Recovery Centers of America, a for-profit corporation providing drug and alcohol rehabilitation owned by J. Brian O’Neill, has been working to acquire the Bancroft property to be used for one of its treatment facilities.
In response, a number of concerned Haddonfield residents have formed a non-profit corporation called the Haddonfield Citizens Group to oppose the proposed facility, due to it being so close to two of the borough’s public schools. The group was created not only in opposition, but to also keep the public informed as well as to show support of the borough acquiring the property.
“We wanted to create an informed and educated citizen group. If you don’t know what is going on, there is nothing that you can do. There is so much going on, and people aren’t aware of the circumstances. We want to support our commissioners as they get a hold of the property and have it benefit the community,” said Lindsay Vest, one of the leaders of Haddonfield Citizens Group.
The group was formed in the summer in response to a public meeting at which O’Neil spoke about RCA’s plans to acquire the Brancroft site and make it into a drug rehabilitation facility. The meeting garnered a lot of concerned citizens voicing their opinion about having a drug rehab center so close to two of the district’s schools, Haddonfield Memorial High School and Tatem Elementary School.
After the meeting, some of those citizens came together to form the group to make sure their voices are heard and educate the public about the situation. The group does not want a drug rehabilitation facility so close to the schools and wants to show support for commissioners to acquire the Bancroft property for the borough.
“We want them to realize the citizens support getting this property, and having a drug treatment facility next to schools is not OK,” Vest said.
Vest wanted to be sure that people know the group is not against drug rehabilitation. However, it doesn’t believe it is appropriate to have a site so close to schools.
“As a group, we are not against drug rehabilitation. We understand it is an epidemic. However, what we feel is an opportune place is not next to a high school and so close to an elementary school,” Vest said.
When asked about RCA’s thoughts on the newly formed group, Chief Clinical Officer Deni Carise said everyone is entitled to voice their own opinion, and she supports any time that people come together for a cause. However, she wishes it was against the drug epidemic.
According to Carise, heroin-related deaths have tripled nationally, and heroin-related deaths in New Jersey are three times the national average.
“I hope people really do know that people in Haddonfield are affected by this and there is a real need for treatment, and this is an ideal site for it … I hope they look at us as part of the solution, not part of the problem,” Carise said.
If RCA were to acquire the Bancroft property, Carise said it would absolutely work with the community, letting them know they are safe and show them what it plans to do. To support this, Carise mentioned the meeting in Haddonfield from the spring as well as having open communication with residents in Massachusetts, where it has a facility already.
“We talked about what we will do, assured them that patients, neighbors and staff were safe,” Carise said. “I think we see all of the bad things that people do when addicted or abusing drugs, but for those of us who go on and live productively, no one really talks about that.”
RCA and the Haddonfield Citizen Group have not been in direct contact with each other.
The group came to the special Planning Board meeting held on Oct. 29 in regard to the Bancroft property being named a redevelopment area. Borough commissioners asked for a reinvestigation of the property to determine if it is a redevelopment area, as a reassertion of the 2005 ruling, and to create redevelopment plans for the site.
The group went to the meeting to show its support for the commissioners, as well as to educate the public beforehand about the group. Also, during the public comment portion, attorney Jeffrey Baron of the Voorhees firm Baron and Brennan, on retainer for the Haddonfield Citizens Group, testified in favor of the Bancroft property being named a redevelopment area.
A decision was postponed due to the attorney representing RCA asking for more time. The next special Planning Board meeting for the determination of the Bancroft property as a redevelopment area is scheduled for Dec. 9 at 7:30 in Borough Hall. Vest encourages everyone to attend the meetings to show support and be informed.
“In our organization, many of us have friends or know someone who is struggling with drug use. We aren’t against the treatment at all. We just know (a drug rehab facility) doesn’t belong next to our schools … We are hoping Mr. O’Neil listens to us, sees our point of view and agrees with us,” Vest said.
For more information about the Haddonfield Citizens Group, or to donate and become a member, visit www.haddonfieldcitizensgroup.org or find the group on Facebook.
