LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[May 18th, 2005] Our Next Peaceful Place

While I appreciated your article about Our Peaceful Place, a living room for the poor and homeless in Old Town, I was upset by your Rogue of the Week selection [April 27, 2005] of Mike Narver, the landlord who terminated the lease agreement with OPP. Although we would like to have had a more formal lease and longer lead time to move out, Narver had been open with his concerns. In fairness to Narver, he was the only landlord willing to rent to OPP on a month-to-month basis when our three-year prior lease expired in November, and he was clear from the beginning about his concerns of people congregating in front of the property. He also gave OPP the last two months rent-free.

We commend WW for its willingness to address some homeless issues in Portland and the recent spirit of Mayor Tom Potter in emphasizing the need for collaboration across city government, business and the nonprofit sector in trying to resolve some of these issues. OPP is still looking for about 1,500-2,000 square feet of space to rent in Old Town and is sensitive to the needs of business merchants and residents in the area.

Tom Owens
Board Chair, Our Peaceful Place
Tigard

Not Down with OPP

"Hey Baby, wanna fuck? HEY, LOOK at me when I'm talkin' to you! Gimme some change...."

OK, now rewind, scramble and play about a hundred times a week.

Our Peaceful Place sounded like a good idea providing a place to crash and some amenities the rest of us take for granted. I've seen people that need a break in there, relaxing and having a good time.

However, people outside would argue, do drugs, fight all hours, sexually harass, leave bedding and urinate-sometimes right in front of me. At Everett Station, our doorways still reek though the manager Cloroxed off all the bodily fluids repeatedly.

After months of fighting past angry unchained dogs and people alike, Our Peaceful Place fell from grace. We couldn't walk our animals, conduct business, or use our doors or the sidewalks ourselves.

Group-owned 5A Gallery and Everett Station are good neighbors. Everett Station is part of a nonprofit, filled with struggling artists that have donated our time and art to various different charities, peacefully, for years.

Ms. [Peaceful Place director Barb] Lescher may not understand this, so I'll clear it up: It is within any landlord's rights to terminate a month-to-month lease. If we don't have our livelihoods or if we abuse our neighbors: OUT WE GO. The first things I learned about helping people are "Don't shit where you eat" and "It doesn't cost a dime to be nice."

By the way: It's un-Christian to sit by on your nonprofit watching the rest of the neighborhood get abused.

Sarah Cosman
Northwest Everett Street

Dem Bones to Pick

I am writing to provide an explanation for my recent procedural vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Senate Bill 956, a bill that would allow school boards to prohibit people with concealed handgun licenses from carrying firearms in schools. [See April 27 Murmurs, which reported that fellow Democrats in the state Senate were fuming over Prozanski's nay vote.] I voted against the motion to refer the bill to the Senate floor because there were not enough votes to pass the measure.

Majority leader Kate Brown and Senate President Peter Courtney asked Chair Ginny Burdick not to take a committee vote on the bill because there were not yet enough votes in the full Senate. I am not sure why Burdick hastened a committee vote, but she did. She even closed the public hearing early and denied some citizens the opportunity to testify on the bill.

Furthermore, the bill would not have even received a hearing in the House of Representatives. The House majority leader and House Judiciary chair stated that the bill was dead on arrival. This bill stood no chance of becoming law this session.

In a divided Legislature, sometimes there are instances when one chamber should take a stand knowing full well that the leadership of the other chamber will not agree. However, bringing this bill to the full Senate for such a stand was not logical because the votes were not there.

Instead of focusing on a bill that has no chance of passing, I believe voters are better served when we focus on funding schools, health care and senior services, and on strengthening Oregon's economy.

Floyd Prozanski
State Senator, District 4
Eugene

Water Clarification

I would like to clarify a quote attributed to me in Nigel Jaquiss' April 27 article, "Lake O-be-gone." The article stated that I am skeptical about the ability of aerators to improve water quality. I am not skeptical, and the summer 2004 sampling I conducted in Oswego Lake was unrelated to the aerators' performance.

I believe my comment, "I haven't heard of them being used elsewhere," responded to a question about other Portland-Vancouver area lake-management agencies using aerators to prevent algae blooms. I did not intend to discount aerators' usefulness by suggesting their effects were "mostly aesthetic." Aesthetics and water clarity are valid indicators of water quality, especially when evaluating the extent and magnitude of algae blooms.

Karen Font Williams
Southwest Texas Street