On December 30, 2022 during a storm a sinkhole over a culvert developed at the entrance of Creekside Cabins & RV Park north of Willits trapping over 50 people.

UDRNC has been onsight since day one advocating & supplying food and other supplies to 50 plus disaster victims.

While we appreciate and understand the complexity of installing a bridge, the 3 week delay and now only two days for our clients to move is very concerning.

I understand the red tape and paperwork. I understand the issue regarding whose responsibility it was to fix the culvert or sinkhole.
I also understand these folks are human beings, our neighbors, and part of our community. There are veterans there that served our country, a retired nurse, moms with newborn babies, and residents that depend on 24/7 oxygen.

I have met with seniors that have set up their yard with a fence and outside plants, a home they thought they would live in for years to come. With that being said some residents have not registered their trailers because they thought the trailer would stay permanently.

Now in order to move into an RV Park, the trailer needs to be in their name, with current registration and be able to move down the highway or be hauled at $150.00 an hour.

Keep in mind 90% of these folks are on SSI, SDI and/or social security. Their next check comes the week after the bridge will be taken down. Social Services can offer rental assistance and possibly motel stays for some that qualify. UDRNC & NCO are working together to gather additional resources. Those with registered and working RVs can be transfered to another park.

What about the remaining individuals? These folks deserve compassion. Seniors with their whole life's belongings will not be able to pack up everything in less than 2 days. Let's be honest, could you?

There is more than one person there currently in the hospital, who will not be able to drive out their vehicles or pack their homes.

Realistically with common sense this is a 6 month minimum job, not a 2 day job.

While the bridge is being built folks don't have a walk way in and out. A walkway would of allowed their friends, IHSS workers and family to help them pack, bring boxes or carry items.

When the bridge is removed there is a possibility that there will no longer be a path near the sinkhole to walk over. Other agencies have already stated that the individuals that decide to stay there may not be offered services or additional help.

Will they be forgotten? I'm asking you all to consider how long it takes to process a trauma or recover from a disaster. Three weeks and now they will have only two days to collect their life's belongings while on 24/7 oxygen, in a wheel chair or while raising a newborn baby.

We have already ran some numbers and at minimum it is going to cost some folks $1,000 to move.

I'm asking you to either A, leave the bridge up longer, or B leave them a walkway. I'm certain that everything is set in stone with this job. I understand the public health concern. But some of you have not been up there in person, and with that it can be easy to forget these folks are real live human beings we are talking about. Not numbers or dollar signs attached to a bridge.

So please don't forget about them. Don't forget about the man in the wheelchair, don't forget about the nurse who worked her whole life helping others, don't forget about the men that fought for our country, don't forget about the families just trying to get by. They need time. They need help. Please consider what I said and at the least leave them a walkway.

The agenda item appears to include three separate items. One for the agreement and then two transfers of $500K. Can someone please explain publicly the reason for the extra $750K? It's not detailed anywhere that I can see.

Additionally, this whole situation is a very bad PR nightmare. It is very hard to believe that for many years there have not been underlying issues. So to force people out and then threaten to take their kids because they choose to stay, just shows how strong-armed the county is operating. The county should file the permits, use the funds transferred (if it makes logical sense) build a permanent structure, keep families where they are, mitigate the issues, and then sue the property owner for repayment. We all see how quickly you can pull off permitting as demonstrated by the temporary structure. The county giving these poor, literally and figuratively, people two days to leave, is just shameful and supporting this timeline, shows just how much strength is able to be thrown around to achieve a "quick fix". Shucks, what's another 50 or so homeless people? Great timing for the point-in-time count starting 1/26/23. Do you all not see just how bad this looks? This is worse than taking a horse pill with no water. So unbelievably sad.