Pubdate: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 Source: Johnson City Press (TN) Copyright: 2002 Johnson City Press and Associated Press Contact: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983 Author: James Watson METHADONE CLINIC CRITICS HIRE LAWYER The battle against a methadone clinic planning to open in Johnson City intensified this week as groups working against the facility retained a Nashville attorney to plead the case before state officials. "The goal here is to have the certificate of need revoked so that there would be no methadone clinic in Johnson City," City Commissioner Steve Darden said from his office Tuesday. By a unanimous vote, the commission adopted a resolution Thursday declaring its intent to work against allowing the Johnson City Addiction Research and Treatment Center LLC to locate at 200 W. Fairview Ave. The clinic would treat those addicted to heroin and other opiates by using the alternative substance methadone. In June, the center was granted a certificate of need by the state Health Facilities Commission to locate in Johnson City. Clinic official Rusty Titsworth has said the facility could be open by the first of the year. The decision has been appealed by numerous Johnson City organizations and will be heard before state Administrative Law Judge James A. Hornsby on Dec. 9, 10 and 11. Darden and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Frontier Health, the Johnson City Development Authority and Asbury Center met Monday evening and hired Nashville attorney Gayle Malone. Malone headed back to Nashville Tuesday to appear before Hornsby and discuss scheduling for the December hearings. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gary Mabrey said he feels confident the group against the clinic will represent the interests of Johnson City well. "The community should feel the handful of us . . . (is) going to do everything we can to address this clinic's locating here," Mabrey said Tuesday. "There's a good team in place to deal with this." While a strategic plan of action has yet to be developed by the group - and will probably not be revealed until the hearing when it does evolve - Mabrey said the group will continue to work together and consult with Malone about what direction their efforts should take. While he would not speculate on his group's chance for success, Mabrey did say it is important for them to do something. "I think we have a better chance than if we did nothing," Mabrey said. "And nothing is not an option." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens