From the Crotch - September 28, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH !

ELECTION or REJECTION? / WAPATO AS A SHELTER?

The board held it's annual election. We will not go through all the games, deception and manipulating, it is tiring and redundant .

The night before last approximately 24 residents out of 22,000 elected a new board. Yes 5 members were seated with a max each that could be obtained of 24 votes. That means 99.99% stayed home. I am told another six attended that were city employees to perhaps help with the election I am not sure if the 24 includes them, however with or without them added the response to what these guys were selling was dismal as best. More folks slept in my alley this week.

We were told come vote for me or vote against me. There is no system to vote against. That was very misleading and not factual. You had 5 choices for 5 seats. The only way you could have prevented a member from being seated is if they did not vote for themselves, as they ran unopposed.

I was told...folks know there is an election so we do not have to put it off. Remember that point.

5 of the 24 there were vying for seats on the board. There were I believe 11 openings. None had any opposition. What that means LITERALLY is that 1 member of the community could have elected all 5 members. I do not think that is an election

We asked for this process to be slowed down. Take your time. Get folks involved. I saw no argument from anyone except those running. There was no reason to hurry, at least any legitimate one.

So they had the election. For every board member elected there was an average of 4.8 members at that meeting ...counting them.

A mandate! A referendum! 99.99% of Lents residents did not show.

Now we get back to the statement that folks knew there was an election and no reason to delay. If that is true.. then what you had was a NO CONFIDENCE showing by the community for this board and those that ran. They chose not to show.

After all by their own words.. People needed no more time... they were aware. 
We have these elections every year at this time.

I know from our admin records over 250 folks from the pages were reading the posts about the elections even given the short notice on the circumstances that were not known yet, until just days before.

They will now say we are negative. Not a new ploy. They will argue that they represent change, when all can see they are just a continuation of the old...from the start. They will in fact do everything and perhaps more then their predecessors while now defending it.

That now we cannot disagree, because it's them. They will band together and again decide that they know what is best for the neighborhood of 22.000 folks because 24 people said so.
And they will do it with a straight face. The very folks that condemned this behavior from others before, now own it. But remember…it's different now ..because it's them!

We had a By Laws committee that had some very good by laws in place. I hope those rules are not changed in that draft to protect board members from being accountable. I urge the board to vote on them quickly so that we might start implementing some of them immediately.

No fresh start... just more of the same!

WAPATO AS A SHELTER!

On another note the meeting put on by the Police Union was very good. Very good ideas. A very well run meeting. Daryl Turner of the PPA put out some good info and got a lot of feedback. It is still a possibility and would hold 600 folks.

Not everyone agreed but for the most part it was civil. One person kept talking behind us so that it made it hard for the rest to hear, but other then a little lack of manners it was a good meeting. I encourage folks to get involved and bring their ideas to the next meeting which we will posted.

These politicians will do little unless we unite to get this problem resolved. I agreed with and enjoyed his reasoning. The crazy thing is that the facility that we just sold for a huge loss could have still been ours when implementing this.

Please attend the meeting on the 11th of October and hear what he has to say. It is posted on the LNLA page.

From the Crotch

FROM THE CROTCH ! - September 24, 2018

I have lived on this block for 13 years. Up until 3 years ago I could care less about an LNA or any other group for that matter, like the 99.9 percent of the other 22,000 plus reside in Lents. The neighborhood was not perfect but it was livable.

Slowly things started changing. We started noticing a growing number of street people. I am not going to use the word homeless to confuse the issue. I have no beef with the homeless, however I am clear in my head that there is a difference.

Friends in other states were telling me about it happening there also. I started researching it and it was something that was growing. Then is started. We wound up having one of the largest homeless populations in the USA. The SWT and our neighborhoods were soon overflowing with criminals, drug addicts and mentally ill.

Our Mayor at the time decided to allow them to camp...and camp they did. The feces, urine and garbage by the tons came to our trails and throughout our neighborhoods. They picked up literally thousands of needles during the cleanup.

Before that all started I along with others, decided to go to an LNA meeting and ask what our neighborhood was going to do. I was shut out, I was told I did not know what I was talking about. I was silenced at the meeting and cut off from commenting on social media. Everything I said in my concerns came true and then some.

That is when the first of groups were formed. Getting involved in that I came to realize just how unaware and uncaring that group was.

The area I live in was fine until about 3 years ago. Then it went downhill fast. We united as a group and pushed back. We made some headway with the trail, but our neighborhoods have been steadily impacted by the leftovers and new street folks seem to pop up still everyday.

