SHERMAN: Needs a fresh start itself

I am writing a rebuttal to Howard Martinson's statement that only 12 out of the 2,000 patrons, according to his projection, do not follow the rules of Fresh Start. He is trying to tell us that only 0.006 percent of the patrons are causing all the trouble.

That is ridiculous. If that was the case that 0.006 percent should be long gone and there would be no need to call the police or for the 6' fence that surrounds the area they drink and smoke in all day and night. As for the incident a couple of weeks ago with the gentleman who was urinating in the street and yelling profanities, after the police hauled him off we are then again left to deal with the car left behind.

Little children in this neighborhood are witness to this kind of behavior on a regular basis, it is disgusting. When I called and told Howard that he did not have adequate parking for his patrons, as I am not able to utilize the parking around my house, he told me none of them have cars. When I told him that was not true, he hung up on me.

The Fresh Start patrons also use Moontime's parking lot even though there are multiple signs posted stating it is for their customers only. They have no respect for anybody's property as they do not have to pay for anything or clean up after themselves. The taxpayer supplies everything for them including their cigarettes and the alcohol they consume all day. Free health care, free bus rides, free laundry facilities, free food and the list goes on. If something is not done about Fresh Starts location, this area it is going to look like Mission Street in Spokane. In fact it is already looking like that with people passed out on the bus benches and loitering along Sherman Avenue, urinating in the alleys and the list goes on. Tourists coming into Coeur d'Alene from the East cannot think this is a nice place to spend time in with their children.

As for the Moontime's waitresses being afraid to ride their bikes to work or leave at night, this neighborhood lives with these fears 24/7. We are afraid to go out after dark or answer our doors. It is even uncomfortable to work in the yard as they sit in their cars and watch you work or come over and ask for money, it is truly creepy.

Fresh Start needs to relocate to an industrial area, away from businesses and neighborhoods with children. As for not enough funding, because they are too large to relocate, is quite the exaggeration, they are no Morgan Stanley. I am sure the people in my area would volunteer to help them move or better yet the patrons that have nothing to do or no where to go can help relocate Fresh Start for the safety of the citizens of Coeur d'Alene.

BARB WHITAKER

Coeur d'Alene