Pubdate: Thu,  28 Apr 2005
Source: Herald News, The (Fall River, MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Herald News
Contact:  http://www.heraldnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3604
Author: Will Richmond
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

NEEDLE FUROR FORCES SECOND SESSION

WESTPORT -- Amid a wave of controversy, the needle exchange program 
approved by the Board of Selectmen appears headed toward its death as the 
group will revisit the issue during a meeting this afternoon. Board of 
Selectmen Chairwoman Elizabeth Collins said she will raise the issue during 
a meeting scheduled for today at 4 p.m., likely leading to a rescinding of 
the vote.

Also clouding the issue, which could make the board's vote unnecessary, is 
the matter of the lease for the property at 909 State Road. Collins said 
she believes the owner of the property will not lease the building for the 
program's use.

"This has been a firestorm," Collins said. "I've returned some 48 calls and 
I' ve listened carefully to what people have to say. There is some fear, 
and in retrospect it would have been better to publicize this better. But 
we did not try to slip this in."

Selectman Steve Ouellette said he also has doubts about the lease agreement 
and agreed that there are more questions that need to be answered about the 
program.

"There have been questions about a selectman with a conflict of interest 
and that the neighbors didn't have time to deal with this, so there are 
definitely questions," Ouellette said. "It all may have happened a little 
too fast."

Collins said she welcomes residents to come to the meeting and participate.

Operation of the program was to come from the Stanley Street Treatment and 
Resources center, located in Fall River, with assistance from the 
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The program would have been 
Bristol County's first and the fifth in the state, joining programs in 
Boston, Cambridge, Northampton and Provincetown.

SSTAR executive director Nancy Paull said the group looked to Westport for 
the program after efforts to establish such a program in Fall River failed 
after talks with Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr. proved unfruitful. Paull said 
New Bedford officials also do not favor such a program.

"But we still feel a needle exchange is still needed," Paull said. "Rates 
are increasing and this is a public health emergency with so many people 
using OxyContin and switching to heroin. ... We need a needle exchange in 
southeastern Massachusetts."

Since the selectmen unanimously approved the program on Monday, residents 
have started a petition in opposition and staged a protest across from the 
site Tuesday afternoon.

While Collins said she will ask selectmen to revisit the decision, she said 
she remains in favor of the needle exchange concept.

"I would certainly consider rescinding the vote for the site, but not for 
the idea of a needle exchange program," said Collins, a retired health 
professional.

"If this is to come back to Westport, I believe we have to do a better job 
of inviting the public (to the meetings)," she said. "It's incumbent upon 
the board to educate the public before we think about this again."

Collins assured, though, that the discussion and vote on the matter was not 
done to pull a fast-one over on residents.

"I know there is a lot of talk that this was done in secrecy or was 
underhanded, but I don't believe that," Collins said. "In retrospect, it 
would have been wise to contact the people that live in the neighborhood."

That action could have lessened the angst that developed against the needle 
exchange proposal, Collins said.

"I expected something, but not to this magnitude," Collins said. "I 
expected some people would be upset. When you read about open exchanges in 
Fall River or New Bedford, you always hear people are upset."

Collins said she would understand if members of the community had lost 
confidence in the board, but she remains confident that a needle exchange 
program can be a benefit.

"I think that with the time and effort I've put into researching needle 
exchange programs, it is the right thing to do," Collins said. "I believe 
saving lives is the right thing to do, but as an elected official I also 
need to do the right thing for the constituents."

Paull agreed, saying cutting the program would signal continued dangerous 
times for drug abusers.

"This means people are going to get sick, go untreated and die," Paull 
said. "We could have prevented that."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom