(The Center Square) – The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is asking Continuum of Care Board Co-Chair Shanéé Colston to step down after she shouted down a fellow board member who spoke out against the appointment of a new board member who is a registered sex offender.
Continuum of Care Committee Member Kristina Sawyckyj interjected during the committee meeting on May 3 to speak against Thomas Whitaker, who was a nominee to join the board, saying he was a registered sex offender and that she had bad experiences with him. Colston in turn lashed out saying board members cannot disclose peoples’ personal business.
The Center Square confirmed Whitaker is a registered sex offender who was convicted for communications with a minor for immoral purposes, according to King County Sheriff’s Office’s sex offender records. The Continuum of Care also referred to Whitaker as Raven Crowfoot in its agenda packet.
Colston added that she was glad Whitaker was there “because sex offenders are another population that is most vulnerable that don’t have housing.”
Amidst overlapping comments, Sawyckyj reiterated that the nominee had touched her and that she had contacted the police.
Colston followed-up saying Sawyckyj could not bring up her past experiences with Whitaker in the meeting.
“If anyone wants to talk like that, you will be muted and then removed from this meeting,” Colston said. “This is about equity and everyone – everyone – deserves housing! I don’t care if they’re a sex offender!”
Continuum of Care is a part of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. The committee is in charge of applying for federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for homelessness assistance. It is also required by the department to “conduct a thoughtful process to determine a priority order for projects,” according to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
The authority said nominees for the Continuum of Care board have not been confirmed yet.
“The full [Continuum of Care] membership had planned to vote on the nominees at a meeting on May 5, but that meeting was canceled due to concerns about the conduct of the co-chair, and [the King County Regional Homelessness Authority] has asked her to resign,” King County Regional Homelessness Authority Senior Director of External Affairs Anne Martens said to The Center Square in an email.
This article First appeared in the center square