Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Homelessness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ward 5 resident tells Aberdeen council tent encampment behind her home caused damage, health problems; mayor offers follow‑up
Summary
A Ward 5 resident described property damage, pest infestations and repeated respiratory illness she attributes to a nearby tent encampment during public comment on Jan. 22; library staff also promoted free digital services and on‑site WorkSource hours.
During the public‑comment period at the Jan. 22 Aberdeen City Council meeting, Kimberly McCollum of Ward 5 said a tent encampment near her property on F Street had damaged her home, introduced pests and caused repeated illness.
"They're destroying my house, literally. They're ripping my fence off my house. They're putting trash behind my house. They're smoking under my windows," McCollum said. "I've had pneumonia three times since this happened. I have asthma. I've already had a heart attack. I have PTSD." McCollum described ongoing disturbances directly behind her home and said she felt she had been told the encampment occupants had legal rights that limited city response.
Mayor [name not specified in the transcript] offered to speak with McCollum after the meeting to discuss the concerns and follow up; McCollum accepted the invitation.
Also during public comment, Janice Robbie, a librarian with Aberdeen Timberland Library, and Amanda Park, also a librarian, reminded the council and audience about free library digital services. Robbie noted the Libby e‑book app and Canopy streaming service and said patrons could send Libby books to a Kindle. Later in the meeting Robbie added that WorkSource has established weekly hours at the library: "They just had their first meeting today, and it's every Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m." The library announcements were informational and did not prompt formal council action.
No formal motions or votes followed the public comments on the encampment; the mayor and staff offered to follow up with the resident after the meeting.
