The Longview City Council approved a temporary business and occupation tax relief for small businesses and approved about $2.9 million in amendments to the 2019-2020 budget Thursday.
The council also rejected a motion to update property maintenance codes because councilmembers said it was not enforced equally, especially at the Alabama Street camp the city set up as a temporary housing site for homeless people.
Mayor Pro Tem Mike Wallin said he was against the state-mandated updates because âunequal enforcement of our code on those who are able to payâ and added that âpublic health officers and the like turn the other way for a special class and a special group in special places, which is not a fair and equitable application of the law.â
Plans for a managed encampment for people without shelter inched forward Tuesday, as Longview City Council agreed to work with Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners to expand a draft plan.
This is the first joint step forward after the ad hoc committee formed last December to identify a potential site for a hosted encampment disbanded in June.
After two-and-a-half hours of discussion and some public comment, the council came to a general consensus to move forward with developing the plan and giving the county staff a list of priorities, while acknowledging the potential camp wonât fix every problem.
âI know there are people that have some questions, and weâre not going to be able to solve every problem with this approach, and I agree, itâs a complicated problem,â said Longview Councilmember Ruth Kendall. âIf thereâs anything Iâve learned in past year ⦠there is no easy answer. it is a hard problem, but we donât make progress withou