I wont bore you with the analysis, the article is a straight forward rendition of the events of Monday night's Middletown Township Committee meeting so I'll just post a few quotes below from it and let you guys be the judge by leaving comments if you wish:
Middletown residents packed town hall on June 20 and demanded that the township revoke the certificate of occupancy (CO) of a methadone clinic, which has been legally operating near Apple Farm Road for several months.
The clinic, Middletown Medical, located on Route 35, which, according to its website, counsels opiate addicts and dispenses methadone to wean them off their dependence, has residents fearing for the integrity of their neighborhood.
“The location of the clinic jeopardizes our safety, the safety of our homes and most importantly, the safety of those who actively walk, run, drive or play in our neighborhood,” resident Diane Mullaney said at the Township Committee meeting.
Mullaney said that the clinic is near a school bus stop, senior center and the neighborhood’s only entrance and exit road. “Ultimately, the township neglected to keep the best interest of our neighborhood in their decision,” she said....
“The [state’s] municipal land use law … was amended a decade ago to specifically designate methadone clinics as business uses, allowing municipalities to only ban them from residential zones,” Township Attorney Brian Nelson advised.
Because the clinic is located on Route 35 in a business district, this law stifles any legal recourse from the township, Nelson said.
“Neither the mayor nor the governing body members were particularly pleased with this answer,” Nelson said.
“If you’re asking for us to pull the CO, which is what it sounds like you’re asking, we can’t legally do it,” Mayor Anthony Fiore said to residents.
“If you’re asking to put the township at risk for amajor lawsuit to do so, I don’t think that’s our fiduciary responsibility when we’re told by legal counsel that we won’t win.”...
“Nobody other than the zoning officer and code officials receive notice of these CO’s.”
Mercantante said that similar transfers happen every day.
“No member of this committee, including myself, had any knowledge that this facility was a methadone clinic,” Fiore said....
“I don’t want this business in Middletown, and I don’t think anyone else wants this business in Middletown. However, Route 35 is a state highway and it is a state business zone,” Fiore said.
“None of the committee is happy about this; in a best-case scenario, it’s terrible,” said Committeeman Steven Massell....
“We can control everything with respect to making sure that they are operating in a legal fashion and that they’re not going to cause those quality-of-life issues that you mention,” Fiore said.
“That’s our job. That’s our priority as a township committee, and we will do that.”...
Fiore said that the township also relies on the vigilance of neighborhood residents to help police.
“This is a huge township. You’re the eyes and ears, and if you see something there, we need to know about it,” he said.
12 comments:
I moved back to Middletown a year ago with my wife and three small children. I put up with the unbeleivable taxes and the supposed "Republican" TC. Now they are selling out help Drug Addicts and Felons? Have they lost their mind? They need to go... All of them... How dare they call them selves the party of Ronald Wilson Reagan.(God rest his soul.) We need pride and back in our community. We need the red, white and blue values of our fore fathers. What happened to love of country?
We need to start a mini revolution. Rush is right, kick them all out. They have been in way to long. They are tired and to weak to govern. The TC needs a makeover. Do you hear me PETE change up your people.
Dear Township Committee..
Thank you for putting our children in harm's way...
How do you sleep at night...???
Lets revisit this conversation on election day...
Has any state had success banning driving while under the influence of methadone? One would think such a facility should be located close enough to mass transit that driving isn't required. It is unbelievable we are welcoming addicts to drive themselves into treatment as there are really no other options in this location. Whether methadone alone impairs driving, we are dealing with addicts who very often are taking other drugs in addition to heroin.
Is Rush really saying kick them all out? Not a fan but in Middletown's case, I would have to agree.
Peter Carton rules the roost and he's not going to let go anytime soon.
People still vote the Republicans in time and time again no matter how bad and incompetent they've become.
Let us know when you start the revolution. I won't hold my breath.
As I remember reading the label on a bottle of Ritalin for a relative it stated should not opperate a vehicle while taking. I thought there were laws in NJ for driving while taking ritalin...but it's legal to drive while under the influence of methadone???!!!!
Such mindless blather. Legally, no one could have stopped this clinic, and no one can stop them now.
How about the neighbors chip in and buy the building? Then toss the tenant?
How about protesting near the clinic, trying to put pressure on the tenant to move?
What's that? They'd rather yell at the TC and wait for someone else to do something?
Will the township exempt the residents of Apple Farm from paying property taxes so they can take up Legion's brilliant idea of buying the building? Or are their hands tied? I'm sure Legion's suggestion to buy the building isn't sarcasm since she has taken to lecturing others on this board to "make nice" if they want our elected officials to take our concerns seriously. Or does that not apply to her?
Wait for someone else to do something? Our elected officials "stand in" for us- at a minimum we expect them to know what is going on and apparently even that bar is too low for them to meet.
Anonymous 6/23 @ 11:30 a.m.,
What do you expect from the resident from Majestic Avenue in the Lincroft section of this township whose only concerns are self serving ?
Use of pseudo names are her real talent and vicious libelous attacks on others. Happens daily and crosses the line of common decency or integrity.
The people of the Applebrook area have a right to be concerned. Their homes and quality of life is threatened !
She has no room nor right to lecture anyone about anything.
Glad to see I wasn't the only one paying attention.
It sounds like none have you have ever had any experience with an addiction..It is a HORRIBLE thing to deal with..Its grabs hold of you and will not let go..All this bitching and moaning about this clinic is shallow..Most of the addicts that frequent this clinic are good 'ol white collar people not the dregs of society that you all are convinced come to this clinic..If YOU have never had to deal with an opiate addiction consider yourself lucky and let these people get help!! And hope and pray you never succumb to this addiction..Such petty people.
I know I'm years late on this topic well for this town anyway..and I have to say I really feel bad for all of you that were involved in all the moaning and crying about this clinic...I will pray for all of you! I will also pray that you never have to see any of your children or grandchildren fight this terrible disease called addiction!! It's already a long, dark, lonely road and judge mental people like you only make it worse. There's tons of people out there that are upstanding citizens that go to these places and by looking and talking to them you would never be able to tell. Instead of putting down these people why don't read up on the topic and know the facts. Also I think you need to realize how bad drugs are now, and yes I'm sure even in your lil town. If someone can offer help to these people and get them started on the right path to getting their lives back then why should you be able to play God and say no they don't deserve it or rather no they don't deserve to get help in my town?! You're all a bunch of shallow, cold, heartless human beings and I hope that for all the people struggling with addictions alone behind closed doors they break free and don't stay hiding in fear because they're afraid to be judged by sad people like yourselves..and like I said earlier I pray that addiction doesn't ever take control of anyone you love..but always remember what goes around comes around! Have a blessed day!
Post a Comment