Homeless big issue at Town Hall meeting

A Public Safety Town Hall was held at the Porterville Veterans Memorial Building on Thursday, April 19, at 6 p.m. and was attended by between 35 to 40 people.

The discussion was hosted by Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend.

The public safety panel included TCSO Lt. Larry Camacho, TCFD Chief Charlie Norman, TCFD Kevin Riggi, TCFD Jeffrey Mclaughlin, and TCFD Chief Jeff Smith.

Townsend had never hosted a town hall in Porterville, he usually focuses on unincorporated areas, being a County Supervisor. He spoke about the large area he supervises, and said he works closely with TCSO, the TCFD, and Cal Fire, and many other county and local agencies.

Townsend said that all county supervisors do town halls, and he loves having the panel type of Town Hall with questions and answers.

Lt. Larry Camacho from TCSO said he appreciated everyone coming out, and spoke about upcoming events. He’s TCSO liaison with the Tule River Reservation. He said, “You can find us at Eagle Mountain Casino, and there will be a Wine and Beer Festival in Camp Nelson, and the Camp Nelson Mountain Festival is in August. The Sheriff’s Office is always busy, but please keep in touch, if you notice anything suspicious or a crime happening.”

TCFD Chief Charlie Norman spoke about the operations between TCFD and the PFD, and said there’s coordination between all fire departments and they cover a large area. He said there are more 400 career fire officers, with on call personnel, who provide services 24/7, year round from 27 community based fire stations.

TCFD provides services to unincorporated communities, hamlets and rural areas. He mentioned the substations in Porterville, and said there have been no civilian injuries or fatalities this year.

They have been working on fires in the river bottom lately and are working together with Cal Fire. And are helping to relocate the homeless people.

TCFD Operations Division Chief Jeff Mclaughlin said he’s the law enforcement division of TCFD, and their investigators are working with the PFD and Cal Fire in Porterville and across the state.

“Right now, our concern is the weeds out there. Hazards and weeds,” he said, and spoke about their two investigators in dispatch, “When you call, please be very specific, if you are calling in a fire, or weeds that are out of control, or any other hazard.”

Emergency preparedness and evacuation TCFD Division Chief Kevin Riggi spoke about enforcing the fire and safety protocols of buildings safety and fire inspections.

TCFD Chief Jeff Smith is in charge of the overall training of fire personnel, and state law pertaining to fire safety. He also inspects older fire stations to make sure they’re up to current safety standards.

After all of the introductions there was a round of applause to thank the military, firefighters, and law enforcement officers present.

Townsend spoke about his 4-year term as Supervisor of the 5th district, and said he’s up for reelection, but has no opponent, “I love the job. And I like solving issues. We have full time staff for each supervisor. 6 billion dollars for 5 supervisors.

“And all of the supervisors serve on many boards, committees and agencies. “I’ve had to learn all about water and we have to figure out the amount of money needed to repair the Friant-kern Canal. It is probably a $600 million project. I serve on the TC LAFCO Board.”

He spoke about the work being done on the spillway for Success, and said he’s an architect.

Springville is getting a new library, which he designed. And he works building sustainable corridors in Tulare County.

Townsend also spoke about limiting the water that’s being pumped out of the ground, and because of the COVID pandemic he said people started moving into rural areas, and the population grew. Because of that property taxes skyrocketed, and the price of housing.

Bartlett Park is also being upgraded.

Townsend spoke about the homeless situation in both Visalia and Porterville and they’re trying to mitigate it, by both building temporary and permanent supportive housing. He said the biggest challenge was to help people with the first step, getting money from the state.

The first question from the audience was from Fred Beltran who asked about the vacant National Guard Armory building.

Townsend said he heard the City of Porterville was going to use it.

Beltran said a Youth Center or a Community Center would be helpful, and Townsend said he’d talked to Assemblyman Devon Mathis. The National Guard has tuned the building over to the city.

At the Town Hall the Lombardi and Westfield traffic situation at the Summit Charter Lombardi campus was discussed. Beltran said he’d worked with the city for years. Part of the street is in the county and the other part is in the city, and involves many agencies.

The problems with the streets and traffic happened with Granite Hills High School they discussed. And Townsend predicted the issue will go to LAFCO. “It just goes to show,” said Beltran, “You need to be involved.”

Townsend said if anyone needs to get a hold of the supervisors, they can call 636-5000. They don’t need to wait for a Town Hall discussion.

Beltran spoke about the Navigation Center in Porterville, and said he was trying to help the people at the Rescue Mission. He said there’s still a lot of crime. Townsend said the first step is to get them a referral.

They also spoke about the homeless population at Highway 65 and the Tule River, and the TCSD goes out and tries to help them. That’s where fires have been lately. From the audience, someone asked who’s accountable? The homeless are on private property, and then some are on public property. TCSD will send a counselor along with a deputy to help with homeless situations, said Townsend.

An audience member said the County has more facilities than the city, “Is there a way we can be creative, because we know the system is broken. I always think of the spaces at the Developmental Center, and we know there are other spaces.”

Townsend said they’re trying to develop other spaces for the homeless. And there’s a lot of space throughout the county. Everyone agreed they could talk for years about the homeless situation, and Townsend said the county is doing what they can to help.

Beltran mentioned homelessness is often together with mental illness.

A little boy in the audience asked if there was a local shooting range, just as Sheriff Mike Boudreaux walked into the discussion.

Boudreaux spoke about the new gun range for the Sheriff’s department out at Bob Wiley Detention Facility, near Visalia, but there’s also a local gun range at Rankin Field, which is shared by the PPD and the TC Deputy Sheriff Association. The public can also use it, Townsend said.