Search for former Methadone Clinic operator proves futile

The Redwood City location was industrial, the new proposed site is residential and within a block of Laurel Elementary School.

What is known about Alderman is that he lost his lease and had a difficult time finding another location for the clinic, before going to the Supervisors and requesting some assistance.

This exchange from for profit to non-profit, from independently run to County government financed, and in particular the inaccessibility of Alderman has raised eyebrows among community members.

The neighbors are a diverse group that have not been organized in past, and have now had to come together in a unified effort to protest the opening of a Methadone Clinic in their neighborhood.

Vern Klemisch, who lives a block away from the proposed site for the Methadone Clinic, remembers that 29 years ago there was a Methadone Clinic at the County General site.

"In those days we didn't even know what Methadone was - that is until the police told us," Klemisch said. He added that would have never known it was there if there had not been a problem - a crime was committed in the neighborhood and after the suspect was located he was traced back to the facility.

The clinic was relocated to Redwood City shortly after.

Methadone Clinics, on average, cause few problems to the neighborhoods that house them. Methadone, which is also used in some very limited cases as a treatment of chronic pain, is the preferred treatment to ease heroin users off heroin. Critics of the treatment method, particularly those who are involved in Narcotics Anonymous groups, say that Methadone is a drug and that as long as someone is using Methadone they are not drug free. Additional criticisms have been waged against Methadone, by small fraction within the treatment community, that say that the long-term treatment of Heroin addicts normally referred to as maintenance just creates Methadone addicts out of 'junkies.' Methadone is in fact by definition a synthetic narcotic - first synthesized by the Germans in W.W.II.

On the whole Methadone has some impressive success rates as a drug treatment plan - success is measured by whether or not within a year of treatment, a client is still clean - at 60 percent.

The question on the minds of the neighbors, however, is not whether or not it is needed or effective, it is why here, in a community of the elderly and the young?

The answer undoubtedly is because the San Mateo County General Hospital is already in the neighborhood and to place a county run - and fully funded facility - on campus will save money. It is also not such a bad proposition for the financially troubled County General either.

According to Klemisch, the County simply wants everything all under one roof. Other members of the community echoed this same concern.

Another community member, Jill Wright, said the entire handling of the situation has led her to doubt the intentions of the Board of County Supervisors. "Part of me wants to believe [San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill] is for the people. And part of me is uncertain if he really is," Wright said.

Others have stated that the missing piece to this puzzle is Alderman.

They believe he, and more information about him, can provide they answers they are seeking. They have launched an internet search to locate Alderman, which has yielded no results this far. They have also made request about him from the Supervisors - which has also proved futile.

Community members will meet again at Beresford Recreational Facility tonight.