MAYOR, SHERIFF OPPOSE PROPOSED METHADONE CLINIC IN UNICOI COUNTY

ERWIN - A representative of a firm interested in putting a methadone clinic
in Unicoi County contacted the Tennessee State Planning Office last week to
inquire about procedures to apply for a license, Charles Anderson, a state
planner who works with the county planning commission, confirmed Monday.

Both Mayor Larry Rose and Sheriff Kent Harris said Monday they are strongly
opposed to a methadone clinic locating anywhere in the the county. Rose and
Harris had a brief meeting on the subject Saturday preparing for a response
should an application for a clinic be filed.

Methadone, a synthetic narcotic, is used to treat heroin and morphine
addicts. It is more potent than morphine, with a longer duration of action
and milder withdrawal symptoms. Anderson said the caller was interested in
the region in general and Erwin and Unicoi County in particular, "because
she said she thought they could help the sheriff with the drug problem over
there," he said.

Anderson said the interest in Unicoi County could be centered around the
fact the county has no zoning policy.

"I told her we don't handle such requests and that she would first need to
get a license," Anderson said. "She wasn't specific but said she would
approach the sheriff to see if he would be receptive to the idea."

"I'm 100 percent opposed to a methadone clinic coming into Unicoi County,"
Harris said. "I've never seen any success from those clinics."

Rose sided with Harris on the issue.

"We don't want one here," Rose said from Nashville, where he was meeting
with officials from the Tennessee Department of Transportation concerning
the county's new welcome center set to begin construction soon.

"I understand there was an inquiry to the planning commission tied to
someone looking for different places to locate a clinic. They need to look
elsewhere," Rose said.