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Meeting packed with neighbors in opposition, public safety cited

By Rosa Ruiz rosa@newstribune.com

Published: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 4:56 AM CST

City Council members approved 7-3 a planned unit development for a 16-bed mental facility owned by Pathways Community Behavioral Health Services at 3016 Dupont Circle off Truman Boulevard.

The council chambers were packed with residents who spoke against the proposal at the public hearing. But none of the residents who live within a 185-foot radius of the building spoke at the hearing.

The general consensus among residents who opposed the proposal was public safety, primarily of children and elderly persons.

Celeste Ambrosius of Mercedes Lane spoke in opposition to the development.

She told the council her biggest concern was the safety of her and her neighbor's children, who she says sometimes enjoy bonfires in the backyard.

“I do not want to be afraid should one person be non-compliant, elopes and leaves the facility,” she said.

Ambrosius' home is off Schumate Chapel Road which is directly off Truman Boulevard, making the facility diagonal from her property.

She said she believes the facility is needed in Jefferson City, but does not believe Dupont Circle is the appropriate location.

Wayne Lee, disability advocate for 26 years, urged members of the council to pay attention to the needs of the community. “I wager more than one person in this room has seen a counselor in his or her lifetime,” Lee said.

Bob Whittet, vice president of Pathways Community Behavioral Health, reassured neighbors and council members the facility would help those with mental health issues and not house “child molesters” or anything of the matter.

Whittet said there were four other properties looked at as potential sites for the facility. He said the first proposed site was ditched after realizing it was too close to a residential area.

Currently, the Dupont Circle property is in a commercial zoning district. The PUD request was previously approved by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission.

The treatment center will not be a locked facility; there will be four staff persons on every shift. The intensive programs would range from 30-90 days and would serve those persons struggling to get back on their feet.

Once they return to the community, persons can continue outpatient services at the 1905 Stadium Blvd. facility.

Southside TIF district

To view the entire article, please go to our e-edition. http://www.newstribune.com/e-edition


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Thanks.

bndyvcky wrote on Dec 31, 1969 6:00 PM:

" Thanks to the City Council for even thinking about a facility for those who really, really need it. This community has no facility such as this to deal with the issues these people face. The people in our comms in my back yard. To be honest, no. But I hear the former Shackles property has an opening. Just kidding. "

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online_editor wrote on Nov 18, 2009 12:05 PM:

" Ignore the comment dated 1969. We'll look into the cause for this glitch. (It's not a warp in the spacetime continuim.) My theory is the database hiccups severely for some reason, perhaps two or more people submitting comments at the exact same time, but that's just speculation. I'd remove it, but the post is in limbo land and will take some special voodoo to get rid of. Sorry for the inconvenience. --Rick Brown, online editor, News Tribune "

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bndyvcky wrote on Nov 18, 2009 9:02 AM:

" The comments I submitted before are not my comments. I don't know what happened to the editing of my comments. "

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LivinInMo wrote on Nov 17, 2009 4:08 PM:

" Thank goodness Jefferson City will finally have a treatment facility, small as this one will be. I'd rather have mental health patients in my backyard than people who need help and can't get it! "

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boscoe wrote on Nov 17, 2009 2:22 PM:

" Rocky, just spray the gray lid with blue spray paint and then you have two standard trash bins. Works for me. "

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Mac1974 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 12:32 PM:

" What in the wide world of sports is a "goth murder" boscoe? "

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Rockyv wrote on Nov 17, 2009 11:50 AM:

" Will this facility be receiving a gray topped recycle bin and a blue topped trash bin, or as I like to say two garbage bins? "

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boscoe wrote on Nov 17, 2009 11:11 AM:

" Our neighborhoods are full of drug dealers, child molesters, Goth murderers, driving alcoholics, etc. and that is fine and dandy, but yet no one wants to live near someone getting medical treatment? "

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boscoe wrote on Nov 17, 2009 11:09 AM:

" This town is so closed-minded and antiquated thinking regarding persons with disabilities and mental health issues.

Thank God the world isn't made up of all Jefferson City / Cole County people. We'd still be hanging witches and banning certain races from being on the streets. "

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gofish wrote on Nov 17, 2009 10:57 AM:

" bndyvcky wrote on Dec 31, 1969 6:00 PM:

Wow, a 40 year old comment that is half bndyvcky and half mine! Cool! "

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gofish wrote on Nov 17, 2009 10:56 AM:

" How much of a buffer zone exists between the proposed facility and the residential area? I will be the first to advocate for MH services in this community, which is so severely lacking. However, would I want this in my back yard. To be honest, no. But I hear the former Shackles property has an opening. Just kidding. "

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MoBlogger wrote on Nov 17, 2009 10:22 AM:

" I'm glad to see Jeff City get this much needed facility. "

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david_heisel wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:14 AM:

" TheRickster, then maybe we can put it right next to your residence? You can't blame people with children for having some concerns. Your first point is well-taken, but your point about removing the "stigma" of mental health is jaded and ignorant. No one is being refused treatment because of what others think, rather people are asking to keep their neighborhood's safe and freely expressing their concern. The stigma exists because people with mental health issues are highly unpredictable. They are human beings with needs too, but caution should be exercised. How many unstable people are being held in institutions in lieu of prison? Most stigmas are rooted in fact. Think things through before you post. "

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TheRickster wrote on Nov 17, 2009 7:51 AM:

" Not in my back yard can't always work.It has to be somewhere. First find out who will be there before going off on a plight against it. The people will be receiving help and being monitored. Most are being helped from hurting themselves not other folks. You have scarier people walking the streets for starters. There are mentaly challenged people right here walking the streets, they just aren't wearing a sign.
I have seen some of Pathways work, they are a great help to many.The stigma of mental health needs to be done away with. Many will never get the help they need because of what others will think. Ends in tradgedy and everyone wants to know,how they could have helped? "

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