SCOTT JUST SAYS NO TO METH CLINIC

GATE CITY - A packet of letters from Scott County officials opposed to a proposed methadone clinic near Weber City is on its way to health licensing officials in Richmond.

A final addition to that information was put in Wednesday, as the Scott County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution that "expresses ..  adamant opposition" to Appalachian Treatment Services' ( ATS ) plans to locate a clinic along U.S.  Route 23 just a few hundred yards from the Tennessee state line.

The opposition had been planned for several weeks once members of the board and County Attorney Dean Foster received notice of ATS filing for a license to open a clinic in the county.

"Very complete, very strong, and couldn't be strong enough," board Chairman David Redwine said after reading the full resolution to supervisors and the audience.

Methadone is a legal, synthetic opioid used as a substitute for heroin and other addictive painkillers.

Regular oral consumption of the drug blocks heroin withdrawal symptoms, one of the biggest hurdles for addicts to overcome when they try to quit the drug.

Supervisor Joe Horton likened the proposed facility as nothing more than "legalized drug pushing," while Supervisor Paul Fields said the establishment of the clinic could have far-reaching effects.

"I would be against this clinic if it was going in anywhere in the county, but unfortunately it is ( proposed to be ) built in my district," said Fields, who represents District 1.

"It will deflate the value of property in this county immensely.  It will stop any industry or tourism coming through this county, and it will not enhance anything here," said Fields.  "We have already got a bottleneck at the state line coming off of 23 anyway, and with more traffic coming in there, and with ( patients ) being on dope or whatever, it will certainly ( cause ) more accidents."

ATS sponsor Dr.  Richard Skelskey told the Times-News last month that the company plans to locate a modular-type dwelling on property located next to the Roadrunner Market, which is located in Scott County just outside the Weber City town limits.

Information released to the media and to board members Wednesday shows that ATS has also filed for a license to run a clinic in the town of Pound in Wise County, which is located on Route 23 just a few miles from the Kentucky border.

While Wise County does have zoning laws in place that regulate where such a clinic could locate, Scott County does not.

A series of zoning workshops sponsored by the Scott County Planning Commission is currently being held across the county to inform residents of the county's plans to implement zoning, which Foster says should be in place by the last quarter of 2005.

"I think ( Scott County ) has acknowledged that the lack of a zoning ordinance anywhere in the county limits what the county government can do to regulate these type of facilities," said Doug Varney, president and CEO of Frontier Health, a company that provides substance abuse services to residents in Scott, Lee and Wise counties.

"At this point, community involvement and citizens getting involved - having them contact their local and state government leaders about what impact this clinic could have on their county.  This is a major public policy issue that needs to be examined by our state lawmakers because it seems like every community is going to have to tackle this issue at some point."

The next and final zoning workshop is scheduled to take place Thursday night at Hiltons Elementary School beginning at 7 p.m.

The packet of letters headed to the licensing department of the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services ( DMHMRSA ) from Scott County includes statements of opposition from Sheriff Jerry Broadwater, Commonwealth's Attorney Marcus McClung, the Weber City Town Council, Delegate Terry Kilgore and state Sen.  William Wampler Jr.

Redwine and other supervisors asked that county residents write letters to state officials opposing the clinic.

Foster said letters must give clear, factual arguments as to why the clinic is not necessary or not wanted in Scott County.

The county attorney has also sent a letter to DMHMRSA Director of Licensing Leslie Anderson that points out 21 "deficiencies" in the ATS application.

Foster says the company has not provided an emergency preparedness and response plan, the role and activities of its governing board, and if the proposed location complies with VDOT requirements for access control and traffic, among other problems in its application.

A definitive date has not been set by DMHMRSA as to when it will consider or issue the license to ATS, but Foster said the clinic must also meet the criteria to operate a methadone clinic set forth by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and the U.S.  Drug Enforcement Agency.