Health Hazard Created by Supervisor Hopkins and Other Supes

[sealwatcher]

I see there are thirty members and no petition or more information. Stuart, I find your perceptions limited and your blaming offputting. Seeking to recall our supervisor seems to me quite wrongheaded. I would like to hear from the 99% who agree with you. How can I do that?

A RECALL HOPKINS bulletin board has been set up ...

[Stuart]

HI
thank you for your thoughts and participation. Please feel free to browse all the comments on three related threads on Nextdoor bulletin board, similar to this but apparently national. This local board I feel is a good part of the community. I had not used Nextdoor much, but last week the ball began rolling, and we ended up there... So, please review the posts, Hopkins asked to join, i was asked about it and my reply was of course!
Happy viewing....
Stuart

[Stuart]

Please stop your false quotes! You are printing LIES. I have never uttered your last two sentences. Barry, what's the deal when people are publishing absolute lies??
How dare you print complete made up fabrications and attribute them to me?

We may disagree, but it is odd that this is the second time on this brief thread either you or someone else has made up complete LIES.
You show me where I have written your lies or retract and remove them immediately
This is slander when you put my name to your made up quotes

[podfish]

Please stop your false quotes! You are printing LIES. I have never uttered your last two sentences. Barry, what's the deal when people are publishing absolute lies??
How dare you print complete made up fabrications and attribute them to me?

We may disagree, but it is odd that this is the second time on this brief thread either you or someone else has made up complete LIES.
You show me where I have written your lies or retract and remove them immediately
This is slander when you put my name to your made up quotes

I was confused when you said that the first time; this time too, till I went back and looked more closely. You seem to be responding to Imagery. I still don't have any idea what drew your ire the first time.

Adam Schiff recently was called out by Trump for something similar, when he described Trump saying something like "nice little country you have there. It'd be a shame if something happened to it" to Zelinsky. I guess you're not unusual in your take because he too was charged with libelous misquoting. I think most of us recognize it as a hyperbolic paraphrase.

[Stuart]

ok, you are the same person who TWICE had LIED on a public forum about my words, the last time attributing with my name to statements I HAVE NEVER MADE.
Barry, is there not some control over overt and blatant lies being said with my name attached?
Just remove this entire thread, as this person is committing slander and nowhere can show where I have said anything close to what he is publicly claiming.

[rossmen]

Chill out Stuart, fish is one of the smartest people you will ever play with on a local social media platform. Just because he names your meaning in his own words is an honor. If you really want to recall Hopkins you need to closely read every word he writes and use whatever you understand to up your game.

I agree with you that our supervisor missed the window to get homeless campers off the trail next to your home. Her timeline of the issue is a sorry excuse for inaction. And everything else she writes is truth. She is just a politician. I read your solutions. Health safety is now a wobbler when dealing with homeless. This is a current legal issue actively being litigated in the highest courts of us. Could local pols push it instead of standing back and throwing money? Of course. Your effort to get more action is admirable, and will take time and $.

bbr>

ok, you are the same person who TWICE had LIED on a public forum about my words, the last time attributing with my name to statements I HAVE NEVER MADE.
Barry, is there not some control over overt and blatant lies being said with my name attached?
Just remove this entire thread, as this person is committing slander and nowhere can show where I have said anything close to what he is publicly claiming.

[Stuart]

Please direct your attention to your colleague who is making up statements I have never said or written. Are you endorsing absolute lies? Do not tell me to 'chill out' when someone is making up statements I have never written or uttered and publishing them. if you condone complete lies, then the two of you have wonderful natural instincts to work for the national and international personalities of the same. Wow! You are accepting outright lies and condemning me?

[podfish]

Chill out Stuart,

wow, thanks for the compliment. I try to help keep these discussions interesting - as do you and several other regulars here. It would be nice if Stuart could use the [ QUOTE ] cuz I'm definitely still at a loss for the gross slanders I apparently made.

[Stuart]

Where have I ever written or said what you have attributed to me-absloute lies.
You show us where I have said that, which is impossible, because you are using my name with quotes you have made up.
Moderator, let's please not permit outright lies to be broadcast on this forum, there must be some control over people making things up and saying someone else said them without ANY justification-because they happen to disagree.
Moderator, Barry, you must draw the line on whether you are permitting complete lies to be allowed knowingly on this forum.

