NEEDLE FUROR FORCES SECOND SESSION

WESTPORT -- Amid a wave of controversy, the needle exchange program
approved by the Board of Selectmen appears headed toward its death as the
group will revisit the issue during a meeting this afternoon. Board of
Selectmen Chairwoman Elizabeth Collins said she will raise the issue during
a meeting scheduled for today at 4 p.m., likely leading to a rescinding of
the vote.

Also clouding the issue, which could make the board's vote unnecessary, is
the matter of the lease for the property at 909 State Road. Collins said
she believes the owner of the property will not lease the building for the
program's use.

"This has been a firestorm," Collins said. "I've returned some 48 calls and
I' ve listened carefully to what people have to say. There is some fear,
and in retrospect it would have been better to publicize this better. But
we did not try to slip this in."

Selectman Steve Ouellette said he also has doubts about the lease agreement
and agreed that there are more questions that need to be answered about the
program.

"There have been questions about a selectman with a conflict of interest
and that the neighbors didn't have time to deal with this, so there are
definitely questions," Ouellette said. "It all may have happened a little
too fast."

Collins said she welcomes residents to come to the meeting and participate.

Operation of the program was to come from the Stanley Street Treatment and
Resources center, located in Fall River, with assistance from the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The program would have been
Bristol County's first and the fifth in the state, joining programs in
Boston, Cambridge, Northampton and Provincetown.

SSTAR executive director Nancy Paull said the group looked to Westport for
the program after efforts to establish such a program in Fall River failed
after talks with Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr. proved unfruitful. Paull said
New Bedford officials also do not favor such a program.

"But we still feel a needle exchange is still needed," Paull said. "Rates
are increasing and this is a public health emergency with so many people
using OxyContin and switching to heroin. ... We need a needle exchange in
southeastern Massachusetts."

Since the selectmen unanimously approved the program on Monday, residents
have started a petition in opposition and staged a protest across from the
site Tuesday afternoon.

While Collins said she will ask selectmen to revisit the decision, she said
she remains in favor of the needle exchange concept.

"I would certainly consider rescinding the vote for the site, but not for
the idea of a needle exchange program," said Collins, a retired health
professional.

"If this is to come back to Westport, I believe we have to do a better job
of inviting the public (to the meetings)," she said. "It's incumbent upon
the board to educate the public before we think about this again."

Collins assured, though, that the discussion and vote on the matter was not
done to pull a fast-one over on residents.

"I know there is a lot of talk that this was done in secrecy or was
underhanded, but I don't believe that," Collins said. "In retrospect, it
would have been wise to contact the people that live in the neighborhood."

That action could have lessened the angst that developed against the needle
exchange proposal, Collins said.

"I expected something, but not to this magnitude," Collins said. "I
expected some people would be upset. When you read about open exchanges in
Fall River or New Bedford, you always hear people are upset."

Collins said she would understand if members of the community had lost
confidence in the board, but she remains confident that a needle exchange
program can be a benefit.

"I think that with the time and effort I've put into researching needle
exchange programs, it is the right thing to do," Collins said. "I believe
saving lives is the right thing to do, but as an elected official I also
need to do the right thing for the constituents."

Paull agreed, saying cutting the program would signal continued dangerous
times for drug abusers.

"This means people are going to get sick, go untreated and die," Paull
said. "We could have prevented that."