Quote:
Originally Posted by Nadia
To clarify the Methadone Clinic was proposed by a Florida based company known as Colonial Management. They operate clinics nationwide, six I believe in New Hampshire. They already have one located in the states capital, Concord Metro Treatment Center, as well as Manchester, Swanzey and Lebanon. A representative for the clinic stated that Laconia is in need of the clinic to address it's growing drug problem. Approximately 200 Laconia Residents travel to Concord daily for treatment. As you can guess, many opposed, including law enforcement.
The issue was left to be decided by City Planner Shanna Saunders, and because of the size of the clinic (less than 5,000 sq. feet) Shanna could make the decision on her own, it did not have to go in front of the Planning Board. She permitted the clinic to operate in the former O'Toole building, in O'Shea Industrial Park, with two stipulations. First, the clinic would have to have a 24 hour video camera surveillance system, and second, a law officer would have to be present during business hours, which would cost Colonial Management approximately $2,000 a week. Representatives from Colonial Management stated they would not comment until sometime next week.
The proposed clinic will dispense the drug methadone in liquid form to patients daily on an out-patient basis. Although a for-profit clinic they do provide mandatory counseling services for each patient, along with therapeutic groups, and many supportive activites for patients in treatment. Still not sure what to think myself, that's why I was wondering what everyone else thought.
What kinds of activity about the clinic in Boston is bothersome to you? I would like to know myself as being a Laconia resident, this would effect me as well.
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BEFORE ANYONE READS THIS NOTE I DO NOT THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GET HELP THEY SHOULD, JUST NOT IN A AREA THAT LIVES OFF OF TOURISM
In Boston there is alreay a "riff raff" problem as we all already know this but the problem is more than that, they hang around the area, stand on the street corners and try to clean windows sell flowers and beg for anything they can get their hands on. Also you do not have to be a resident of that particular area to be welcomed at the clinic so that sum 200 will increase drastically because it will the only one North of Concord and then where are these people going to go if they need thier daily dose of Methadone, well they will stay in the area becasuse they will not be able to drive back and forth or in most cases have the money to drive back and forth.
Also that brings crime because off the money. Like I said these people need help but it should not be in the front of one of NH's biggest income area for the summer. The one here in Boston, and they are in multiple areas around the state, has a line around the block everyday and then as a outpatient care, they just hang around the outside of the clinic, and this is in the view of the police as they have a daily post there as well. This is a bad thing for this area. I welcome anyone to drive to Boston, go to Mass Ave to the side of Boston Medical Center/ BU medical center and sit there for a day and see what the area is like. I have to travel there at least once a month and it is not a comfortable area, especially when you have to shoo people away from bothering you and you have to dodge people sitting on the sidwalks and relieving themselves and sitting on the stairs.