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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland needs to make room for trees, arborist says ... Inner Peace: Wired — or, life on Facebook ... Ashlander on TV on Friday ... Ashland needs to make room for trees, arborist says ... Inner Peace: Wired — or, life on Facebook ... Ashlander on TV on Friday ... ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL Aggressive panhandling ordinance gets council OK Comment By Julie Akins For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Julie Akins For the Tidings Posted Apr. 7, 2016 at 2:00 AM By Julie Akins For the Tidings Posted Apr. 7, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Social News The Ashland City Council passed one of the two proposed new rules at Tuesday’s meeting regarding what’s been considered problematic downtown behavior based on alleged complaints from residents and tourists. By near unanimous vote, with Carol Voisin voting against, the council banned what’s been termed aggressive panhandling. The provision to prohibit people from holding signs by roadsides requesting donations and cars stopping for those people was taken out of the new ordinance by Councilor Pam Marsh who said she didn’t feel it necessary. Greg Lemhouse agreed, saying, “It may be a problem in other communities but I’ve never seen it be a problem here." The provisions left in would make it against the city ordinance to panhandle people at automatic teller machines near financial institutions or when they are eating at indoor or outdoor restaurants. City Attorney Dave Lohman acknowledged that the new ordinance doesn’t address many of the things the city has received complaints about. He told the council prior to the vote, “Does it address all the problems of solicitation? Does it deal with profanity or following after people? No. Because those things are sticky and not enforceable.” The ordinance calls for a warning first by a police officer and a citation as the next step. Paul Grimsrud, an Ashland resident, said he couldn’t see how the new ordinance and issuing fines to those who don’t comply will work. “I’m kind of troubled with the disconnect of fining panhandlers. They aren’t panhandling because they can afford to pay. There aren’t really any options to work. The fines rack up. It’s difficult to get out of situations if you ticket them." But others like Bob Hackett from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival urged the council to take action to stop behavior that he characterized as driving away tourists. He read from an email he claimed to receive from a former visitor which said, “ They gather in the middle of the sidewalks with their dogs and make it difficult to negotiate. The problem of the shelterless in Ashland has become a problem for me as a visitor and I don’t want it to be.” Hackett said she wrote that she no longer would be renting an apartment and coming to plays because she didn’t enjoy walking around town. Hackett urged the council to take actions which would encourage tourists to continue coming to Ashland. Councilor Stefani Seffinger agreed, saying, “If we don’t have people coming to our city we’ll have less money to help people. This is a tourist town and we need people to come here and feel safe.” The second proposed ordinance which would prohibit blocking entrances and exits to public buildings or sidewalks was not voted on. The council ran out of time. The City Council also heard testimony about Pioneer Hall’s continued use during winter months as a shelter for those on the homeless spectrum. Sharon Harris and John Wieczorek spoke to the contract suggesting two things: the city consider keeping the shelter open seven nights per week and allow more than 30 people. They told the council they often have to turn people away and that the standing order of 20 degrees or colder to open shelters on other nights is not a good barometer as other conditions can play a role in how cold it may actually be for a person given wind and rain. Public testimony in support of more shelter days came primarily from advocates who offer food and other shelter services saying the numbers of homeless people continue to increase year after year and many are older and vulnerable. The city council took no immediate action but Mayor John Stromberg agreed with Harris’ suggestion that a committee be formed to consider the additional days and resources. Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ @julieakins. By Julie Akins For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Julie Akins For the Tidings Posted Apr. 7, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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