By Tom Henderson • Staff Writer • 

Streets clear as camping ban enforced

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Comments

Coco

Somber news. Struggling through life, no matter the reason, is heartbreaking. I hope all can find a place to be.

bonnybedlam

What's the next step for the homeless and destitute who now have to pay a $1,250 fine? Will they go to jail for failure to pay?

tdmur

Explain to me why those responsible for this trash pile, aren't cleaning it up?

Lulu

Bad backs. Tough to bend over.

Joel

This is really good to hear. Sounds like a very balanced approach of holding people accountable to obey the law but also offering them a 'hand up' in the form of some help from the mental health folks and Champion Team. It's really cool to think that we might be able to safely take our grandkids to the park again.

Stella

Champion Team - who are they? Is this an arm of HHS or ? I've looked around and unlike other non profits - its membership (board of Directors or lawfurm that represents them) can't be found.

Maybe the news register can profile them in the paper and educate us on "who they are" and their funding source.

Great job! With soo many services available perhaps this will point folks in the right direction for help.

Coco

Thank you for all the amazing work you do, Champion Team. Keep it up.

madmacs

How is trying to get $1250 out of someone who has nothing even remotely reasonable? It seems really excessive for the "offense" of what is in essence being homeless. What happens when they can't pay? I don't know of a less effective or more expensive way to deal with this than treating it as a law enforcement issue. The cost of a week in jail could probably house someone for 6 months at least.

Coco

madmacs, That's a great point and something that has been on my mind. After a lot of reading, and finding little to no answers on the matter, I'm left thinking that the Fee system is really there to appease the people complaining about the homelessness. I think it may be a way to show "something" is being done, even though that something does absolutely nothing to solve the problem. It's for show, really. I'm pretty sure that I would spend that money on something my family needed over paying off a ticket.

Oregonian

Stella - Champion Team is owned/run by Alan Ruden - local home builder and former planning commissioner.

Oregonian

Oops - meant city councilor.

Stella

Oregonian

Board members? Can't find anything....

Stella

All the non profits in town seem to have one law firm connected... just wondering if this one connects to all the others. Strange to not have the info posted publically?

I thought this article had the # of needles picked up posted... now it's missing. Was going to mention that IS needles are so hard to come by why they would toss them out. I know Champion Team is hoping to get awarded the needle exchange handout program - would think it's important to know who exactly they are.

Stella

Oops meant IF

Oregonian

www.freeerisa.com has nothing on Champion Team. That is a site that tracks the form 5500 filings that non-profits are required to file. Is Champion Team really a legitimate non-profit organization?

sbagwell

Non-profits are required to file 990s with the IRS on an annual, and Champion Team is in full compliance.
See Guidestar.org, which maintains a publically accessible master clearinghouse.
Chamption Team was founded in 2011. Lindsay Dent is the principal officer.
For fuller detail, visit https://www.guidestar.org/profile/93-1327424#

sbagwell

P.S. You can download free copies of Champion's tax returns at that location. They list all of the board members and break down the organization's revenues and expenditures in some detail.

Coco

I'm pretty sure you spoiled the conspiracy theories floating about with the information you provided. Thank you. Now that the streets have been cleaned, some people need a new thing to whine about and point fingers.

Stella

I don't think you spoiled anything.... I asked where the board is listed. Why is it not posted on their website? It looks very..... well hmm. Was wondering if any of their board members are associated with one law firm the others are - they seem to all be "related".

Stella

So she is also the "Housing Specialist" for the Yamhill County Housing Authority I believe? It's just fascinating how all these "non profits" are related. I didn't see the board members posted? Just that name .... I'll keep looking.

Stella

Can someone list the board members? Want to educate myself I didn't see them posted there?

So many non profits for a County this size it's interesting to see how they are related so to speak.

sbagwell

Goodness sakes. They are listed on page 2 of Champion Team's latest federal tax return, and I provided the link.
Here you go: David Coady, Ginny Rake, Manuel Correa, Jim Davis, Myrna Khoury, Scott Hibbler, Ken Sundred, Amanda Marshall, Robert Suchy, Lindsay Dent, Heather Hunter and Dianna Fidler. Hunter serves as executive director, Correa as president, Davis as treasurer, Khoury as secretary.
It's all public record and has been posted publicly as required by law. Anyone who is interested in the group's finances, or other aspects of its operation, is free to peruse its three most recent tax returns via the line I provided.
Steve Bagwell, Editorial Page Editor, McMinnville News-Register

Drew1951

Thank you, Steve. You sound as tired of the whiners and complainers as I am. Do people really want to send the homeless who are, by the way, human beings to the showers? It is time to work together to effect positive changes.

gregtompkins

A big problem is there is no will to get more structures built to actually house folks. And then if they were to build, neighbors would put up objections. Some of the worst “NIMBYs” on the west coast are so - called “progressives.” No amount of programs for housing subsidy and “rent controls” are going to clear the logjam and get a construction boom underway. Same problem in California. The liberal NIMBYs are fine with derelicts and programs as long as they’re out of sight and out of mind. Just look at the Bay Area as the most egregious example.

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