TALLEVAST RESIDENTS AIM TO BLOCK CENTER

MANATEE COUNTY -- Tallevast residents are taking a civics lesson in how to
use the system to their advantage, and the loser might be the Salvation
Army. The residents say if a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center is such
a good idea, put it in somebody else's neighborhood, not theirs.

"We are going to try and see if we can block this," Tallevast resident
Peggy Ward said. "If we sit back and don't say anything, they won't think
that we care."

The residents have been meeting and learning how to persuade the Manatee
County Commission to keep the center from locating in Tallevast, a south
county community of fewer than a thousand residents.

The Salvation Army wants to build a 120-bed residential rehabilitation
center at the corner of Tallevast Road and U.S. 301. The center would help
men get off drugs and alcohol and clean up their lives. Similar facilities
are in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tallevast residents have not seen the Salvation Army's plan and nothing has
been officially presented to Manatee County for consideration. The
Salvation Army's Maj. Jim Lane said he plans to be in Tallevast June 27 to
present the plans to residents and listen to objections.

"This is a residential program," Lane said. "This is not one where people
line up at the end of the street for food and clothing."

Lane said the 90-day program keeps the men busy attending therapy, studying
the Bible and learning how to function in society after sobriety.
Privileges are based on how they are doing in the program.

Tallevast residents aren't so concerned about what might occur inside the
rehabilitation center as what could happen outside. They fear that men who
decide to leave the program will hang around their residential neighborhood.

"This is not something that's going to be safe for our children," said
Tallevast resident Brenda Pinkney. "There may be some child molesters. You
don't know what you're getting down there."

Lane answers that men who leave the program won't hang around because most
would rather get on the highway and head for Sarasota or Bradenton. Lane
said if there was any problem, residents could call the police.

County Commissioner Jonathan Bruce said he knew little about the project
and would have to stay out of discussions since the matter could come
before the County Commission as a land-use decision in the future.

Bruce advised Tallevast residents to write the commissioners about their
concerns and speak at commission meetings. Commissioners are on summer
recess and won't meet again until late July.

The Salvation Army is a Christian-based church and considers helping people
with drug and alcohol problems an outreach ministry.

Lane guessed that the center might actually provide a benefit to the
community by providing a local place where Tallevast residents can overcome
drug and alcohol problems.

"Every place we've been, it's added to the community, not taken away," Lane
said. "If I were to take a poll of the people out there, I'm sure I would
find somebody who says, 'Oh yeah, this guy needs help.'"