would help people change their behavior. David Roberts, 11527 Highway 99, member of Everett Democratic Socialists of America, lived in proximity of a needle cleanup area that was recently in the Herald newspaper. He stated that there is an opioid epidemic gripping the country whether we care to admit it or not. He supported the code amendment to allow a second opiate substitution treatment facility in the downtown. Clinics are the safest and most humane way for addicts to receive treatments. He stated that the reports of increased crime rates have been debunked time and again,as indicated in the 2013 study by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. He stated that the fact of the matter is that these clinics save lives. He urged commission to support the code amendment. Shannon Myers, 3003 Colby Avenue, Marriot Hotel general manager, stated that she noticed one trip advisor mentioning concerns but there were several other third party sites that she knows about and hadn't reviewed. People and companies who want to host large meetings or events refer to those sites before making travel arrangements. She didn't support locating the opiate substitution treatment facility in the downtown area. Motion: Commissioner Zelinski made a motion to close the testimony and continue the public hearing to December 5, 2017. Commissioner Beck seconded the motion. Vote: Commissioner Dunn,yes; Commissioner Lavra,yes; Commissioner Zelinski,yes; Commissioner Beck,yes; Commissioner Jordison,yes; Commissioner Tisdel,yes; and Chair Holland,yes. Motion Carried -------------------------- -----------------— ------ 14