In a conversation with neighbors the discussion came up about Oliver Station being the heart of Lents. Jokingly I said, Yes, if that is the heart we must be the crotch. They agreed.

I care less about politics. I don't seek recognition or a pat on the head. I want my neighborhood back. When I moved here we had cookouts in our yards, kids played in the streets and folks were not afraid to leave their homes in the morning to go to work.

I was told today that one of our members spoke with Amanda Fritz. I do not know about what. In that conversation it was stated that Amanda liked the LNLA and their work, but did not like the Crotch posts. I am sure she did not. I myself. also want to talk to her, about an idea for Hummingbird Homes for the homeless. I still have the logo that was designed for it.

My message to Ms. Fritz is that I do not like the "Crotch" either but I live here. I, like a lot of folks on my block are where feces, urine, needles and filth are less then a few yards from where we live. Where junkies scream and fight in the middle of the night. Where people shoot up drugs and drag in trash. I would love to post a nice Mr. Robert's Neighborhood and come out each morning and sing, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood...but I can't. Burglaries, assaults, threats against me and my neighbors when we attempt to get them to leave. There are few days I can remember our block not having to deal with some issue.

Gunshots in our alley's, baggies of dope all over the ground. We had over 20 tires slashed by a mentally ill homeless guy on my block alone. We had him on video. They could not arrest him for that..but they found a 3 year old warrant he had for failure to appear.... for slashing tires! My neighbors had no money to buy the $250 dollars worth of tires so they could get to work. We made sure they got them. By the way her home was broke in to twice once while her kids were home.

No, a fitting name for it is the Crotch. We have made numerous attempts to change that with little luck. I liken it to the camps that are moved from one place to another with no resolve. We have spent many man hours cleaning this up, only to find it in the same filthy condition just a few weeks or sometimes days later. I left out the 2 squatter houses and a dead body.

So if you would like me to change the name I am using perhaps you can help by changing the conditions we live in. You are welcome to come visit. We can give you a tour, or I send you the hundreds of pictures we have.

It bothers you that I call it the Crotch? Think about those of us that live in it!

How many nights are you woke up a week? I find about 60 needles a week and do not have to walk more then 50 ft in each direction, how about you? How close is the gallon jug of urine or the piles of human feces to your home? Do you open your back door for fresh air only to smell urine and rotting food? Do you have a problem with huge flies like some of us? How about rodents ? Do the pictures of what we endure offend you?

In all fairness, I was not there, so I do not know if this is factual. I want to believe that Ms. Fritz realizes my right to free speech and my right to speak about conditions in my neighborhood. That my neighbors and I should not have to live like this. That if she is reading the Crotch we would like to know why she has not taken action on the complaints and conditions, instead of the format in which they are written.

If she is appalled at the name of the posts, that is her right. If it takes a simple word like "crotch" to get your attention, so be it.Whatever the indignation one might feel over a word, pales in comparison to how we feel and what we have endured constantly for the last 3 years. There is an old saying. "Walk a mile in my shoes"..in my neighborhood it is "Walk a couple of feet, and check your shoes."

I have to applaud David and Char as they see right through stuff like this. When Thomas and I first joined their group I remember the stuff they went through for even thinking about starting a non profit. The lawsuit threats, the microphone meeting and the crazy emergency meeting. The reluctance of those to join that somehow now attempt to want to, as it fits their agendas. The old board was a sham, this one forming now seems to be just like our alley..we just cleaned it up,,, and someone is crapping in it already. The usual sellout, kowtowing and manipulation has begun before they have even formed. The new idea is just the old idea with different players. .

If a person has some deep seeded desire to sellout out and conform for a little praise or a pat on the head, do so. Please do not insult those of us that know exactly what the reasoning is for that. Funny thing is I told folks at the meeting this would happen. I named the players and the game ,,,long before it took place.

In closing, I submit a single picture that kind of explains our situation, The fence you are looking at is about a week old...just replaced... The feces was there the next morning.. I filled 5 bags with garbage yesterday and picked up 16 needles. About a dozen good folks just cleaned it on the 15th.

UPDATE : We moved the 7th junkie out of the alley just minutes ago, The picture posted is of the crippled guy who was dumped by a trash can and had his wheel chair stolen by these misunderstood and abused street folks. Some neighbors found his chair 2 blocks away...all his stuff was gone....

From the Crotch - September 21, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH !

Wednesday evening my son saw 2 hispanic men in a taupe colored car, perhaps an older Oldsmobile grab a girl off the street who was screaming and yelling. In this neighborhood it is pretty common. He did not see who the woman was.

