MORATORIUM DECLARED TO FEND OFF SANFORD METHADONE CLINIC

SANFORD -- An emergency moratorium ordinance preventing a methadone
clinic from locating in Sanford's Mid-Town Mall went into effect
Tuesday, Dec. 4, following a unanimous vote by the Town Council to approve it.

The emergency measure will expire in March, giving councilors and
town officials time to review and address existing regulations and
zoning ordinances that would apply to medical clinics and methadone clinics.

The action by the town council came as a result of inquiries from
Colonial Management Group, LP, in Manchester, N.H., which proposes
to set up a methadone clinic in Sanford. The Florida-based company
currently operates a methadone treatment center in Bangor and three
in New Hampshire.

Methadone, a synthetic narcotic, has been used for more than 30
years to treat addiction to heroin, morphine and other opioid drugs.
Methadone reduces the cravings associated with heroin use and blocks
the high from heroin, but does not provide the euphoric rush of
heroin. It is not an effective treatment for other drugs of abuse.

Methadone is itself addictive and most treatment programs focus on
lifetime maintenance on the drug, rather than total drug withdrawal.
Patients trying to withdraw from opiates take methadone orally, once
a day, to suppress symptoms of narcotic withdrawal for between 24
and 36 hours.

The proposed clinic, would be the first in York County, although
there are methadone treatment centers in South Portland, Westbrook,
Waterville and Bangor.

There has been an outcry among Sanford residents and business people
since the public became aware of the proposal just over a week ago.

"I was told that if I did not vote for this [moratorium] there would
be a cross burning in front of my house tonight," said Councilor
Brad Littlefield who requested that the item be included on the
council's Dec. 4 agenda. Littlefield said that a methadone
clinic "would be destructive to what we are trying to do in the
downtown area." He vowed to "do everything I can to keep it out."

But simply prohibiting a clinic from operating in the town is not an
option; enacting local ordinances to regulate such businesses is.

Colonial Management Group's proposal would put the clinic in the
lower Mid-Town Mall in the general area that was formerly occupied
by Club Adrenaline, according to Council Chair Anne Marie
Mastraccio. That is the primary objection to the clinic, according
to many of those who spoke at Tuesday's meeting.

"It is not conducive to what's being proposed for the downtown area.
It will drive businesses out of the downtown," said Chamber of
Commerce President Richard Stanley.

Stanley said that at a recent meeting of the Chamber of Commerce's
Board of Directors and representatives of member businesses, "there
was not one person in favor of having a methadone clinic in the
downtown area."

"My view is that [the Mid-Town Mall and the downtown in general] is
not the place for it," said Town Manager Mark Green during a phone
interview Monday.

Town officials and volunteers have worked hard in recent years to
improve Sanford's downtown area, and the town was awarded a $500,000
state grant for downtown revitalization in the spring.

"Our vision [for the downtown area] does not include a methadone
clinic," said Bob Carr, a member of the Downtown Legacy committee
formed to guide the town through the revitalization.

"I think it's a quality-of-life issue for Sanford," said Councilor
Gordon Paul. He said Sanford would become known as the first York
County town to have a methadone clinic. Paul, a former Sanford
Police chief, said the cities of Bangor and Brewer have to deal with
problems connected to a methadone clinic there "24 -- 7." Paul said
those problems include addicts hanging around outside the clinic,
and even sleeping outside in some cases. "And there's the whole
issue of needles," Paul said.

"If we allow this into our community ... once it is here, we will
not be able to stop it. I think we should stop it," Paul said.

Police Chief Thomas Connolly also has concerns. Although he said he
recognizes and supports the need for drug treatment programs,
methadone treatment does not have a good success rate.

"Even under the best of circumstances ... if you have a 60-percent
retention rate, you're deemed a success," he said in a recent phone
interview. "My problem is that 40 percent of the people who seek
treatment do not stick with it."

Sanford does not have a heroin problem or a population of opiate
abusers that would justify opening a clinic here, Connolly said. The
clinic would draw addicts from surrounding areas, who might decide
to move here for treatment, he said, and then if they don't continue
treatment and remain in town, Sanford would end up with a population
of addicts.

Councilor Joseph Hanslip cautioned that the moratorium is not a
"silver bullet," however.

"I don't want people to think we can stop a clinic from locating
here, because we can't," he said.

The 90-day moratorium went into effect immediately after the council's vote.