SHAME ON WEST DES MOINES

The opposition from West Des Moines residents to a facility for Alzheimer's
patients feels like deja vu. Nearly two years ago when Bridges of Iowa
proposed a drug-treatment facility at 1211 Vine St. in West Des Moines,
there was a similar public outcry. Not in my back yard, the neighbors said.

Bridges bent over backward to provide a needed facility in Iowa, while
residents of that community bent over backward to avoid having one.

Eventually, the West Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission rejected the
request for Bridges to use the property. The facility finally located on
the south side of Des Moines.

What's with West Des Moines?

When the Bridges facility met great community opposition, research provided
by the Iowa Residential Appraisal Co. demonstrated a greater community
problem. West Des Moines has no drug treatment centers, homeless shelters,
correctional placement facilities or supervised adolescent group residences
within its city limits. Calls to West Des Moines human-services agencies
confirm these findings.

Though there are two nursing homes, this community of 50,000 people is not
doing its share to provide space for human-services needs for everyone from
troubled youth to the elderly afflicted with Alzheimer's.

It's as though West Des Moines residents believe the people in their
community are immune from any range of problems that would require
professional help. Or they believe that if their own do need some help, it
should be provided in someone else's back yard.

It's embarrassing and shameful.