This morning I was approached by Asia for a smoke as she was walking down out street, A little while later Brad and Anna saw her being followed by 2 men in a car of the same description.

Then one got out and a few minutes later they were gone and so was Asia.

I have heard from street folks that this has happened to her several times. Either they get behind on their dope bill or these scumbags just pick her up to make money for them,

We have no plate number. Please keep a lookout, I am going to report this to our Neighborhood Response Officer. If any of you witness something like this please PM me or report it and let them know there is already a report. A plate number would be great! A picture would be even better.

From the Crotch - September 19, 2018

Sabina Urdes

Sarah Wines

Nick Christensen

Robert Schultz

FROM THE CROTCH!

So far here are the nominations and the nominees who have accepted. Also a list of the folks that nominated them.

I know that one sitting board member is in favor of putting the election off a month to allow us to get more nominations and more involvement. This person has no problem extending their time one more meeting. I will be contacting the other two. The way things unfolded has left many people confused about the process, If not, there will be a motion brought before the membership for a vote.

With 5 days until the election we do not even have enough folks coming forward to fill the 7 required seats. Doing that would make almost half our board again appointees chosen by the 4 board members up for seats. You will have no say other then to ratify their choices.

Hence, my reasoning for no rush. Give some time for folks to make a decision; on if they want to run and be more informed of who they are voting for. We have a lot of new residents.

Here they are:

Chair - Sabina Urdes Nominated by Robert Schultz
*Vice Chair - Sarah Wines Nominated by Robert Schultz
Land Use - Nick Christensen Nominated by Robert Schultz
At Large - Robert Schultz Nominated by Robert Schultz

* I want to be sure so I put an asterisk by Sarah Wines name as she has told me as far as 3 months ago she was running for Chair.

From the Crotch - September 17, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH!

There was a resignation of 4 LNA members a few months ago. They resigned as they felt as board members that other board members made it impossible to complete even simple tasks without being questioned and bantered by fellow board members.

As we got close to the election it was decided to appoint 4 folks to the board. There was no reason to do so. The board still had enough members and the worst that could have happened even if they did not was what?

This is a board that did not file its paperwork in a timely fashion and almost lost that money from EPNO.

A board that failed to produce a working set of by laws for 2 years.

A board that could not even produce and keep up with simple minutes of the meeting...some dating back over a year.

But they needed to rush to add 4 members ? For what ?

Now with the resignation of Potter and Bader all positions are open. We were officially notified Thursday at a meeting 2 members were at.

The election is in 6 days. Most folks do not know who is running. A lot of folks that do not have facebook know nothing. 
Again we are asked to rush and vote in new members. For what?

Does not sound to me like the start of a new board...just a different old board.

I would like to know who is running before the election. 
Folks should have an opportunity to meet and speak with candidates..before the election...not during it.

I was told this is how the last 3 remaining board members want it, I say it is not their board anymore, it belongs to the membership and they should set the election date as the rules allow.

I have no idea what the rush is?

Postpone the vote until the October meeting and give folks the opportunity to not only vote informed, but decide if perhaps they would like to run.

This is an election...not the 50 yard dash !

From the Crotch - September 17, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH!

Asia in the alley off 83rd between Foster and Ramona. Screaming and shooting dope into her infected leg. Perhaps someone from one of these social programs the Mayor brags about can get this kid some help. They talk a good talk. We have attempted to get that girl help for almost 2 years,

She is screaming and angry as she cannot find a vein anymore. I can hear her all the way in the other side of my house.

I called it in...for all the good it will do. This girl will likely be a statistic real soon.

The Cleaner Crotch

FROM THE (AT LEAST CLEANER FOR NOW) CROTCH!

ALLEY!

The alley cleanup went great. Alley Angels did a hell of a job on the cleanup.

At least 2 of the owners are replacing fences.

We are at this time checking to see if we can, with agreement from all neighbors, to block it off. Perhaps with a gate and a lock for access if needed.. I believe the only access needed back there is the Water Bureau. We could provide them with the code to enter.

Something has to happen...too many folks keep putting in hard work only to see it devastated in a few weeks. Perhaps when we get a functional board we can get them to finally pay attention to other areas of Lents besides Oliver Station and stand by residents to get some action from our city government. My alley might be the worst…but it is far from the only area or alley in Lents that is overridden with crime and filth.

Still waiting to see what OLCC and Oregon Lottery are going to do about our problem if anything. The main infestation of that alley is coming directly from one source. I want to be sure that even if fencing it off works we do not just drive them into another area around the corner.

The Sky is Not Falling! - September 12, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH !

THE SKY IS NOT FALLING !

