Mercer Island Tent City Discussion

MI Reporter has pulled recent discussion blog for Tent City. Stifling the comments section at MI Reporter will not end the discussion. It will continue. This is a thread for continuing free discussion of the Tent City debacle in MI.

This was information provided at last nights city council meeting:

51 individual declarations signed July 20, 2008 stating they are a current TC4 resident.
10 of the 51 individuals or roughly 20% committed crimes while in TC4. Given 93 of the 100 residents came from the previous encampment and each of the 51 declarations indicated a desire to move to Mercer Island, we believe they may still be residents of TC4.
15 crimes and arrests occurred while the individuals were residents of TC4.
10 of the arrests resulted in convictions.
5 cases are still pending.
2 of 10 have outstanding warrants.
*Colley lived at Northshore United Church- Where Crime first took place (Woodinville May- August 2006), Woodinville Unitarian (August- November 2006), St. John Vianney (Finn Hill Nov. 2006-Feb 2007),
St. Jude (Redmond Feb-May 2007), Church of the Resurrection (Bellevue May -August 2007), Community Church of Issaquah (Aug), JAILED Sept- Dec. 2007, 1/5/2008 returned to Holy Spirit Lutheran, Temple Bnai Torah (Bellevue May-Aug 2008)

What offenses should result in the eviction of homeless people from their few precious square feet of dignity? Do the heartless people of MI want to be known for callously denying shelter to those who have committed such heinous and victimless crimes such as driving with an invalid license, fishing (for food) without a license, or violation of mercilessly imposed vagrancy laws designed to entrap the homeless in clean-up campaigns. That is the extent of lawlessness that may exist in TC4. Shame on all of you. Shame. Shame. Shame. I just pray that you don't lose all of your money tomorrow in the stock market, because TC4 may not have enough room for your family. Remember the history of 1929? Pride comes before the fall. Shame. Shame. Shame.

So far (as of 5:00 PM, 8/19/08), the Mercer Island Tent City has had 5 arrests:
1) 8/5/08: Violation of No-Contact Order
2) 8/16/08: Traffic infraction - suspended/revoked driver's license out of Nevada
3) 8/18/08 Traffic infraction - driver's license suspended
4) 8/18/08 Outstanding Theft 3rd degree warrant
5) 8/19/08 Felony No Bail Escape from Community Custody warant

If you do a full crime disclosure for all MI residents, ever wonder what you find?

Once I lived in a neighborhood with a sex offender. The police said it's good to know about him...since 95% of them are invisible to the general population.

The Mercer Island police dept. reports that there are 325 arrests per year on Mercer Island (population 22k).

The arrests for the same time period on Mercer Island were 26 for a 22,600 population. This amounts to one tenth of one percent. As of today the tent city arrests amount to 5%. If you were living next door to tent city how you would feel? If you are for helping these individuals then please invite them into your homes. As per the police records most of the felonies and violent crimes were committed against those who invited them into their homes. Ask the Koenig family how they felt about their father being murdered. An autopsy found that Koenig was strangled and suffered seven stab wounds and nine blunt-force injuries to his head. His throat had been slashed. Ask the two little girls who were raped about the tent city resident who raped them.

Wow, if I were the residents of TC4 I would fire/evict those responsible for negligence in allowing the bad people into the tent neighborhood. Imagine the amazement and horror experienced by the next door neighbor tent occupants when they realized that Tent City 4 security protocols had been breached. If they want to know a good personal injury lawyer I can steer them into a real winner who lives on the island who could sue Scott Morrow and Share and UMC for $$$$$ in injuries caused by anxiety of failed security/protection practices.

By the way, is it possible that a local software entrepreneur is testing a facial recognition application at TC4 as a pilot for a national rollout to PD's to route out the bad guys that others can't detect? Or is a mole within TC4 simply finding it easier to make money by talking than working? Whatever, the cleverness of the Mercer Island neighbors to clean up their situation is setting an example that must be shared to other TC4 neighborhoods. Way to go, MI.

The facial recognition software is a good idea. The disclosures regarding the crimes were made based upon the declarations made when the citizens filed a temporary restraining order against the city of Mercer Island. Then the names were just compared to the State crime base. It is not rocket science, albeit time consuming.

I'm not sure what everyone thinks but I/We believed that warrant checks/sex offender checks we being done, the belif was that they would be done when tent city moved here to Mercer Island. Not that 93 people would be grandfathered in... and for how long have some been grandfathered in, 3months, 6months, 9months over a year....

Then there was the fence issue. We/I were told to check out tent city in Bellevue which many of us did and thought now that can not be that bad. A ok fence for both the neighbors and tent city privacy... but that did not happen either... and even when it is offer by the church/or someone from the church to pay for tent city says no,,,

So many things are not what they were suppose to be..

Talk about censorship! Mercer Island Reporter-shame on you! So far we have five arrests in 15 days. Now the police
post on their site...Officers received a request from TC to remove 2 unwanted subjects who
were attempting to check in. TC discovered through a records check that
one subject was found to have a non-extraditable warrant from another
state and the second subject was a close match to a registered sex
offender on file. Both subjects were removed from the camp without
incident and were transported off MI by a police officer.

Many that I have spoken to believe these individuals were current residents of tent city and were merely escorted out. This was to save face after the City council meeting on Mon. where it was discovered that 10 out of 51 who filed legal declarations during the request for a Temp restraining order, had committed crimes since moving into tent city. Court case #08-2-23083-0 SEA.

