D2 Park Problems Persist: Lawnmower Man, Machete Man, and "Poop-Pyramids" on the Beach Path?

Campers who are apparently homeless are creating a nuissance to nearby residents according to a citizen email received by all commissioners yesterday.

UPDATE --5:30 PM Thursday June 23rd--ECSO have sent their neighborhood services team out to this park today and have worked to help find temporary housing for the mother and her children that had been camping in this park.  Staff from parks report the area was cleaned up and cleared out today--the grass and overgrowth was cut back and appropriate additional signage was placed at this park this morning.  Kudos to ECSO and the parks and recreation department for the quick action.

ORIGINAL POST, below.....

Board members received an alarming email yesterday alleging some pretty serious issues at a county-owned property at the end of Fairfield Drive where that road dead ends into Bayou Grande in District 2.

Addressed to the D2 commissioner, the rest of the board was copied on this complaint.

The email listed some pretty significant issues--to include an allegation that folks are camped out on the water and defecating in the sand and then covering up the excrement with dirt, making "poop-pyramids."  There is also mention of a "Lawnmower Man" (not Jeff Fahey)who roams this area cutting down shoreline growth so he can camp on the shoreline.  Apparently there used to be an individual nicknamed "machete-man" who has been spotted down in this area brandishing a machete.  I think machete man moved along. (And no, thankfully it was not Danny Trejo)

It appears as if the issue has risen to the level of the Sheriff's Office and now multiple county officials are aware of it.  I will speak with staff on the matter, as I now been told one group that is "camping" at this park are actually a mom and her two teen children who are homeless.  Apparently they are desperately seeking assistance--but there are no resources available for these folks even though there's supposed to be a well-funded task force addressing this chronic issue.  The email asserts that this family does not want help?  Anyway-- I'll be looking into that and asking questions when we have our upcoming joint city/county meeting on the homelessness issue.

This picture of a purported homeless encampment in D2's South Fairfield park was sent to all commissioners and staff yesterday.

From the email:

"I sent the email below last week and have not heard back. Many residents in the Beach Haven Subdivision are waiting to hear back from me as to your response to this growing problem.

 The email sent June 17, 2022 :

 Doug Underhill,

 I haven't spoken to you in a few years, but found you very helpful when I needed help in my neighborhood some time ago.

 Our neighborhood needs help. We have a park at the end of South Fairfield Dr. in Beach Haven, which is on the water at Bayou Grande.

 Here are just a snippet of the things we neighbors have dealt with from people at the park. Mind you, I feel if this happened in your neighborhood or Chief Simmons' neighborhood, it would be taken care of by now. And this all happens after the park closes. Fights, drug deals, prostitution (my husband had to get people off the beach having oral sex out in the open in front of our grandkids), meth induced women passed out on my lawn, drunk men passed out on my dock, loud music after 10:00 pm, small things like extension cords and crab traps stolen, witnessing THIS WEEK, a woman living in a tent with kids defecating along the pathways. By the way, this woman thinks it is okay because "I cover them with sand." Take a walk through there and you'll see piles of her poop pyramids. 

 I have called the Sheriff several times this week. Every officer gives me a different answer. I have had the Sheriff at my door step to talk about the issue. Last night I called because the park closed after dusk and the woman camping (as she calls it) was still there day after day. She has left her kids there while she is gone and I told her it is not safe there. "Well why don't you call the Sheriff on the guy with the machete?" Oh my gosh, this is what I'm talking about. It is not safe for her kids. Her response, "I have protection in my tent." Also, her response to me was, "Your Sheriff can't do anything to me and the County can't do anything to me. I don't care if I break the rules, lots of people break the rules." I offered to help her and she told me it was none of my business. I told her there are safe places for her that the County provides where her kids will have access to a toilet. I believe she is from Alabama because of her license plate. Listen, she is not some cracked out mom from what I can tell. But she is refusing help, using the park as her toilet and doesn't care about the laws or the respect of the County property. 

 So this woman is correct, "Your Sheriff can't do anything to me." When I called last night, dispatch had a deputy call me. His response when I asked him to have someone go down and get her out of the park, "We'll try, there are only so many of us." And this morning she is still there. It is so disappointing. So I feel like the Sheriffs just give me BS to get me off the phone and never show up at the park to engage with her. I've called several times this week.

 Go to the end of Rentz Street and you'll see several people living there. At night the "F" word echoes through the air. The park was good for a while, but now it is escalating.

 This is exhausting. Several of us work to keep the park clean. I know you can't police the park 24/7. I know your resources are limited, but you told me when I talked to you about the park a few years ago, that I have the right to call every time. It worked for a while. Now, there are zero results. And you'll love this. I Sheriff came to my house and she said, "The County Commissioner has told us we cannot tell homeless people to move off County property if they have no where to go." What?! But she did get the guy with the lawn mower to leave. Then last

night the dispatcher told me that I am correct. The woman in the tent is not at a "safe" haven for the homeless and there are places for her, but she is not covered at Fairfield Park.  

 Here is the trashy mess at the end of Rentz. And there is a guy with a lawn mower on his boat and he clears the land. It is nuts.

The neighbors are going to try and get the media involved. The City of Pensacola got the homeless out from under the freeway, why can't Escambia County clean up this park?  I have told the neighbors via the Nextdoor site that I would be reaching out to you. They are fed up and I am fed up. It's exhausting. 

June 22, 2022,

 Doug,

 So the folks living at the park are still there over a week later. My biggest issue is their use of the surrounding trails as their toilets. There are piles of waste covered up with sand. Since it seems there is no way to get a machete wielding man out of the public park and the woman with three kids (toddler, a 14 year old and another younger teen) sleeping by the water moved to a safer place, then I am asking the County to provide and maintain a portalet and extra garbage cans to that park entrance. This situation has created a health and safety issue. I reported my concern to the Code Enforcement, as well as Parks and Recreation. Code Enforcement wrote back that they do not handle homeless. I haven't heard back from Parks and Recreation.

 Thank you,"