Wisconsin
La Crosse committee approves $270,000 for more security, cleanup of city property a week after camping ban
A week after the city of La Crosse began enforcing a camping ban on city property, Parks, Recreation and Forestry director Jay Odegaard told a committee Thursday, said he’s noticed and welcomes the improvement.
Odegaard spoke with the city Finance and Personnel Committee about his plan to spend $270,000 from La Crosse’s general fund on both cleanup of certain parks and parking ramps, plus added security for Cameron and Burns parks.
“The population of unsheltered that have traditionally been in those parks has decreased,” Odegaard said. “However, there is still a good number of unsheltered that utilize the park and that’s not something we were trying to discourage.”
The funding plan was approved on a 5-1 vote by the committee and goes to the full city council next week.
“I visit those parks quite frequently throughout the course of each day,” Odegaard said, “and there has been a great improvement in the use by young families,” since the camping rule went into effect.
Kevin
September 6, 2024 at 6:49 am
So several of these folks have now taken up residence on the myrick park trail, just prior to the bridge crossing the lacrosse river, just after the intersection where the trail splits, one trail going west through the marsh, one going straight out to the industrial park.
Which whiz bang ‘city/county’ official is going to address this startup encampment?
LG
September 6, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Answer: History is the best predictor of future behavior. Like the marsh, our city leaders will ignore the problem for a while. When enough residents get angry, show up at City Hall to demand they enforce their camper/squatter ban the ban Will then be enforced in the city will need to spend another large sum of money cleaning up the Myrick Park Trail. And come December near Christmas, we will all receive a nice present when our tax bill arrives. The city will raise taxes and the school board will raise taxes and the residents will have even less income to spend at area businesses. And so it goes…
bozzbrown
September 8, 2024 at 5:42 am
I understand people are upset with the homeless people. But hey I agree that a lot of the tax payers of lacrosse are spending money and see no improvement. I’m homeless myself and I grew up on the north side and went to Logan high. What people fail to realize is that I am homeless because of COVID so I understand what people are saying, but before you start throwing stones come up with an idea instead of just bitchin.
Wayne
September 8, 2024 at 8:57 am
Covid was 4 years ago. What have “you” been doing to fix “your” homeless problem? And why does your problem need to be solved by me and all the other taxpayers in the state? Where does accountability come into play in your life?
Rachel
September 9, 2024 at 7:44 am
COVID can cause lasting health problems that can change a person’s ability to work. Every situation is unique, and we continue to battle this disease with new variants of the virus.
Misty
September 9, 2024 at 10:25 pm
Accountability is irrelevant when the homeless are shuffled around constantly making things more disheveled while keeping them further from their stability and resources. And plenty of homeless people suffer from ignorant taxpayers acting like the whole economy’s downfall is from helping homeless people…just stupid
Roy
September 9, 2024 at 9:38 am
You’ve obviously got a computer. Sell it to pay for bus fare to apply for jobs. Get your act together. COVID is ancient history. Come up with your own ideas.
walden
September 11, 2024 at 9:34 pm
$270,000 / $30 bucks an hour = 9,000 man hours. That is equivalent to 5 full time city employees working for a year. Unbelievable. Does the City Council ever review these cost estimates before they are approved?
The Homeless Industrial Complex always gets paid.
Too bad La Crosse no longer has actual journalists because it would be interesting to know exactly how much this BS has cost the taxpayers. My estimate is $20 million over the last 5 years with another $10 million already committed for future years (Hillview transitional housing for the homeless, etc.). I would also guess no one is keeping track of the costs because its easier to plead ingorance.
R head
September 6, 2024 at 8:59 am
There going to throw more money at the problem, fix it dumb asses!!!!!!! Run them out of town. Just remember all the towns around you are not laughing with you they are laughing at you.
bozzbrown
September 7, 2024 at 11:53 pm
You say run us out of town. I’m homeless and I grew up in lacrosse. I grew up on the north side. You people put all of us as one. I know it only takes one to mess it up for everyone. But some of the homeless are going to school such as I have done. You can’t run all of us out of town, and if you want it to happen come do it yourself. I beg you.
DJ
September 8, 2024 at 10:44 am
I’m with Bozz! He’s one hell of an awesome person in this town but you people who talk about how the homeless are nothing? YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. They are people just like us. Every one of you needs a revaluation of your own existence. And to those talking trash…GFU… and I’ve day I hope you become homeless too so you can see first hand how easy it is to end up that way. I hope every one of the homeless joins together and uprises against this corrupt town and the people running it… don’t be silent anymore. They can’t control us all!!! Show lacrosse what happens when you treat PEOPLE like trash!
bozzbrown
September 7, 2024 at 11:55 pm
Hey come down and do it yourself. Come down and kick us out of town.
erik gilbertson
September 6, 2024 at 10:39 pm
It would be nice if they clean up the crap and people along the road by the Indians sculpture and get gh out of their it is an eyesore when you come into town
Misty
September 9, 2024 at 10:27 pm
Bs Erik ya can’t even see them so you’re full of it for even commenting such crap!
Kim
September 7, 2024 at 4:55 pm
It’s one problem to be homeless.its another problem to be trashy and disgusting!! Why are we paying to clean up their garbage, sewage,drug paraphernalia and alcohol containers? We all have to pay for garbage disposal on our dollar. They get it for free.our tax dollars going to lost cause.
Misty
September 9, 2024 at 10:19 pm
Are you truly that dense? The city took our garbage receptacles away because they were filled too much and overflowed. So instead of utilizing the opportunity to help us with the garbage problem, they removed our ability to clean up after ourselves. So all your ignorance is flowing full force but you can thank city council, parks n rec, for that. Not simply pass judgement on the homeless. I can I just imagine what some y’alls pass would look like with out garbage removal services… you are trash for commenting such nonsense in the first place
Roy
September 10, 2024 at 7:55 am
Here’s a swell babe telling us they make too much garbage. Lay off the drugs for a few days and take a bath. You could sell your computer and buy a dress for a job interview but the computer is how you make dope delivery orders.