Transcription: Brianna Borin at CB12-241 Public Hearing - 2012 April 30 ============================================================================== Description: This is a short statement made by Brianna Borin, a co-owner and director of human resources of Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, to the Denver City Council during a public hearing on the merits of CB12-241, the "Unauthorized Camping Ordinance" Canonical URL: http://mretc.net/~cris/snooze-boycott/snooze-borin.txt Last updated: $Date: 2013/01/23 03:27:33 $ Transcribed January 20, 2013. Please send any corrections/improvements to The video from which this transcript was created is available on YouTube: For the ongoing effort to organize a boycott of Snooze, as part of the wider resistance to the criminalization of homelessness, see the Denver Homeless Out Loud web page: ============================================================================== BRIANNA BORIN: Good evening city council president and members of the council. Thank you for listening to us this evening. My name is Brianna Borin and I am representing Snooze A.M. Eatery as director of human resources and co-owner of our restaurant located at 2262 Larimer Street. I am here tonight to speak in strong favor of the Unauthorized Camping Ordinance. Snooze A.M. Eatery is located on the southeast corner of Larimer and Park Avenue West in the heart of the Historic Ballpark Neighborhood. We strongly believe that this social and environmental issue has a direct effect on our business, on our property, and our community. Let me start by explaining that each morning Snooze managers make special accommodations to watch our employees walk from their doors of their car to the front doors of our business just to ensure that they arrive at work safe and sound. We also spend the first hour of our day as managers walking around our property and picking up any left over trash or debris from our neighbors who have camped out overnight. Council members, this is only the beginning of the actions that we take. When our guests arrive in front of our doors to dine with us, we work to provide them with the most amazing breakfast experience possible. But a majority of our efforts are spent on cleaning up our property, removing people from our benches that are on our patio, and also contacting the police from the constant disruptions that happen starting as early as 5 a.m. With all of our energy focused here, it is almost impossible for us to provide the experience in which we desire to give to our guests. Snooze's main concern is the safety of our guests and our employees, and each person that walks through our door should feel safe, comfortable, and clean. And by decreasing the amount of individuals that have created a home on our sidewalks, we believe that it will provide a more desirable place for our employees to work and for our guests to dine. Another major concern that we have is that these individuals get the help that they need. Many of these people whom live outside of our doors, by constant interaction, have become our friends. We want each of them to find the path that they need to provide a substantial roof over their head, not just our patio cover. Whether that help consists of drug and rehab assistance, mental health services, or simple lifestyle guidance, they will not likely find that by sleeping on the corner around our door. Snooze has been fully committed over the past six years in finding long-term solutions to this social issue. Whether it's been physical and monetary assistance to local nonprofit organizations, or providing direct employment in our restaurants through Denver Urban Peak program, we have worked endlessly to bring people off the streets, and we will continue to do so whether this is passed tonight or not. Today, however, this issue seems to be stronger than ever, and no matter what steps we take forward we seem to be taking two steps back. We believe that this ordinance will not only assist individuals in getting the help that they need, but it will protect our guests and our employees, and it will also provide our neighborhood with the economic growth and development in which it has substantial room for. I appreciate your time this evening, and Snooze strongly encourages the council to pass this ordinance as we believe it is an opportunity to build a stronger and more desirable community for our business owners, patrons, and residents. Thank you.