Jill Schramm/MDN Chief Deputy Larry Hubbard with the Ward County Sheriff’s Department takes feedback from county commissioners Tuesday, Aug. 19, in outlining the department’s plans for enforcing a new camping ordinance.

Removal of homeless squatters from a county-owned, river deadloop island will be handled compassionately, the Ward County Commission was assured as it gave final passage to a new camping ordinance Tuesday, Aug. 19.

The commission had approved the ordinance on first reading after being made aware of unauthorized camping at the southeast Minot island,which has led to unsafe campfires, litter and other dumping. Neighbors also have reported increases in theft.

Mark Heinert, executive director of YouthWorks, which works with runaway and homeless youth, urged the commission to act humanly and not criminalize individuals for lack of means.

“The larger challenge, I think, for our community, for our county, for our state and for our country is what can be done to help those individuals that might be forced to live in situations like that,” said Heinert, who also serves as vice president of the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People. “They’re doing what they can to survive, and there’s a lack of resources. There’s a lack of supports that exists within our community for individuals that need a place to stay. So, I guess I would just challenge the commission to consider what alternatives those individuals might have and how we might be able to step in with some level of support to help them.”

YouthWorks provides an emergency shelter for youth younger than 18 and six-bed transitional housing services for youth ages 18-24 in Minot.

“Those beds are not available on an emergency basis, but they’re also always full,” Heinert said of the transitional housing. “A lack of an emergency place for people to go is a challenge for everyone in this community.”

He said a unified group of organizations is working on the challenge, but it does require resources. Because behavioral health issues are factors in chronic homelessness, it may be worth a community conversation about involving North Central Human Service Center’s mobile crisis unit in relocating homeless individuals, he said.

“I love the idea of a group going out potentially with the sheriff’s department in these situations to help provide resources, because the person that’s living homeless doesn’t know where these resources are. They probably don’t have the means to get to a facility to get additional resources,” Commissioner Miranda Schuler said. “So, I would really like to see a partnership there to help provide those additional resources to them where they are.”

The approved ordinance provides that unlawful campers would have 48 hours to relocate after receiving notice to vacate by a law enforcement officer. Failure to do so could bring charges of trespass. Endangerment by fire or other charges also could be imposed when safety issues are noted.

Unclaimed property will be stored for 28 days before disposed of. Weapons, drug paraphernalia and other items that reasonably appear to be evidence of a crime may be retained or disposed of by law enforcement, according to the ordinance.

Chief Deputy Larry Hubbard with the Ward County Sheriff’s Department said the department’s intention under the ordinance is to make contact with campers to identify services to help them.

“Our intent is not to go out there and start making arrests and put them on a deadline,” he said. “We want to be able to enforce the ordinance but we also want to be compassionate and make sure that they get everything they need. And these community partners are willing to come out with us – asked to be notified to come out with us – so they can see what they qualify for and what they can get for services.”