Public commenters urge county action on homelessness and raise foster-care allegations

During the council's public-comment period, Carmen Deleon (who said she goes by "Melo Deleon") urged the county to invest in renovating existing buildings into one-bedroom studios for people experiencing homelessness instead of building a costly new bridge shelter.

"If you want to invest in something, instead of like that bridge shelter that's costing millions and millions of dollars, you take something that's already been built and just divvy it up," Deleon said. She also urged using money to staff an existing mental-health facility near Salmon Creek and asked that the county consider filling that facility to help people with severe mental illness.

A caller who identified herself as Kimberly Gohane Elen raised concerns tied to a Foster Care Awareness Month proclamation. She said her son had his children taken by the state and that she has an unredacted police report she contends shows the removal was improper. "My son, Cleave Goheen Rango, is suffering from the state taking his children illegally," she said, alleging the family was "ground down to the dirt." She requested the county acknowledge problems in the foster-care system and referenced planned outreach to state authorities.

Councilors closed public comment without taking formal action on either set of remarks. The statements made during public comment are allegations and personal perspectives presented to the council; they were not verified or adjudicated during the meeting.