Some people in part of Lackawanna County don't want a drug treatment facility in their neighborhood.
Dozens turned out for a public meeting as the group went before borough council. At issue is the possibility of a methadone clinic coming to the Keystone Industrial Park. News that a Boston-based health care organization wants to open a methadone clinic there is upsetting many in the borough. Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction.
Tom Jimmie owns a business across the street from the proposed site on Monahan Avenue.
"Drug addicts, hanging around there, coming over to my property. I have two women that work there all day," Jimmie said. He brought a petition of 500 signatures opposing the clinic. Some of those signatures came from the employees at Jim Barrett's trucking company, also located in the park.
"We polled our people and on behalf of some 60 to 70 people that work in Dunmore, there is some anxiety about having that next to our work facility," said Barrett.
At the public hearing, members of the health care company Habit OPCO told council there is a strong need for a drug treatment center in Lackawanna County. According to their research, the county has the highest number of people in the state seeking help for heroin or prescription drug addiction with no local facility in the area.
"The important thing about access to care is, the closer the patient is to care, the more likely they are to succeed," said Debby Schmidt of Habit OPCO.
Because the meeting ran so late, members of the public who came out weren't able to be heard. No date for another meeting has been set.
Dozens turned out for a public meeting as the group went before borough council. At issue is the possibility of a methadone clinic coming to the Keystone Industrial Park. News that a Boston-based health care organization wants to open a methadone clinic there is upsetting many in the borough. Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction.
Tom Jimmie owns a business across the street from the proposed site on Monahan Avenue.
"Drug addicts, hanging around there, coming over to my property. I have two women that work there all day," Jimmie said. He brought a petition of 500 signatures opposing the clinic. Some of those signatures came from the employees at Jim Barrett's trucking company, also located in the park.
"We polled our people and on behalf of some 60 to 70 people that work in Dunmore, there is some anxiety about having that next to our work facility," said Barrett.
At the public hearing, members of the health care company Habit OPCO told council there is a strong need for a drug treatment center in Lackawanna County. According to their research, the county has the highest number of people in the state seeking help for heroin or prescription drug addiction with no local facility in the area.
"The important thing about access to care is, the closer the patient is to care, the more likely they are to succeed," said Debby Schmidt of Habit OPCO.
Because the meeting ran so late, members of the public who came out weren't able to be heard. No date for another meeting has been set.
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