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Residents press Goldendale council about courthouse-lawn encampments; city, police and callers point to county jurisdiction
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to address an increase in people sleeping on the courthouse lawn. Police and staff explained the courthouse property is county-owned and described limited local options and community resources.
Several Goldendale residents used public comment to urge the City Council to address people sleeping and camping on the Klickitat County courthouse lawn, saying the presence has grown and expressing concern about cleanliness and safety.
Janice Parsons, a Goldendale resident, asked whether the city or local agencies could provide assistance and housing referrals for people on the courthouse lawn. “Is there any assistance available to them?” she asked during the public-comment period.
Chief of Police Mike Smith and other council members said the courthouse lawn is county property and that enforcement of camping there rests with the county. Smith said there were no laws being broken by simply sitting on the courthouse lawn, though he noted the city enforces trespass and no-camping rules on city parks and private property. “According to law, there's no laws this time being broken. You can sit in a courthouse lawn,” he said, adding that overnight camping in parks is prohibited by city ordinance.
Council members and callers expressed frustration and requested coordinated solutions. One caller asked the council to get the people off the courthouse lawn and warned that letting the situation persist could result in public-health and public-safety problems similar to larger cities. City staff repeated that removal from the county-owned site would require county action: if the county decides a person should be trespassed, the county can order removal and take steps such as shutting off power to poles if it chooses.
Police and council members outlined limited local options. Smith and the council discussed regional resources: Washington Gorge Action Programs (WGAP) was identified as a local agency that provides services and referrals. Staff noted that some shelters and programs require sobriety or other eligibility criteria, leaving people who refuse services without a clear local option. The council and staff said transportation to Yakima or The Dalles is sometimes used to link people with additional services.
Why this matters: increased visible homelessness raised public concern for downtown appearance and safety and exposed gaps in local shelter capacity and service eligibility. Speakers urged coordination among churches, county agencies and regional service providers ahead of winter.
No formal council action was taken during the meeting; staff recommended engaging the county and local service providers and documenting available resources for public use.
