Keep Colville Safe is not against mental health programs for local citizens.
What we are against is the hasty updating of ordinances by the city council that do not adequately protect citizens and local businesses.
The State of WA has recently re-defined "essential public services" to include "opioid treatment programs including both mobile and fixed site medication units, recovery residences, harm reduction programs excluding safe injection sites, and inpatient facilities including substance use disorder treatment facilities, mental health facilities, group homes, community facilities as defined in RCW 72.05.020, and secure community transition facilities as defined in RCW 71.09.020."
The facilities listed above can now apply to be in the city core, therefore, the city must act to put in place regulations to protect itself.
It is incredibly important that the ordinances are carefully crafted and thoroughly researched. The city council can and should adopt a six-month moratorium to allow the public- especially the residents of Colville and local business owners-to research and weigh in with the council since it will directly affect them.
Each type of treatment facility should be carefully researched by citizens. “Harm Reduction” programs, also called “compassionate care”, are a social justice program that focuses on minimizing the negative consequences associated with drug use, rather than solely focusing on abstinence. Addicts are often prescribed “safer” over the counter opiates, making that person a "legal" addict. There is nothing compassionate about enabling someone to stay addicted to opiates- legal or not. And the pharmaceutical companies love these programs.
Please contact the city council and ask them to pass a six-month moratorium on behavioral health facility applications while these issues are researched. It only makes sense and as city leaders, it only makes sense to slow things down to make sure that you have all the information. The future of Colville is at stake.
Please join the Facebook group Keepcolvillesafe and visit www.saveourstatewa.com to download the open letter to the planning commission and the call to action with talking points. Also please consider attending a Keep Colville Safe rally at 5pm, November 4th at City Hall. We will have several speakers that have direct knowledge of some of these facilities. The city planning commission meeting will follow at 6pm. We hope you will speak at the meeting as well. Thank you!
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