One of dozens of speakers at the June 27, 2019 West Kelowna Town Hall meeting on homelessness.

(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)

KELOWNA - It took more than six weeks for West Kelowna staff to compile a list of about 70 comments made at a Town Hall meeting on homelessness June 27.

That summary went to council earlier this week and met with a strong call to action.

“We need to move a little faster on this,” Coun. Doug Findlater said in leading the charge. “I heard some fairly urgent situations from members of the public where they want to see action taken sooner rather than later. By kicking this down the road for another month and kicking it to a whole bunch more discussion with organizations, I think, council is simply going to be seen as all talk and no action.”

The next scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting, when council would normally be expected to talk further about the issues raised, isn’t until Sept. 10.

Staff said they are looking at organizing a special meeting between council and certain agencies sooner than that.

Mayor Gord Milsom said he’s already met with the head of B.C. Housing and urged quick action on the city’s top priority, an emergency shelter before winter sets in. He also wants supportive housing to replace the current temporary housing that served as last winter’s emergency shelter plus low income housing.

About 200 people attended the town hall meeting with 33 speaking and 39 submitting written comments.

But since then, there has not been much said on the issue to councillors, Coun. Rick de Jong said, asking staff to get an update from businesses and others. There were plenty of complaints about crime and drug use prior to the June meeting.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2019