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Unhoused Oroville resident urges mercy, criticizes officials during council public comment
Summary
During public comment, Rhonda Magnuson described a decade living on Oroville streets, urged the council to treat addiction as a disease, and criticized Councilmember John Weber and Shawn Webber for making allegedly false statements to the media.
Multiple residents spoke during the council's public comment period about housing, billing disputes and community concerns.
Rhonda Magnuson, who said she had been unhoused for much of the last decade, described addiction as a disease and urged compassion from officials. "This is tragedy. This is suffering," she said, recounting personal experience and urging mercy for people living on the streets.
Magnuson criticized comments she attributed to Shawn Webber and called out Councilmember John Weber for what she described as disrespect during prior interactions. She also referenced local deaths from exposure, saying that 19 people froze to death in Butte County this year and arguing public policy should reflect compassion rather than punishment.
Other speakers included Dianne Boswell, who asked for help resolving a recurring Recology billing matter tied to a tenant, and Shane Gower, who offered a public prayer and urged support for youth outlets. Nathaniel Jones raised concerns about perceived political interference in an upcoming court matter involving a local ministry.
Council members did not take direct action on the public comments but thanked speakers, noted follow‑up where appropriate (for instance, Boswell said she would return on July 7), and reiterated avenues for contacting staff about individual disputes.
