Pubdate: Thu, 06 Dec 2007
Source: Foster's Daily Democrat (NH)
Copyright: 2007 Geo. J. Foster Co.
Contact:  http://www.fosters.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/160
Author: Ellen W. Todd

MORATORIUM DECLARED TO FEND OFF SANFORD METHADONE CLINIC

SANFORD -- An emergency moratorium ordinance preventing  a methadone 
clinic from locating in Sanford's Mid-Town  Mall went into effect 
Tuesday, Dec. 4, following a  unanimous vote by the Town Council to approve it.

The emergency measure will expire in March, giving  councilors and 
town officials time to review and  address existing regulations and 
zoning ordinances that  would apply to medical clinics and methadone clinics.

The action by the town council came as a result of  inquiries from 
Colonial Management Group, LP, in  Manchester, N.H., which proposes 
to set up a methadone  clinic in Sanford. The Florida-based company 
currently  operates a methadone treatment center in Bangor and  three 
in New Hampshire.

Methadone, a synthetic narcotic, has been used for more  than 30 
years to treat addiction to heroin, morphine  and other opioid drugs. 
Methadone reduces the cravings  associated with heroin use and blocks 
the high from  heroin, but does not provide the euphoric rush of 
heroin. It is not an effective treatment for other  drugs of abuse.

Methadone is itself addictive and most treatment  programs focus on 
lifetime maintenance on the drug,  rather than total drug withdrawal. 
Patients trying to  withdraw from opiates take methadone orally, once 
a  day, to suppress symptoms of narcotic withdrawal for  between 24 
and 36 hours.

The proposed clinic, would be the first in York County,  although 
there are methadone treatment centers in South  Portland, Westbrook, 
Waterville and Bangor.

There has been an outcry among Sanford residents and  business people 
since the public became aware of the  proposal just over a week ago.

"I was told that if I did not vote for this  [moratorium] there would 
be a cross burning in front of  my house tonight," said Councilor 
Brad Littlefield who  requested that the item be included on the 
council's Dec. 4 agenda. Littlefield said that a methadone 
clinic  "would be destructive to what we are trying to do in  the 
downtown area." He vowed to "do everything I can to  keep it out."

But simply prohibiting a clinic from operating in the  town is not an 
option; enacting local ordinances to  regulate such businesses is.

Colonial Management Group's proposal would put the  clinic in the 
lower Mid-Town Mall in the general area  that was formerly occupied 
by Club Adrenaline,  according to Council Chair Anne Marie 
Mastraccio. That  is the primary objection to the clinic, according 
to  many of those who spoke at Tuesday's meeting.

"It is not conducive to what's being proposed for the  downtown area. 
It will drive businesses out of the  downtown," said Chamber of 
Commerce President Richard  Stanley.

Stanley said that at a recent meeting of the Chamber of  Commerce's 
Board of Directors and representatives of  member businesses, "there 
was not one person in favor  of having a methadone clinic in the 
downtown area."

"My view is that [the Mid-Town Mall and the downtown in  general] is 
not the place for it," said Town Manager  Mark Green during a phone 
interview Monday.

Town officials and volunteers have worked hard in  recent years to 
improve Sanford's downtown area, and  the town was awarded a $500,000 
state grant for  downtown revitalization in the spring.

"Our vision [for the downtown area] does not include a  methadone 
clinic," said Bob Carr, a member of the  Downtown Legacy committee 
formed to guide the town  through the revitalization.

"I think it's a quality-of-life issue for Sanford,"  said Councilor 
Gordon Paul. He said Sanford would  become known as the first York 
County town to have a  methadone clinic. Paul, a former Sanford 
Police chief,  said the cities of Bangor and Brewer have to deal with 
problems connected to a methadone clinic there "24 --  7." Paul said 
those problems include addicts hanging  around outside the clinic, 
and even sleeping outside in  some cases. "And there's the whole 
issue of needles,"  Paul said.

"If we allow this into our community ... once it is  here, we will 
not be able to stop it. I think we should  stop it," Paul said.

Police Chief Thomas Connolly also has concerns.  Although he said he 
recognizes and supports the need  for drug treatment programs, 
methadone treatment does  not have a good success rate.

"Even under the best of circumstances ... if you have a  60-percent 
retention rate, you're deemed a success," he  said in a recent phone 
interview. "My problem is that  40 percent of the people who seek 
treatment do not  stick with it."

Sanford does not have a heroin problem or a population  of opiate 
abusers that would justify opening a clinic  here, Connolly said. The 
clinic would draw addicts from  surrounding areas, who might decide 
to move here for  treatment, he said, and then if they don't continue 
treatment and remain in town, Sanford would end up with  a population 
of addicts.

Councilor Joseph Hanslip cautioned that the moratorium  is not a 
"silver bullet," however.

"I don't want people to think we can stop a clinic from  locating 
here, because we can't," he said.

The 90-day moratorium went into effect immediately  after the council's vote.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart