Angry residents band together against proposed methadone clinic

Hundreds of people booed and jeered at the idea of a methadone clinic opening in their Monument community at an open house Monday.

The clinic would set up shop in a former pediatric clinic in downtown Monument across from a park and near a school.

The clinic helps recovering drug addicts work through their addiction with the help of methadone.

Two representatives from the company hosted the open house to hear concerns from citizens.

Residents have many concerns, but there were a few points that were echoed throughout the three-hour meeting.

People worry about the crowd that will hang around the methadone clinic and their proximity to children at the park. Also, there are concerns clinic patients will usher in crime. Another point people brought up was a lack of public transportation in the town and concerns patients would hang out in the area around the clinic.

Luke Fallentine, a former heroin user, said he knew firsthand the problems the clinic’s crowd will usher in.

“I know these people well and they are the scum of the earth. I was at one point so I can say that. They will do anything to get their high,” said Fallentine.

The two representatives said clients would drive in, get their dosage of methadone and leave. The women also said the company would work with a private security company and Monument police to keep the area around the clinic safe. They said they would take people’s concerns back to the company’s executives but at this point, there were no plans to change the clinic’s location.

Audience members questioned the representatives about the company’s locations in Minnesota and Alabama. The two clinics have been plagued with violations and the company has now had to make leadership changes to try to correct misconduct.

People also called on the mayor and Monument’s other elected officials to explain why nothing had been done to stop the clinic.

Mayor Rafael Dominguez said the property is zoned for a medical facility because it used to be a pediatric clinic. Therefore, there is nothing Monument can do to prevent the methadone clinic from using the facility without risk of being sued.

Dominguez said he is not pleased about the clinic and town leaders did not know it was going in until recently.

The crowd boo-ed and yelled at his responses. Some people in the crowd shouted he should be recalled.

One person stood up and said he would rather the town be sued and stop the clinic from going in. His idea was met with a standing ovation from some.

The building’s landlord did not speak at the meeting. Several audience member who said they had background in law and real estate said the landlord is one of the few at this point who could prevent the clinic from going in.

There is a final meeting in which town administrators will review the plans for the methadone clinic. However, Monument’s lawyer said it would be extremely difficult to prevent the clinic from going in.