CITY PANEL TO DEAL WITH HANDS ON!, METHADONE CLINIC ISSUES

Formalizing a partnership between Johnson City and Hands On! Regional
Museum will be one of the topics on the agenda for Thursday's meeting of
the City Commission.

Dineen West, chairman of the Hands On! board of directors, said there are
several issues she hopes commissioners will be willing to consider:

. Leasing the J.C. Penney's building on East Main Street to the museum for
$1 a year.

. Forgiving past rent for the Walker Building now used by the museum.

. Releasing $100,000 to the museum that was previously promised for the
renovation of the Penney's building.

. Allowing annual contributions that Waste Management makes to the Iris
Glen Environmental Center fund to continue to go to Hands On! because of
the museum's environmental education program.

Hands On! supporters and board members met with the City Commission in
August to discuss the issue of future cooperation between the two
organizations. General public support for the museum has been strong,
though some have questioned the rent payments and release of $100,000 to
the Hands On! in a time when the city has to make budget cutbacks,
including the elimination of six police positions.

In other business, the commission will consider a new ordinance limiting
the areas where methadone clinics may locate. As local organizations plan
to head to Nashville later this year to fight against such a clinic
planning to locate on West Fairview Avenue, commissioners will consider
placing many of the same restrictions on these businesses that it has
placed on establishments selling alcohol.

The ordinance will separate businesses offering methadone from being
categorized with other clinics listed in medical services zoning.

"The proposed amendment would define and regulate the locations of
methadone treatment clinics in Johnson City," City Manager Mike West said
in a memo to commissioners.

If passed, these clinics will not be able to locate within 200 feet of
schools, day-care centers or parks, nor any business selling alcohol. It
would also limit their time of operation from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The City Commission is also expected to discuss the amount of involvement
it will have in the fight against the methadone clinic locating on West
Fairview.

"The commission must establish the city's participation (and) commitment
toward legal fees and expenses," West said.

(Contact James Watson at jwatson@johnsoncitypress.com).