MISSOULA – A Missoula business owner presented some issues she and other area businesses are facing at their northside location near the Poverello Center.
Kari Brittain, co-owner of Tia’s Big Sky restaurant, says that while the Poverello Center is doing an amazing job with Missoula’s homeless population, the city can also do some things to help.
For some time, Brittain says the area has been dealing with continuous littering and public urination as well as flagrant drug sales and use.
Brittain says that she reports incidents to Missoula Police and has noticed an increased response from them this week.
She says that while she has not noticed any drop off in business or safety for her customers, she still believes there are opportunities to improve the community.
“It’s our community and Missoula is working on the gateways into the city. This is one of the pathways into our city and so we just have to make sure that it’s happy, it’s clean and, you know, people don’t go ‘oh my’ when they drive in and are tourists. We don’t want people going oh you know or be afraid. But overall, in general, it’s great and I just think we need a little help,” Brittain said.
One suggestion Brittain has is adding a permanent public restroom somewhere in the vicinity of the Poverello Center for the people who, for whatever reason, are not allowed into the facility.
Poverello Center managers are promising to meet with the community next week to discuss concerns that the homeless are having some impacts on the neighborhood around the center.