[karenm97]

Wow, these comments about the safe disposal bins for sharps (needles) are sickening. Diabetics use those bins. There are other medications that people inject. Sure, people who inject street drugs are going to use them, too. It would be great if there were a safe, dry, and warm injection space where they could be supervised (in case of fentanyl or other overdose situations) and could have info about or access to services. As you are likely aware, safe needle disposal and being able to get clean ones helps to prevent the spread of diseases. Access to services would make it much easier for people to use them. It would be great if those folks had housing. But they don't, they can't afford it. They are calling attention to their plight with this "occupation," which, in the spirit of Occupy, is pretty great. It's got people talking about it, and people are trying harder to find solutions to this problem. If only there were a way to take the profit motive out of housing construction and ownership.

It is terrible that Lynda is having to work so many hours. There should be 2 other people splitting her workload so she can spend time with her family, animals, and self. If only wealthy folks around here could help fund some of these needed organizations and housing construction... But it's wine country and that's not how folks who have lots of money choose to spend it, is it? Oh, by the way, I love it when people talk negatively about street drugs but don't have a problem with "wine country" even though alcoholism has ruined many more people's lives. I wonder how many unoccupied AirBnb units there are in Sonoma County.

Every time we peel back a layer to try to understand homelessness, there are others. People need mental and physical health care. Those who can work might need job training so their skills can fit the jobs that are out there. They need phones and places to charge them. They need clean and appropriate clothes for those jobs = access to washing machines and places to store clothes. They need meals. They need higher wages (can you imagine renting an apartment on $15 per hour?) They need roofs. Those who can't work need caregivers of various types (IHSS workers don't make very much money so you can see how those folks could end up homeless, too).

[nicofrog]

Thanks, coffee too mild, heading to The Occupation to get a fix, maybe score some meth, wondering if the authorized "disposable needles bins" have been put up by the City yet, might take the kid for a stroll through the needles, step around months of dog and human crap, ahh lovely wine country living...Hey, let's share this with the world, betcha the tourism folks would be onboard....

Stuart Kiehl;
now there's a name

I wonder if he cares about people at all?) really lives in the neighborhood? ,sounds like someone who won debating contests in high school and just lathers on the keyboard to get as MEAN and TOUGH sounding as he can.

I will challenge you, Mr. Kiehl to take a walk or bike-ride down J.D. trail with me

I do it now and then stop and talk with folks , why are you in here causing such a ruckus ,many if not all of the folks there are regular American citizens ,some vets , helpful kind and considerate.when I am there and I need to "go" i just walk or bike to one of the big box stores nearby and use a nice heated bathroom . I am a professional composter ,and I could design a composting system that would safely manage all the offal and excrement there easily . but we are living with a backwards city govt and health dept that is running on rules created in the fifties. And people like YOU will not allow them to upgrade, because you want your precious PROPERTY VALUE to go up and up .

where are your solutions dude? you want all those folks in JAIL? that would cost your sorry taxpayers a** a lot more than dotard trail .. ooh nice one smellcheck! ,and anywhere else you disperse(them) US to ,you will get played by realtors to make the same fuss all over , (do you record anti smart train adds on your night shift? )

How about a solution that is SIMPLE like the Fairgrounds summer housing for rodeos! bet that fits a thousand ...OR
here's one I invented (feel free to send me a thank you note... ) the cop-shop (sheriffs office) near the courthouse in Santa Rosa ,happens to have an abandoned FLEET BARN this is a huge building ,about a half city block in size ,with electricity ,and probably a few bathrooms (not enough ,some porta pottie actions would be required (unless the quiet permaculture community steps up to help , hire Green Mary to sort trash, and bring in those huge semi truck showering stations that are used for big events .all this would be cheaper and easier than the ridiculous cow box prison they are building out in the middle of nowhere where no homeless person in their right mind would want to live 10 miles from any services of any kind. GO check it out I did (they look at you weird but it's legal to go there ) Pete's coffee is right across the street ! a safeway just down the block! bingo! plenty of room for tiny houses outside, or regular trailers etc ... and right were the cops can keep an eye on everyone! treat it like a concert ,get some MUSIC in paint the walls beautifully ,teach folks to be proud of their surroundings . and stop Bi%*4ing so much life is supposed to be fun!

bye the way, that part of Roseland was supposed to be evacuated during the last fire ,I went there on my bike, no one was there to let those folks know that, they are people, they have stomachs ,hearts ,they cry ,laugh, eat sleep and need services as to all people .I pray all your taxes from here to texas go right straight to THEM! have you ever slept out on the ground overnight (on hard asphalt) let's do that mr. macho I'll do it with you I carry an old dusty sleeping bag in the back of my truck, we can gather some cardboard for padding, eat a 7-11 hot dog ,ar a jar of peanut butter for dinner, then read bedtime stories with headlamps....are you afraid? will someone come and knife you and steal your stuff? I's a big world out there beyond carpets and double pane windows .