I hope people are paying attention to this and understand the seriousness of what is happening with TC4. TC4/SHARE had 10 individuals living in TC4 before, during and after they committed their crimes. Of those 10 TWO had outstanding warrants. One was arrested and they claimed one was no longer living there. In addition to the TWO WITH OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, there was a THIRD with a FELONY WARRANT FOR ESCAPING COMMUNITY CUSTODY.
Contrary to what people have been told, warrant checks are not always done or there would not have been this many individuals living in Tent City with warrants. While neighbors had absolutely no choice in bringing Tent City to the Island and no voice, the MI Council has a responsibility to hold SHARE/TC4/REV. KNIGHT to their word. They said checks were being done. They said people were not allowed to live there with outstanding warrants. The fax speak otherwise. When are SHARE/TC4/REV. KNIGHT going to be held responsible for their lies? Will it only be after real physical harm comes to an innocent victim as a result of this?

It seems that Rev. Knight and the City Council expect the neighbors to do all of the heavy lifting in regards to maintaining a safe environment for campers, neighbors and children while the Rev. Knight and City Council enjoy their personal time away from the mess that they created.

My letter to the council...

Hi All,

At what point does this constitute aiding and abetting criminals? Obviously, I am not a lawyer, but when case after case is presented to you regarding tent city and the criminal element, what gives? When Council member Grady asks “how have you invited these residents into your community” it concerns me. My question to councilman Grady, is “what have you done to invite them into your community?” Are we from different communities? The last time I checked I still lived on Mercer Island. What has the city council done to welcome tent city to Mercer Island? Oh, that’s right you are all going to drive down from the South end for one evening to feed the homeless. Add to that the fact that community members that have invited tent city residents into their homes have even been murdered,

Your children still play freely on the south end. Your children still walk to the “Q” with no worries. You can still walk all of your dogs in Pioneer Park. That is different from the First Hill residents. So while you live pretty much without any life changes, we lock our doors, turn on alarms; and some residents are even sleeping with loaded guns.

It is so amazing that the city council can postpone taking any action to deal with the fact that tent city harbors and attracts a criminal element. While you wait for the next city council meeting to debate this issue, you give tent city every opportunity to put the citizens at risk. Without the First Hill residents, it is unlikely that any criminal element would have been disclosed. What will it take to get you to act responsibly? An act like the one described below? I am guessing that is what it will take-a violent criminal act.

My letter to the council...
Hi All,
At what point does this constitute aiding and abetting criminals? Obviously, I am not a lawyer, but when case after case is presented to you regarding tent city and the criminal element, what gives? When Council member Grady asks “how have you invited these residents into your community” it concerns me. My question to councilman Grady, is “what have you done to invite them into your community?” Are we from different communities? The last time I checked I still lived on Mercer Island. What has the city council done to welcome tent city to Mercer Island? Oh, that’s right you are all going to drive down from the South end for one evening to feed the homeless. Add to that the fact that community members that have invited tent city residents into their homes have even been murdered,
Your children still play freely on the south end. Your children still walk to the “Q” with no worries. You can still walk all of your dogs in Pioneer Park. That is different from the First Hill residents. So while you live pretty much without any life changes, we lock our doors, turn on alarms; and some residents are even sleeping with loaded guns.
It is so amazing that the city council can postpone taking any action to deal with the fact that tent city harbors and attracts a criminal element. While you wait for the next city council meeting to debate this issue, you give tent city every opportunity to put the citizens at risk. Without the First Hill residents, it is unlikely that any criminal element would have been disclosed. What will it take to get you to act responsibly? An act like the one described below? I am guessing that is what it will take-a violent criminal act.

Several weeks ago MI City Council and the MI Police reported that TC4 average 6 arrests during each 90 day stay at any given location. MI Tent City 4 has now had 6 arrests after only 14 days of being there.

Are we supposed to be happy that the police are doing their jobs, or upset that we have already had six arrests? I guess we should be proud that we "made quota" already! That does not include the felon and possible sex offender that were not allowed into tent city. Many find that whole story to be suspect too and think these individuals may have been residents of TC4. Then when the crime report was presented by the citizens of Mercer Island, there was pressure on them to leave TC4.

and you should too. Give it a chance. Spend a night there and you will find that your camp neighbors may be nicer than your next door neighbors.

victimless crimes wrote:

What offenses should result in the eviction of homeless people from their few precious square feet of dignity? Do the heartless people of MI want to be known for callously denying shelter to those who have committed such heinous and victimless crimes such as driving with an invalid license, fishing (for food) without a license, or violation of mercilessly imposed vagrancy laws designed to entrap the homeless in clean-up campaigns. That is the extent of lawlessness that may exist in TC4. Shame on all of you. Shame. Shame. Shame. I just pray that you don't lose all of your money tomorrow in the stock market, because TC4 may not have enough room for your family. Remember the history of 1929? Pride comes before the fall. Shame. Shame. Shame.

We did not have a say in what has happened on Mercer Island. This was done without any resident input. We would of liked to have some say in how this would all be handled, ie the warrant checks, sex offenders checks not grandfathered in, also how the ones that show up and not allowed in are handled. We just say a hitchiker on I-90 on the pass with a sign tent city, did you know that 50% of the reisidents are from out of state. What are their states doing must be nothing if it is worth while to hitchike here...Why is it worth their while to come here.