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Council hears Project SupportU data as city prepares public forum on syringe-services ordinance
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Summary
Project SupportU supervisor Ernestine Peralta told the council outreach staff average about 100 contacts per week and that syringe waste is concentrated in encampments; the council set a public forum for Dec. 15 and a policy workshop on Jan. 4 to inform a potential ordinance.
Auburn City Councilors pressed staff for details about needle waste, outreach and cleanup responsibilities on Dec. 1 as the council continued a discussion about syringe services and a potential local ordinance.
Ernestine Peralta, supervisor for the community outreach team at Spurlink, told the council she oversees the syringe-exchange program located at 1155 Lismond Street and the Project SupportU mental-health liaison program. "Project SupportU are mental health liaisons that accompany the law enforcement, fire, and EMS on calls that are related to mental health and substance use," Peralta said. She described outreach in encampments and other community locations and said people can access the drop-in harm-reduction clinic without a referral during posted hours.
Peralta said outreach staff report syringe waste predominantly in encampment areas and not broadly in parks or other public spaces the staff routinely patrol. In response to Councilor Campbell's question about the scale of contacts, she said Project SupportU averages "about a 100 people a week" in contacts and "that number can easily increase" to 150'200 a week during higher-demand periods.
City staff described disposal options and pickup operations. The manager noted sharps containers have been installed at Bonnie Park and a second location near the riverwalk entrance to West Pit, and Mr. Holmes said the city is willing to work with councilors to place additional boxes where staff identify need. Councilor Walker requested boxes at Sullivan Park and Anniversary Park, citing needles left under benches and recent nearby deaths.
Staff also clarified roles for cleanup on private property: Project SupportU does not perform needle cleanup, and the city generally will not use public funds to clean private property unless there is a special legal basis. Mr. Holmes described the usual process when encampments are on private property: police coordinate with the landowner, issue notice, and removal of debris is the landowner's responsibility unless special arrangements are made.
The council set two near-term public steps. Mayor Jeff Hyman announced a public forum on Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers to allow service providers and residents to offer information for council consideration. The council will then hold a policy workshop on Jan. 4 at 5:30 p.m. to identify policy elements to include in a draft syringe-services ordinance.