[Stuart]

The FACTS are these:
-Over 1400 SR Police Dept complaints about the homeless "on or near" the trail. including fires, explosions, rat infestations, assault, domestic violence, prostitution, drug selling and using, etc etc etc. Look it up. These are just a few
-SW Santa Rosa has 433 homeless, officially counted. 213 in Sam Jones Hall, 220 on the trail.
How many do YOU have in YOUR neighborhood?
How many does Hopkins have? Zero
How many will you take in your neighborhood ?
How many will Hopkins take and how close to her family?

Expand

It is a Tale of Two Cities, those of us under literal attack, and those who do not suffer the social, economic, safety or health issues of the Invasion. We are protecting ourselves because our elected leader has been useless.

Share the wealth, move 100 into Forestville and another 100 into Sebastopol. How about it? Until you have lived the nightmare, maybe ask how many you will accept in your neighborhood?

Hopkins ignored this growing crisis, and nothing was made public until the Recall Hopkins effort started.
This is not personal, but a dereliction of duty. The encampment is growing to this day, today.
She could not do anything, did not do anything, prevented the community from speaking at her sham meeting and will not agree to a simple Q and A for the next meeting. Yes or No, Supe?

Yes, she does work for us. She is our employee, we pay her about $178K a year and she will not listen to her constituents? This is democracy? This is right?
Attached photo from the third fire. The second had the explosion. Last week, a woman drove down the trail shooting at her ex with a 9mm weapon. Again, she or he who throws the first stone, etc, how many of those from the trail will you or Hopkins accept now?
Recall Hopkins

[Mayacaman]

Stuart,
Some of the people on the Joe Rodota Trail are criminals - thieves who steal bicycles & push bad drugs. As such, they should be in "correctional facilities." Some of the folks on the Joe Rodota Trail are truly mentally ill, and would do better in hospitals or halfway houses - depending on their degree of functionality.

But Some of the homeless - the more capable among them, {and I have run this by folks on the Trail} - would vastly prefer to be dwelling on Homestead claims in the near-wilderness, and spending their next several years outside of the cities and in Nature - Planting trees, building their own tiny houses, planting their own gardens, and Reforesting the burned-out timber-lands of Northern California. Wouldn't you prefer that too? It is a Win / Win Solution. I think that Lynda Hopkins might also see this in a favorable light as a workable Option.

Open up the "Public Lands" to Homesteading

[finnie]

I'm a 77-year-old female and I have tramped through the encampments in Roseland, the first Rodota camp and now the current Rodota camp. I was there last Friday just walking and talking to folks. You know, all they want is to be acknowledged as human beings. A smile and a hello, work wonders. And I have never - repeat NEVER - had occasion to feel frightened about anything.

[Stuart]

How many of our 433 will you accept to live near you? 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 433?
All those making personal attacks do not answer how many they will accept and how far away?
We already have 213 at Sam Jones Hall, which was run well when it opened by Catholic Charities for 80 beds. Now it is 213 and a corner gathering. Add the 220 trail "campers".
Please advise where to drop off how many, and we will assist with transport.
Give an address, and we will share.
HOW MANY WILL YOU TAKE TODAY? Hopkins, how many and where?
Let's be fair
If you can't do that, then assist them to move to Administrative or Administration Drive at Sonoma County Acres. And/or City Hall premises, Santa Rosa.

[Thad]

I can just about see this, a group of people coming out of Home Depot each with a rake, a large sign in the parking lot with media coverage, "Ok Trump we've got our rakes, now what?"

Its election season, could be good for a go.

So you get a campground for where your raking, you use the the underbrush to power your various portable cottage industries. An easy moving campground that becomes as it begins.

Ever see a generator run off a wood gasifier?

Where's some money for these kind of ideas?

.....Some of the homeless - the more capable among them, {and I have run this by folks on the Trail} - would vastly prefer to be dwelling on Homestead claims in the near-wilderness, and spending their next several years outside of the cities and in Nature - Planting trees, building their own tiny houses, planting their own gardens, and Reforesting the burned-out timber-lands of Northern California. Wouldn't you prefer that too? It is a Win / Win Solution. I think that Lynda Hopkins might also see this in a favorable light as a workable Option.

