Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jun 2005
Source: Kentucky Post (KY)
Copyright: 2005 Kentucky Post
Contact:  http://www.kypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/661

WORKING AS A REGION

What makes NIMBY ("Not In My Back Yard") disputes so hard to mediate is 
that typically there are sincere, well-meaning people on both sides.

That was certainly the case when Transitions Inc. recently proposed putting 
a long-term residential drug treatment facility for about 100 men in the 
Latonia neighborhood of Covington. Transitions included the county-owned 
property on its application to state officials who are trying to figure out 
where to place 10 such facilities as part of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's Recovery 
Kentucky initiative.

The facility is certainly needed in Northern Kentucky.

Not a week goes by, it seems, where there's not another drug arrest or 
obituary for a drug addict who overdosed. And testimony at recent public 
hearings gave painful glimpses at the agony suffered by families across the 
region touched by drug addiction.

Transitions, a non-profit doing the Lord's work in Bellevue, has only 40 
such beds and has a four-month waiting list for those beds. Executive 
Director Mac McArthur is frustrated at having to turn away people who need 
a hand to save themselves.

But you can't blame Latonia residents for feeling anxious. Drug addicts who 
are sincere about turning their lives around deserve compassion and help, 
but addicts are also unpredictable and sometimes criminally minded. That's 
the nature of being an addict. A home for 100 men at the lowest point of 
their lives is a home for 100 potentially unstable people. That's hard to 
dispute. Parents are protective of their children, children protective of 
their elderly parents, and everyone is worried about the neighborhood.

In the face of opposition from City Hall and residents, Transitions is 
looking for another site, although it hasn't completely given up on the 
location near Rosedale Manor Nursing Home in Latonia. Time is short. The 
state is about ready to pick locations, and it will favor those that have 
the support of the surrounding community.

Covington says it was surprised by the proposed site and Kenton County's 
endorsement as the government "sponsor" of Transitions' proposal. There 
should have been no surprise. This region should have gotten together, like 
we urged it to do back in January, to find a site amenable to all.

Our governments need to learn to talk to each other, and the region needs 
to learn to solve - as a group - controversial problems. We hope Northern 
Kentucky doesn't lose its chance at the money to build this drug treatment 
facility because officials were unwilling to do so.

Transitions isn't the bad guy here, nor are the Latonia residents. The bad 
guy is drug addiction, and this region needs to figure out a way to solve 
it, together.
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MAP posted-by: Beth