Just so everyone knows, the public work session of the Astoria City Council regarding the proposed Second to 19th Street and Columbia River to Grand Avenue “exclusion zone” for those who might be homeless, took place on April 28 at City Hall.

The city councilors are still studying the ramifications of a plan, and there will be future meetings. Hopefully, citizens will be able to find out when these meetings will be held.

The mayor, presiding over the work session, commented that only six people from the public were in attendance on April 28, and that the standing-room-only crowd of over 60 at the April 7 meeting was due to “bad misinformation” about the public hearing, provided by The Astorian on April 5 (“Astoria Police propose rules that could ban people from downtown”). There was no public notice in the newspaper about the April 28 meeting that I could find.

The police chief said information on further meetings will be posted on “social media.” No mention of the newspaper.

“Exclusion zones” could lead to big changes in the way the city deals with all of us. So many people are losing their jobs and their homes, and this is going on everywhere.

Thanks to the city council for their thoughtful and informed discussion in regard to this explosive crisis.

SUE SKINNER
Astoria