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LOCAL TAKE: PANHANDLING Trying to get a handle on panhandling Comment By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 12, 2014 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2014 at 6:54 PM By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 12, 2014 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2014 at 6:54 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Work continues on former fountain site • Should tax on market vendors apply retroactively? • 'Homeless Sleep-Out' Saturday raises funds to help the homeless... • What's the right amount to tip? • Will plastic bag ban affect you? • What's your favorite part of Lithia Park? • Are you concerned or doing anything about climate change? • 13 years later, memories of 9/11 attacks still painfully fresh... • What, if anything, should U.S. do about ISIS? • Do you think foods containing GMOs should say so on the label?... • What do you think of the changes on the Plaza? • If pot is medicine, should it be taxed? • How has the drought affected you? • What do you think about the return of wolves in Jackson C... » Social News What's the issue? The small plaza in front of The Black Swan Theatre in downtown Ashland, known as Chautauqua Square, has long been a gathering place for many of the city's homeless population and transients. While many who congregate are respectful and trying to escape homelessness, others who congregate in the plaza are disruptive and occasionally aggressive. Pam and Kelly Hammond spoke to the City Council during the Sept. 2 meeting about their recent negative experiences with transients in that area. The women requested a stronger police presence in the area. What's been done? Ashland Police Chief Terry Holderness noted at the meeting that, while this summer has been relatively quiet, the last two weeks of August had resulted in several complaints. He said it was a common occurrence each year when Jackson Wellsprings holds an annual festival that draws many transients and travelers who stay in town for a few days before moving on to Burning Man. However, Holderness said that many of those people did not leave town, resulting in the complaints. Holderness said that APD provided more coverage of downtown this summer than in the past. He originally intended 100 hours of coverage per week but was only able to provide 70 hours of coverage due to staffing restraints. Citations were issued to those who were visibly intoxicated or drinking in public, but Holderness said much of the other behavior on that corner is not illegal under Oregon law. What's set to happen? The City Council is set to discuss police presence in downtown and what action they can take to assist the police department. Holderness said that he plans for the department to be fully staffed and funded in order to provide 100 hours of coverage in downtown each week. Council is also set to discuss Oregon Shakespeare Festival's request for the city to remove the broken fountain and raised cement planter at Chautauqua Square in November. OSF hopes to open the space to allow more organized activities in the area. Holderness said that, while the removal would reduce complaints in the area, homeless and transient people would be displaced to another location with raised planters to sit on. The question What, if anything, can or should the city of Ashland or the community do about panhandling? (Click on photos above to see the people and read what they said.) By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 12, 2014 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2014 at 6:54 PM » 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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