Seems that whatever board we had left has decided to resign and those who had terms running out have decided not to communicate with anyone.

SO WHAT!

I woke up this morning and my lights are still on. Water is running. I called City Hall and they are all up and going. Salem is holding hearings... CNN/FOX and MSNBC are up and going spewing their daily misinformation. Construction is still going on. I saw no signs at Oliver Station that said, NO LNA NO WORK!

Somehow there has been this belief fostered by board members that this NA has some important role in our daily lives. It does not.

The NA's were formed originally to give neighborhoods a chance to get information and get community feedback. 

They were given a voice in the process…but never a vote.

The parting shot by those who controlled the board for years is a mere bump in the road. It shows the real character of those who for years who tried to convince us just how important it was to residents. It never was. It is something that is beneficial...but it has never been necessary.

So lets not have a freak out. 22,000 folks in Lents never attended meetings and I am sure 22,000 have no idea that right now we have no board.

Whatever steps taken over the next few weeks to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. I hope they do not resort to the same questionable actions and ethics of the ones that just left.

This in my mind amounts to that Emergency Broadcast that breaks into your TV in the wee hours of the morning .... only to find it was just a test. I promise we will survive.

That said, Myself I am more concerned about how long it is going to take for Cosmic Coffee to get back up...not the LNA.

From the Crotch - September 10, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH!

I have it from a very reliable source that Cora Potter and Barbara Bader have resigned from the board.

I would like to thank Cora for her time on the board and her thoughtful decision to move on to other things.

Ms Bader has also moved on and that is a good thing for this board. In order to become a real NA responsible to the community and not a small group of those who think the same her departure was necessary. I am afraid however, in her case I cannot thank her for her service as she provided none. She was a tool used by others to do their bidding. Thank goodness that has ended.

Elections are coming up and I for one am curious to see who comes forward to fill these seats. I hope that what does not happen is that a group just like the one that left only with a different opinion does not think they will now rule.

The board should be made up of those that are in tune with the rest of the community. In Lents as far as I can tell we do not want camps or tents. We want safe streets and the ability to engage in the NA without being excluded for our positions on a matter.

I intend to continue to be as hard on the next group if they practice exclusion. Hope this can bring a change to the direction it was going and perhaps bring back some integrity to the board.

We must all be aware that there will be those that will try and load and stack the board and play the same game all over again.

Let's make sure that does not happen!

From the Crotch - September 9, 2018

FROM THE CROTCH !

Hospital band she posted picture of after "SHE" attacked a community member and cried foul!  Claimed the incident was very upsetting to her and she had to go to the hospital.  She herself has admitted on film that she does have some mental issues. 

 "I as a person with a mental illness, major depressive disorder and anxiety…I tell people this because I feel like that it needs to be normalized and out in society and generalizing anxiety disorder with acute boughs of anxiety|panic attacks.  I also have other schizotypal symptoms and oral hallucinations on occasion."

Makes me wonder why she is still on the board after 10 years?

Elections are coming. Had we a valid section on recalls, this election would have been to replace all of the members, They however have managed to delay and postpone them for 2 years now. By any standard of measure in actions by an NA that is pathetic.

There is a draft out there by the By Law Committee headed by Sabina Urdes that needs to be looked at, have adjustments and then passed by the membership.

This board for too many years has been a one person show who has bullied and controlled what is supposed to be a Neighborhood Association.

Two past chairs that were female and minorities were forced off this board when they would not go along with the status quo that has made our LNA Board the joke of the NA's throughout Portland. Four board members just resigned over the constant badgering and interference by other board members.

While there are many areas in Lents that are going through bad times with crime and the homeless situation the focus of the board under its current leadership has been on the new construction.

Past and current board members have withheld information regarding our neighborhood as they believe they know what we should know and not know.

There are other groups in this community that have been fighting to bring some type of sanity back to Lents, not a section of Lents.....but the entire neighborhood.

The current direction of this board is one of exclusion, self promotion and questionable ethical behavior as board members.

The new By Laws will make it so that board members are not only accountable to the board...but to the membership.

There is a stark contrast between the unauthorized By Laws proposed by certain board members and the authorized set put forth by a legitimate sitting committee.

The author and leader of that unauthorized committee helped with the By Laws that we are replacing on at least 3 different occasions during her tenure. We do not need to repeat that mistake.

Ironically the act of submitting those By Laws without board approval or any input from the membership directly correlates with the 3 violations found against this member.

THe Neighborhood Association should represent all Lents residents, regardless of their location,religion, race,gender, sexual orientation disabilities, or political affiliation. It is about time it happens.