TOWN BOARD CLEARS WAY FOR ADDICTION CENTER RELOCATION

The Kirkland Town Board cleared the way for the relocation of an alcohol
and drug counseling center from New Hartford to Kirkland.

The board voted 5-0 on March 27 to amend a local law it passed in 1998 to
rezone the former Red Lion Restaurant on Limberlost Road from Rural
Residential (R-R) to Planned Development P-D).

Town Atty. Richard G. Compson said it was a "technical error" to not
include the Red Lion property in the P-D zone when it changed the zoning
for an adjacent housing development to allow for expansion of that parcel.

"It was the intent of the Town Board to include the Red Lion in the
change," Compson said after reviewing the 1998 documents.

Ole A. Petterson, director of the Center for Addiction Recovery on Middle
Settlement Road plans to lease the former restaurant for his out-patient
counseling center.

In an appearance before the Kirkland Town Planning Board on March 25,
Petterson said he needed more space to serve a growing number of clients
who have been referred to the center because of DWI convictions or other
substance problems.

The center, in operation since 1989, will have a staff of 15, including a
registered nurse and two doctors, to counsel 50 to 60 clients.