Methadone Clinic battle wages on

Lantos' response was perhaps less than what they had hoped. He reiterated that the division of labor in order for a country to manage is essential - and indeed it was not his job to make decisions of what social service facilities should go where in the county. Simply put, he said his involvement in the project was limited to voting for money to go toward a "mechanism that gets people off using the hardest of hard drugs."

He did, however, agree to bring their concerns to the Board of Supervisors.

After hearing his response the residents, almost in unison, left the San Mateo City Hall Chambers. Some commented, as they left, that they had heard that he might not make a definite stand on the issue - but that it was worth it just to try.

Of the many issues that the opening of a Methadone Clinic in a residential neighborhood brings up the least of which is the additional traffic that 200 clients per day (50 percent of which would be coming to the facility between the hours of 6-7:30 a.m.) would cause - the most of which are public safety issues regarding the past criminal histories of clients.

Somewhere in the middle of this controversy is the manner in which the Board of Supervisors went about trying to place the facility there. Residents have complained they were not contacted about the proposed plan to open a Methadone Clinic within the San Mateo County General Hospital. They have also complained that the past criminal or medical records of the proposed client population is not available to them. And that the plans the Board of Supervisors outlined regarding monitoring this population is inadequate.

It was revealed recently that the Methadone Clinic plans to have monthly urine checks of its clients, in addition to surprise urine checks - the frequency of which was not disclosed. The time that heroin remains in the system is 24 to 38 hours. This discrepancy has left some residents skeptical of whether or not the clinic will be making adequate reports on their clients drug use while in treatment.

"It wasn't done in the correct manner," said on resident who spoke out on Saturday afternoon against the methods of the Board of Supervisors. "They are behaving as if they are hiding something. They did not inform us - not out right and in the open."

Jill Wright, an area resident and parent, was also at the Town Meeting on Saturday with her two children and husband. She said residents and parents are in the process of getting organized to address the issue of the Methadone Clinic. The fact that the plan to bring the Methadone Clinic to the neighborhood was so quiet has caught them off-guard. "We are just now getting groups of people together to sit down and brainstorm on what exactly we can do," Wright said.

Some of the chief issues of concern are: - Why the county feels it must move the facility from an industrial to a residential site?

- Why [neighbors] were not notified about the clinic prior to it being voted on?

- What happened with the original Methadone Clinic that led the owner/operator to lose his lease?

- Whether or not the facility meets the requirements to receive federal funding?

- Whether or not it is a conflict of interest for San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill, who is pushing for the move, to also be on the Board of County General.

At a recent Laurel Elementary School PTA meeting, Hill addressed the last of these concerns. He said it was required that at least two seats on the Hospital's Board be occupied by County officials.

Mayor Jan Epstein said the San Mateo City Council will hold a study session to discuss the concerns that have arisen regarding the Methadone Clinic on October 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers.

According to Epstein all interested parties are welcomed to attend.