CC - Declaration of Elisabeth Songe Declaration of Elisabeth Songe
Re: Frazier Council Review (H-2020-0011), City of Meridian
The Declarant, Elisabeth Songe, hereby states and declares, with the assistance of a
Swahili-English interpreter, as follows:
1. I wish to appeal the final decision reached at the March 24, 2020 public hearing
regarding the Frazier Council Review. I am requesting a reconsideration of that
decision to revoke my Accessory Use Permit for a childcare at my home at 5343
N. Maplestone Ave. in Meridian. I think it was based on a mistake regarding the
neighborhood meeting and another mistake about the possible outcome of Mr.
Frazier's complaint.
2. The letter of revocation I received, dated March 30, 2020, states that the
Meridian City Council "...reversed the Director's action due to insufficient
evidence that a neighborhood meeting was held in accord with Meridian Unified
Development Code 11-4-3-9(A)(6." With the help of Jenny Hay at Jannus
Economic Opportunity's Refugee Childcare Business Development project, and
my husband Didier, I completed invitation letters dated 11/7/2019 to the four
owners of properties within 100 feet of my property, describing my proposed
childcare and inviting them to a neighborhood meeting on November 21, 2019 at
6:30 pm. I asked Jenny Hay to mail the four invitations on November 7, 2019.
The addresses to which Jenny mailed the invitations were provided to Jenny by
Kim Tabarini with the City of Meridian. On November 21 , 2019, 1 and my
husband Didier waited at our 5343 N. Maplestone home all evening, with lights
on, but no one came to join us for a meeting. In the permit application
documents I submitted at City Hall, I included the invitation and sign-in sheet,
with notation that no one attended.
3. Neither I nor my husband Didier attended the public hearing on March 24, 2020,
because as English language learners, we were confused with the language of
the public hearing postcard mailing and sign. Shortly after receiving the mailing,
we attended a medical appointment and asked the case worker to review the
mailing with us. My understanding, after a limited conversation with the case
worker, was that the hearing was not required for me, but only for neighbors who
had concerns or questions about my permit. I believed it was a formality and that
I was only receiving the mailing to know I was invited to attend. Before the
meeting, there were government orders to not attend large meetings because of
the disease and we did not want to go anywhere that wasn't required. I did not
recognize the name listed on the sign (Nick Frazier) and did not understand that
anyone had appealed my permit. A copy of the postcard we received is attached
as Exhibit A. It did not say what the hearing was about or that my childcare
license could be at risk. Had I known the hearing could result in my losing the
permit, I would have been there.
4. The money I got from the childcare business is half of the family income and I
don't think we would have qualified for a home loan without it. My husband's
work hours have been cut back because of the disease and I'm afraid we won't
be able to make payments to the bank for our house if I don't have my childcare
money. It has taken a long time to save up the house money.
5. When I received the letter of revocation, I did not fully understand it and
communicated immediately with Jenny Hay on April 2, 2020 for assistance.
6. This declaration is made on my personal knowledge and under penalty of
perjury.
Dated this 6th day of April, 2020.
/s/ Elisabeth Songe
Elisabeth Songe
Vicinity map
Co Of Meridian Public Hearing NQ& E3-
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Located: 33 East Broadway, MeridOn. ID F "n
Date and Time-.March 24,2020 6p.m.
ADO tation'. Fraser Council Review H-202CIi-00 11 IF "W00
Applicant. Wk Frazier
Lpwted: 5343 N Maplestone Ave
LtKIMA n- hTl:pWNl.Iy)H-2020-0011
Ri "P:* IL'
IL iW
1,To Review DrmcWs Approval of an A=Gsaory ----------
Use ky a Daycare,Farn6y(A-21319-0388) EARP62 AMP" LC-
H T
—O-W-. 0 PROVIDE COMM ENT$
Any interested person!,wishing to restify are wel.
�Orne W 130 so at the ptA*hearing listed on this
nDtificalian. Oral teafton.V may bL-�J led tbj3 L P..f minutes per Person. Writ1eq teslimDny may be sub,
muted prior to the hearing date either by mail of in
person to Meridian C Ity Clerk. 33 E. Broadway Suite A#1t $ 00 m. e
104.Meridian,Waho 83542 U by arnail.to 63 2G20,'
�"'t-IcierkPrneri-diaricity,org. by voicernail at 208-288
-5W1.Or by texting the word-Cornment'to 3 1 9s(;.
All written testimony and all materials presented at
the hearing become property of the City of Meridian
and public records subject to the provisions of the
Idaho Public records Act. Appl:icatian!q are subject
10 change througliout the public hearing process
and it is incumbent on interested persons to mom.lof KOZI N D I LA D I DIER.SONGE E L I SABE T H
such changes by followiflq.the process In person, 5343 N MAPLESTONE AVE
online.or by contacting City staff.See h4w
ti#.Iyl2158PH.Gortact the Comrnunt y Devuloprnpnll MIFR I D IAN, 11)8 364&0000
Department at 2 D&W-5533 for m(Ke inforrn&i-
L%=MMWA-n0NS
Anyone desiring accommodation for disabl lities
rtfted to Hv dQcurnenis andlor hearings please
Contact trm Ci y Clerk's Office at 2DB-888.4433 st
least 72 hours prior to the hearing-
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h1tps:
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