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<br />MATSLER Clara T <br />From:CROMPTON Larry G <br />Sent:Sunday, November 02, 2014 4:15 PM <br />To:Alley Valkyrie <br />Cc:PIERCY Kitty; KLEIN Glenn; MATSLER Clara T; ambrose@efn.org; <br />randi.bjornstad@registerguard.com; CARNAGEY Craig T; Jean Stacey; BROWN George <br />R; KLINKO Eric E; Alley Valkyrie; danb@heartofeugene.org; SEESE-GREEN Majeska <br />(SMTP) <br />Subject:Re: Susan Hughes' Park Exclusion <br />Hi Alley, I hope you are doing well in Portland. <br /> <br />I feel compelled to respond to your email for a couple reasons. First, to provide those cc'ed a little history on Susan <br />without violating her privacy, and second, to defend what appeared to me to be a subtle suggestion that Officer <br />Bremer's actions may not have been appropriate. <br /> <br />Susan is a sweet lady who many of us know and love. It breaks my heart to see her in the situation she is in, trying to <br />survive day to day. I personally meet with her weekly if not daily to check on her. <br /> <br />A little history I feel worthy of mention out of all fairness in clarifying the situation. Approximately 18 months ago Susan <br />moved into the east park block. As you know Susan literally lives out of a shopping cart along with tarps, cardboard, and <br />other items. As with many suffering from her condition, her footprint in the park began to grow due to her compulsion <br />to collect. My first thought was that it was safer for her to be in the park due to her frail and vulnerable state. As time <br />went on, others began to join her and took up residency along side her. Susan was quickly preyed upon by the others <br />who stole from her and intimidated her. There were now five living in the park with varying degrees of mental illness. <br /> <br />It wasn't long before we began receiving daily complaints from citizens regarding the state of the park not to mention <br />the complaints from parks employees who had to clean up the mess every morning. I spoke with Randy Ellis who is a <br />long time personal friend of Susan and her sister. Together (primarily Randy) we were able to get her housed. We had <br />heard rumors that rats had been seen moving in and out of Susan's camp in the park during the night however assumed <br />it to be urban legend. When we dismantled Susan's camp we discovered it was true, there was a nest in her confined <br />little area. <br /> <br />Susan remained housed throughout the winter and returned this summer to the streets for reasons that I am not totally <br />aware of. Susan said there had been a fire. <br /> <br />Recently Susan returned to the park with her cart and belongings and set up camp where she remained for several days <br />and nights. Your email suggests that she was restricted as a result of her taking a nap in the park during park hours and <br />using a blanket. I realize this is information you received from others however is inaccurate. <br /> <br />We are working with Susan's sister and advocate to come up with a housing solution. Our intentions are good and our <br />wishes are not to have to restrict Susan from the park however we also have a responsibility to the rest of the <br />community and cannot allow the all night camping in the park to continue. <br /> <br />You wrote that Susan wasn't notified of the hearing. It is my understanding that the hearing date was selected so that <br />Susan's sister could attend as well as an advocate. Both were present for the hearing therefor there must have been <br />some communication. As a result of the hearing Susan's restriction was upheld with the exception of her receiving <br />medical services on Sundays from Occupy Medical. We are collectively seeking a long term solution for Susan and wish <br />her only the best. I hope this provides all a better understanding of our involvement. As far as the technicalities you have <br />1 <br /> <br />