Leah Minnery, May 1, 2014

Dear Ms. Marx,

My name is Leah Minnery and I live at the end of Wilding lane in San Luis Obispo. Our families yard backs up to the Sunny Acres parcel. We are very concerned and frankly astonished that there is a plan in motion to house mentally impaired individuals near our neighborhood.  I know there is a need for this type of facility but this is not the area to build it.

I understand that there is a lot of emotion and taking of sides behind this type of proposal but what i would like to share with you is a personal experience that solidified my vote against this project.

Allow me to share a brief story of my experience already with having a mental facility nearby.

Just three years ago my children who were 3 and 5 at the time ran into the house scared to death. They said “mommy, there is a man in our backyard”.  I thought they were mistaken and possibly saw a person walking in the field with their dog or family. I walked outside and a man was kneeling down and just staring at me and my girls. I asked him what he was doing in our yard. He said that he was lost and jumped our fence and doesn’t know where to go. He said he did not know where to go because he’s not from around here. He asked to use my phone and I of course denied his request.  Completely shook up, I asked him to please leave immediately. I was home alone with my two little girls and really had no idea what this mans intentions or capabilities were. I did call the police and they informed me that this man had left the mental hospital and they needed to find him immediately.  This scared me to death.  This shouldn’t be a concern for my family.

Our community is a strong, compassionate group of people. We strive to make good choices , not only in the best interest of the whole, but for our immediate families.  This facility has no business being near our surrounding neighborhood.  I urge you to stand by the people that voted for you and stop this from going any further.

Respectfully,

Leah Minnery