Open up the "Public Lands" to Homesteading

[bakerchic]

Okay, "let's be fair." First, homelessness in itself is a health hazard, but Supervisor Hopkins did not create the problem of homelessness or the attendant health hazard. It is a national problem which our county is also dealing with. Second, these are autonomous people, not puppies at a pound to be handed out to anyone who will "take them." Third, to the extent these are people living in our community, we are all dealing with the same problem. Moving them around at random so that they are closer to others makes no sense and is not a solution.

How many of our 433 will you accept to live near you? 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 433?....

[Stuart]

Expand

Hopkins was and is in charge. This happened and grew and now is a crisis under her watch.
Lack of leadership, thus accountability.
How many will you take? And at what distance from your house?

[finnie]

The only rational solution to this emergency is to establish transitional villages with tents, rv's and tiny homes that are safe, secure, offer hygiene (toilets, hand-washing stations and showers), trash pickup and services in EVERY DISTRICT! The village solution is also by far the least expensive of our options and can serve people for the years required for permanent supportive housing to be built. Such villages ARE "Housing First" and they're proving their success elsewhere in California and around the nation. In Seattle, neighborhoods adopt and sponsor their villages and crime is going down and millions of dollars of taxpayer dollars don't have to be wasted for police and all the other emergency services that are required when people are living on the streets. People who are getting the help they need are getting better!

Okay, "let's be fair." First, homelessness in itself is a health hazard, but Supervisor Hopkins did not create the problem of homelessness or the attendant health hazard....

[podfish]

The only rational solution to this emergency is to establish transitional villages with tents, rv's and tiny homes that are safe, secure, offer hygiene (toilets, hand-washing stations and showers), trash pickup and services in EVERY DISTRICT!

and for those who hate supporting such things with their tax dollars, hate the idea that people are getting something for free, I'd support the right of any of them to take advantage of the program and move into their own tent in the park - no questions asked. What's the quote - "the law in its majesty prohibits the rich as well as the poor from living in the streets"? Well, it should permit the rich as well as the poor, if they are so inclined.

[Stuart]

Again, the false assumptions, let's be very clear and forget the personal presumptions, false as they are, and ask again a very simple question: Those attacking us, who live in the Occupation of filth, rats, fires, vandalism, explosions, prostitution, assaults, etc etc, look up the SRPD records, we ask how many of our 433 will you take in your neighborhood?
How many and how far from your house?
Why do the people who are attacking us who are the victims of this invasion not answer how many of our homeless you will take??
Unless you live it, or will accept a certain number, say 50 or 100, or 200, or 400, then you have absolutely no moral authority to condemn us who are simply protecting what was a positive community before the trail.

[podfish]

Why do the people who are attacking us who are the victims of this invasion not answer how many of our homeless you will take??
Unless you live it, or will accept a certain number, say 50 or 100, or 200, or 400, then you have absolutely no moral authority to condemn us who are simply protecting what was a positive community before the trail.

of all people you aren't one to decide who has moral authority. You are not getting attacked or condemned for wanting to protect your community. If you'd look around, you'd see that there's a lot of interest in helping solve this problem.

You in particular make this hard, by attacking Hopkins, who's one of the most active government officials in searching for solutions, and especially by your repeated dehumanization of those you term 'occupiers'. You'd get some sympathy if you welcomed allies for constructive solutions, rather than expressing nothing but outrage at what you personally have suffered and complete indifference to the plight of those on the trail. So can you stop with these pointless diatribes and rhetorical challenges? Wait till your 'attackers' actually band together and reject a site near them before you charge them with hypocrisy.

[Lorinda Hartwell]

So bummed by negative thoughts and accusations, especially from Stuart—Attacking those trying to deal with an extremely difficult situation. Back off! Let’s at least give efforts a chance to work. Examine your nimby fears and prejudices. Be kind.

[Stuart]

How many homeless will you accept from the trail? 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 433?
How far away will be ok from where you live?
Until you answer that, your comments are irrelevant
WE live it. You do not.
When you accept a certain number, say 100, in your neighborhood, then your remarks will have some authority

[KittyW]

The FACTS are these:
Recall Hopkins

I find your attacks on Lynda Hopkins like a bizarre lynching mob mentality.

And totally ignorant of a recent law that allow homeless people to sleep on public property.

Did you know, perchance, that a federal ruling passed on September 4th 2018 states it’s “unconstitutional” for law enforcement to cite or arrest homeless people sleeping on public property?

So when homeless people decide to camp somewhere on public property, it's perfectly legal.

Lynda Hopkins had nothing to do with this law. And she personally can't change it, even "on her watch."

