I didn’t have a chance to make it to the Planning Board Meeting last night — which lasted hours and featured a final vote approving variance changes for the methadone clinic. The variances were approved on the condition of the creation of a community advisory board (along with minor changes to security and the bus stop). A big thanks to Sean Brown, who stuck around for the entire meeting and caught several key moments on video (I’ve included links to his videos below). Jim Walsh from the Courier-Post also covered the meeting and captured many of the voices who showed up to protest:
“We were under the impression we’d come here to protest,” said Corrinne Jones of Parkside, who was among several people to leave early. “But they’ve already made up their minds.”
Nonetheless, speaker after speaker rose from the audience to demand the facility go elsewhere.
“We always have to sacrifice,” added city resident Tammy Goree, who said suburban drug users should be treated in their own towns. “We shouldn’t get the ills.”
“We’re a dumping ground,” said Pastor William Elliott of Zion Baptist Church, which is a short walk from the planned clinic’s site. “They just don’t care.”
Sheehan, the clinic’s lawyer, noted Camden Recovery had held multiple meetings with city officials and community members. He asserted the firm had “not in any way ignored the public.”
At the same time, the lawyer said, “We understand that nobody in the room…wants us there.”
Among other arguments, critics warned Bergen Square residents would face security concerns with an influx of people being treated for drug addiction.
Patrick Duff, an activist-historian, noted the clinic’s patients would be exposed to drug dealers seeking new buyers in the neighborhood.
“It’s almost like putting an AA meeting inside a bar,” he said.
Here more coverage from Jim:
Architect’s presentation not going over well with audience members at Camden planning board meeting. They don’t want clinic in their neighborhood pic.twitter.com/5EsovEOo0V
— jim walsh (@jimwalsh_cp) November 28, 2017
And here links to Sean Brown’s videos:
And Kevin Riordan wrote a piece trying to put the situation in context, here’s an excerpt, but read the whole thing:
Imagine the Cherry Hill Planning Board approving a proposal to build a methadone clinic mostly serving addicts from Camden.
And imagine this happening despite passionate opposition from constituents working to make Cherry Hill a better place.
A big thanks again to Sean for being there, and more analysis to come — but I wanted to make sure folks could see the original clips and form their own impressions before we dive in.
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