What do you believe are the most relevant issues currently facing Josephine County, and what would be your six-month plan to tackle those issues?

Konnor - Well, so I’m kind of trying to tackle those issues as a citizen, even, you know, without the seat. So that’s why I said I secured two properties in the county. My goal, my plan, is workforce development, sober living, and transitional housing. So, community garden, tiny homes, and then the idea is people that are transitioning out of, because the new Parker’s Place shelter is opening in June. And then when that happens, the anti-camping ordinance in the city is going to be able to be enforced. So that’s going to drive illegal campers to the county. We need to get ahead of that and see we need transitional housing in place ASAP because there’s going to be 150 beds and what about when those are full and those people need to be cycling out. So when those people know that, you know, they’re out of job, they’re 30 days clean now, go to the transitional housing. Now you’re working on a community garden, you have your job, you have your own space instead of sharing a room.

The main three things I think are workforce development. A lot of people see the homeless crisis and see a big problem. To me, I see a big opportunity. There’s people there that need opportunity. And then also on the homeless thing, there’s kind of the housing first or treatment first. In my head, I think we need opportunity first. You know, you don’t need to give them a house necessarily. You don’t need to force them into treatment but maybe give them a chance.  Give them some work, give them an opportunity. I was just talking to an un-housed gentleman. He said he was kicked out of one of the transitional housing because he’s not allowed to hear voices, it’s what he told me. And that’s just kind of, could you imagine that, like being told you’re not allowed to hear the voices that you can’t control? It’s just kind of, you need more education on mental health, too, is a big thing.