Aberdeen council hears updates on homeless-response survey, police hiring and neighborhood nuisance efforts; city exploring sit‑lie ordinance and cameras

City staff and council members reported March 12 on multiple steps the city is taking to address homelessness-related nuisance activity and neighborhood safety concerns, including a public survey, a police hire, targeted property-based actions and consideration of a sit‑lie ordinance.

Councilmember Pericini (homeless-response committee) told the council the committee reviewed questions for two surveys (one for residents, one for businesses) and that the public comment period for draft survey questions runs through March 19; the surveys will go out to the community on April 1. The stated goal is to gauge how residents and businesses feel about the city’s response to homelessness and identify successes and areas for improvement.

Administrator Clemens provided updates on enforcement and outreach in the E and F Street area. Staff have tallied nuisance calls, worked with property owners (some of whom have issued eviction notices or are selling properties), and coordinated with the public utility district to install alley lighting. City attorneys are drafting a sit‑lie ordinance (a “sit‑lie law”) that staff said would extend outside the downtown core into adjacent residential neighborhoods. Clemens also said the city and a local clinic that provides methadone/Suboxone services have been meeting monthly and reported operational and security improvements; future meetings will shift to a 60‑day cadence because the clinic’s changes have reduced some issues. The city is also evaluating a temporary camera option with an estimated cost of about $25,000 as part of a package of responses.

The council received a staffing update: one police officer candidate, Officer Lindsay Prose, passed background checks and is scheduled to start March 17 and attend the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy (17 weeks) followed by about 13 weeks of field training.

Public comment included a Ward 5 resident, Kim McCollum, who described ongoing sleep disruption and health concerns she attributes to outdoor noise and secondhand smoke near her home; she said she had been told by police that enforcement options were limited and asked the council for help. Councilmembers and the mayor acknowledged the health and quality‑of‑life concerns and urged continued coordination of enforcement, lighting and property‑based remedies.

Nut graf: The city is combining short-term operational measures (lighting, property enforcement and police staffing) with longer-term legal tools (a draft sit‑lie ordinance) and community feedback (the April 1 surveys) to address concentrated nuisance activity; residents raised individual health and safety concerns during public comment.

Details - Homeless-response survey: Two surveys (residents and businesses); draft questions open for corrections until March 19; distribution planned for April 1. - Police staffing: Officer Lindsay Prose to begin March 17; 17 weeks at the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, then approximately 13 weeks of field training. - Enforcement and partnerships: Staff reported eviction notices to some property owners, talks with property owners who are selling, alley lighting installed with the PUD, and ongoing monthly meetings with a methadone/Suboxone clinic that have led to operational changes. - Draft sit‑lie law: City attorneys are preparing an ordinance to extend prohibitions outside downtown; staff characterized this as a tool to address persistent encampment-related behaviors in residential neighborhoods. - Cameras: Staff said a temporary camera system was being evaluated at an estimated cost of $25,000.

Direct quote - Administrator Clemens on the legal approach: “We're also, waiting on our attorneys who are go who are drafting a sit lie law that we think would impact it, that would extend it outside of the downtown area and into those parts of the, residential neighborhoods.” - Kim McCollum (public comment): “I don't know what else to do. I'm at a loss.”

Ending: Councilmembers urged continued coordination of enforcement, outreach and community feedback; staff said they will circulate the survey link and continue meetings with partners and property owners as these tactics are pursued.