In the 2018 decision, the court said it was "cruel and unusual punishment" to enforce rules that stop homeless people from camping in public places when they have no place else to go.

And Lynda Hopkins had nothing to do with it.

Yes, it is a terrible thing that there are so many homeless there.

It is tragic. Heartbreaking. Messy and smelly.

It is a horrible situation. With no easy answers.

But it's not Lynda's fault, so get over it.

Your finger pointing at one individual is ridiculous.

[Stuart]

I have never attacked Lynda Hopkins personally. Unlike many of these remarks on this site about me.
I represent a response to an attack upon our community and we are holding our elected official accountable because she has allowed this to happen in OUR neighborhood.
Not hers or yours
So, YES, we will attack the lack of leadership of the highest paid official who did nothing to stop what is now a health, safety, economic and fire threat, not just to our community, but to the entire region.
There have already been three fires, one explosion, last week a gun shootout, six months of people pooping in the bushes, ditto their dogs, rat infestation, over 1400 police reports!
And you blame me???

You are wrong on your legal response. Public Nuisance is a statutory legal term in Sonoma County.
Is crapping or urinating on public property acceptable? How about fires? How about the SRPD reports of now probably 1500? These are not illegal??
Your flimsy arguments have no legal bearing and are an excuse for not having done anything

She did not do her job, so do not attack me for pointing out the reality which over six months she has permitted to grow and it is growing TODAY!
She has none of these "campers" next to her children, nor do you.
We have 213 in Sam Jones and another 250 on the trail
You want a solution, how many will YOU or Hopkins take in your neighborhood?
Answer that before you hammer me for pointing out the reality you do not like or live.
Recall Hopkins because she did not do her job and can't.

[finnie]

I feel as though the hatred I'm seeing on this thread is a hazard to MY health.
Rational responses don't elicit rational answers, just more ignorant hate.
I suggest that those of us who don't agree with that approach choose to ignore it.
No more fuel for that fire from this old woman!
Please join me in discussing positive solutions.
With safe and secure havens of just about any sort accompanied by hygiene, trash collection and services,
sick people are getting better.
And as one friend of mine, now an advocate, says: "As a recovering addict and formerly homeless person whose life has been transformed by love and compassion, I can say that our houseless friends and neighbors have a right to have better living conditions and supportive services that meet them individually right where they are " She adds, "Showing love, kindness and compassion helps to spark hope - building relationships is the key to success."
Let's put our energies in this direction!

[sealwatcher]

The "hatred" on this thread has come from only one direction. Otherwise, I agree with you.

I feel as though the hatred I'm seeing on this thread is a hazard to MY health.
..

[Stuart]

The word and expression of "hate" and "hatred" has come from critics, never have I used the word or its direction at anyone, so please stop with the emotional and false attacks. The facts are what you cannot and will not accept, so you falsely malign me with words I have never written or expressed.
If you disagree, fine, but be adult in your responses and stop with the childish and incorrect blather of your own feelings.
The facts are indisputable. Our neighborhood is under siege.
Not yours or Hopkins'.
We have an invasion and occupation with social, economic, health, fire and safety concerns
What is wrong with defending our community?
"The buck stops here". Who is in charge? Who was in charge during the growth of this crisis? Who could not or did not do anything and blamed others while the problem grew to a now "emergency" proportion?

Until the recall began, nothing changed on the trail except more "campers", increasing even today.
Until you offer to alleviate the problem, keep your "hate" comments to yourself, and love thy neighbor-accept campers into your immediate neighborhood.
How many will you accept?

This is the crux, everyone taking shots at me, including the tacit endorsement of Hopkins, but not one single person or letter writer on this forum, or her after repeated requests, has said how many of the now 213 at Sam Jones and 250 on the trail, 463 total, will you accept?
Tell us: how many? And how far from your house?

Yep, silence, so take your pot shots and remain behind your walls, while we are in the trenches trying to protect ourselves from this very real anti social and dangerous encampment. Three out of control fires and an explosion only one sliver of the danger, SR Fire Dept is called out every other day, that was a month ago, probably more now. You want to go on with needles, assaults, pooping in the bushes for six months, rat infestation etc etc
How many will you accept?
This is my last response, just going around in circles, you want a solution, take 50 or 100 in your neighborhood.
Hopkins could not do the job. Recall Hopkins

[occihoff]

So what do you think these homeless people should do, Stuart? And what should our government do? What are your positive suggestions for dealing with this crisis?

...She did not do her job, ...