Detox Center OK'd At Former Inn

Detox Center OK'd At Former Inn Residents object, but officials say a denial would be discrimination

+ click to enlarge Healing Hills Village Founders Mike Duggan, Patrick McCarty of McCarty Engineering, Jack Maroney, and Paul Lavallee were happy after a special permit was granted by the Westminster Zoning Board of Appeals for Healing Hills Village Addiction Recovery Center to be located at the site of the former Wachusett Inn. News staff photo by Doneen Durling Doneen Durling News Correspondent WESTMINSTER  If three is a charm, then Jack Maroney and his team hit the jackpot as Healing Hills Village Addiction Recovery Center received its special permit by unanimous vote after a third and final long and grueling meeting before the Zoning Board of Appeals. For a third time, residents of Westminster had a chance to air their concerns and protests against the addiction recovery center to be housed at the former Wachusett Inn. Zoning Board Chairman Donald Frigoletto explained that the recovery center located in a C1 Commercial Residential zone is only allowed by special permit. Frigoletto clarified that a special permit request could be denied, but if it was denied, the town could be in violation of the Fair Housing Act because the patients receiving treatment at the facility are classified as handicapped citizens. “It is illegal for us to discriminate or deny them housing without good cause. We have to have cause or reason to deny them a special permit, otherwise we are going to be in violation of the Fair Housing Act.” Selectman John Fairbanks expressed concern over ownership changing hands that could bring changes to the way the recovery center could operate. Maroney assured him that when transitioning ownership from one entity to another, the state must approve the transfer. “The state makes sure that the people taking it over philosophically kind of adhere to the same stuff that you licensed it under in the first place,” he said. Another of Fairbanks’ concerns also tapped into the fears that the center would have an impact on fire and police services. Maroney guaranteed, “All ambulance transfers are reimbursable, so if we use the ambulance, it actually gets paid for by the person that used it. It is actually a revenue stream for the town.” One abutter stood and pointed out that the town was making money, the Crowleys (former owners of Wachusett Inn) were going to make money, the Healing Hills Addiction Recovery owners would make money, but every homeowner within close proximity to the center would lose money because their property values would dive. He said that since the housing market crashed, his home values have already decreased by $20,000. When the addiction recovery center opens, he projected that he could lose up to $47,000 on top of the decrease he has already suffered. “What about us? I hate to seem cruel and insensitive to the people that need this facility. Everyone is talking dollars and cents. That’s the bottom line for us.” Maroney said he could find evidence to refute that homes would be devalued, and that because there is 90 acres of woods surrounding the center, no one would notice that the center was even there. Many residents voiced opinions about how the center would affect their feelings of security within the neighborhood. Heather Ledger said she lives within a mile of the facility. She said her main concern was for the safety of her property and her children. She said she realized her concerns were “fear based” but asked what would happen if a patient decided they no longer would continue detox, and suddenly need a fix. Ledger said that her children walk back and forth on that road. “My concern is really the safety of our area,” she said. “I’m just wondering if there is anything that you can tell me that will help me to not worry about that every single day.” Maroney said that the center could not restrain their clients, but with 24-hour supervision the center does everything it can to protect the client’s safety. Their policy is to get the client to the next port that will get them home. One resident said that the Wachusett Inn was all “rides and pumpkins and really sweet,” but now there will be fear about people walking through the neighborhood. She said, “Please have some empathy for us. We are now trying to absorb thinking about HIV, thinking of people coming in addicted to crystal meth and heroin. Please try to have a little bit of understanding that this a lot for those of us in the area. I will not be allowing my daughter to ride her bike again by the inn.” Abutters were also taken by surprise that the center will have 90 beds, not just the 48 included on the application. Maroney explained that the 48 beds are specific to clients under treatment. The other 42 beds were an allowed use for that site and did not need a special permit. He said Healing Hills would provide these residential units to former clients that would need extra time in their sobriety so they would not be forced to return to a former more-toxic situation. He explained that the longer addicts were in treatment, the stronger they were to continue their recovery. “I know you are afraid,” said Maroney. “I know you don’t understand what is going to happen. I just can’t say enough how this is definitely needed and we will do our best to prevent impact. I think you won’t even know we are there.” Shawn Hayden, chief operating officer at GAAMHA Inc., gave testament on Maroney’s behalf, speaking of his reputation and character. Hayden explained that GAAMHA provides substance abuse treatment in a facility that has been open for 44 years on the same street in a residential neighborhood, side by side with two family homes. He asked if anyone had heard of the halfway house. No one responded. “I take that as a compliment. We have been running 20 beds in a residential neighborhood and no one has heard of it. That should give you some idea on what the impact is on our neighborhood. He said his clientele are parolees and probationers. “That is not the type of clientele you will be getting at Healing Hills.” He told residents, “The people you are afraid of? They are already in your neighborhood. Statistically speaking, there are 7,000 people in this town. That means there are 700 drug addicts. That’s also the same number of kids in our high school. There’s a little perspective.” Hayden said that in his free time he operates a peer recovery program in Gardner. He said they collect data on the people who visit. “The two biggest towns that send people to us are Gardner, which sends 27 percent. The biggest town is Westminster. Thirty one percent of all people seeking help at our center come from Westminster. When we profile them this is what we know; they are white, they are upper middle class, they are in their mid twenties, they are college-educated, they have an opiate problem, and 40 percent of those people from Westminster have a history of overdose and a need for Narcan. The problems and the people are already here. There is nobody new coming in. My facility does not have enough beds to treat the people coming in from Westminster and Ashburnham. I have 20 beds. I could fill it for the rest of my life with people from this town alone. You need this.” Hayden said the Healing Center would bring in high-paying clinical jobs, which was something Westminster needed. A list of 18 conditions were whittled down to 15 when Healing Hills’ lawyer Robert Longton of Bowditch and Dewey stood to argue that many of the conditions listed could be considered discriminatory. One condition developed with input from all parties was that one bed would be available by scholarship to a Westminster addict predicated on the referral advice of the fire chief or police chief. The Planning Board approved a site plan for the center on Jan. 12, along with an easement for the Midstate Trail that runs through a corner of the center’s property.