By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
The Olean Common Council discussed a proposed change in the City Code of Ordinances Tuesday to address camping, sleeping and encampments on public property.
A growing number of complaints of homeless encampments on public property along the Allegheny River Valley Trail, city parks and on the banks of the Allegheny River led the mayor to propose the changes, which will make it easier to clear encampments and direct people to services including emergency shelter.
In addition, Police Chief Robert Blovsky, businesses can file an affidavit to remove people who are trespassing on private property. This pertains more to an encampment behind Tractor Supply.
The chief said police have been asking people in encampments to clean up the area and to move. The change in the city code “gives us another avenue to use, but it is something that is widely used in other communities.”
Alderwoman Sonya McCall cited issues with homelessness — including “unhoused individuals often are at the receiving end of victimization. We are not looking to criminalize people who are unhoused.”
McCall said in her discussions with Genesis House executive director Melissa Yaworsky, she suggested resurrecting the Olean Homelessness Task Force first formed two years ago under former Mayor Bill Aiello.
“I don’t think the previous administration was invested in really changing anything,” McCall said. “We met and we met and we met. There was no end goal in mind. The public said, “What are you guys doing about homelessness? We said, we have a task force.”
McCall said one Community Action official observed that “there is a small group that chooses to be unhoused, but honestly, a lot of them are individuals who have lost their housing due to finances.”
McCall added: “What are we going to do as a community to help with that?”
Sherburne said she wanted to “strengthen within first. We’re setting guidelines as to what the city’s expectations are. I think this is a beginning to gain traction, and I’m definitely open to being part of the task force of what the needs are for the people that are unhoused.”
The mayor said, “We recognize it’s a problem. We are not hiding from it. I think we can have more productive discussions as a community with the nonprofits that are already existing on where we are headed. As this passes, there’s no reason we can’t start having communication and meetings again.”
Alderman John Crawford, D-Ward 5, said he wasn’t looking for just another meeting with the task force, but to get “vested players in the room to put together a playbook when there are people who are living on the River Trail. What’s the playbook to try to get those people the services they need?”
Crawford said the homelessness problem is not unique to Olean. “This is a widespread problem across America.” He praised Sherburne “for taking this on. I think this can help, but until we get our act together as a society, this is in our way.”
Council President Lawrence “JR” Bennion, R-Ward 1, referred the resolution to the next council meeting in two weeks. “I look forward to its implementation and utilization.”
Robert Kennedy, one Olean resident who last year organized cleanups at local homeless encampments, has city officials blessing to have volunteers clean up the encampments on public property.
He spoke briefly during the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting, noting he has volunteers ready to begin the cleanup this weekend. The city has provided bags for the trash pickup, Kennedy said.
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