The city council made that clear Friday night by passing a 90 day moratorium on the establishment or acceptance of building permits for drug treatment facilities including those that specifically administer methadone.
This 90-day moratorium will buy time for the council and planning commission to come up with zoning ordinances to restrict a drug treatment facility as much as possible from coming into the city.
With standing room only, several local residents came to express their concerns and questions to the council and Mayor Bill Fultz.
Mayor Fultz said to his knowledge, no one has actually come forward and attempted to apply to open such a facility but he, along with others in the community, have been hearing a lot of rumors. He said up until Friday's action, there was nothing to keep a methadone clinic from opening anywhere in Harrogate.
Some audience members asked if it was true was that the two ladies who tried to open up Rehabilitation Drug Services in Middlesboro - Pam Wenger and Barbara Smith- had recently asked the council if they "owned property inside the city, could they build any type of business they wanted to."
Fultz confirmed that they do own property next to the Oasis and had talked to the council. He said the council members asked them questions about what business they had in mind. He said at that point, he realized that they must do something to restrict the zoning as soon as they can because just like in Kentucky, a city can't really stop a business from coming in.
"Everyone has been dealing with this issue and has been up in arms,' said Fultz. "You can't really pass an ordinance that would completely ban it but we can pass an ordinance to make it hard. It's best for the city of Harrogate that we act now and even if they did meet the criteria for opening up a business, they would be subject to mass objection from the community."
By passing this 90-day moratorium, this will allow the council and the planning commission to come up with a zoning ordinance. Within this 90-day time period, no one can be approved for a drug treatment facility or any type of business.
Fultz said he and the council has copies of Bell County's and Morristown's zoning ordinances on this issue. He said they will study them closely within the next 3 months and see how they can make it to suit Harrogate.
"We want to make it as strong and strict as we can but within the legal limits," said Fultz.
Dr. Ron Dubin, who spear-headed MAD (Middlesboro Against Drugs), is continuing the charge to keep meth clinics out of the tri-state area. He, along with several other concerned citizens were in attendance at the meeting.
Dr. Dubin said he is considering organizing HAD (Harrogate Against Drugs) if the same individuals attempt to open a methadone facility in Harrogate.
"It's more than just meth clinics that can pop up over night," said Dubin. "I think it's owed to the community that any type of business that opens up should be made public knowledge. Maybe find a way for businesses, as far as Harrogate goes, to register for a business license."
Dubin gave some facts on methadone to the council, including the fact that the methadone treatment was started to get people off heroine.
"You're high all the time, and that's like saying you can be high and you can drive and it's legal, folks - I don't buy that one bit," said Dubin.
Fultz said the council will meet on this issue for the next three months and the public was welcomed to attend with their ideas and thoughts.
"We have been here in this part of the country and though we were sheltered," said Fultz. "It's scary how things are changing."
The next council meeting is scheduled for the third Monday of the month, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Harrogate City Hall
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