Community concerned about possible rehab facility

Members of the Pocatello community came out to the Bannock County Planning and Development Council meeting to voice opposition against a possible new residential drug treatment and rehab facility called Moonlight Mountain Recovery.

So many people showed up that the meeting had to be moved twice. The public made it clear, they do not want a drug treatment and rehab facility in their neighborhood.

The facility would go into a residence in the Whispering Pines area, which is designated as a rural residential zone. It would house up to 20 patients (the owner said there would probably be about 8 to 10 patients at a time) with 2-4 full time staff. Patients in the facility would go there voluntarily, not be court ordered.

Community members are concerned about numerous things, but especially increased traffic, loss of property values, emergency response times, and most of all, possibility of criminals in the area. They are worried about their children if a mistake were to happen.

“Unfortunately those mistakes will lead to our doorsteps first,” said Tiffany Rosa, a community member against the rehab center. “The realization of that will limit the freedom of my children and our way of life that we now relish outside of our walls. We urge the council to consider what conflicts will occur by allowing this facility. Consider the loss of our property values, the loss of tranquility and the impact to public safety, including our family and Whispering Pines community.”

However, those wishing to open the facility say recovering addicts have rights under the Fair Housing Act. They say they won’t have cars to go anywhere on their own and will be monitored. They also say there are no facilities like this in the area. The closest one is near Boise.

“People shouldn’t be concerned, people should be supportive,” said Ted McBride, a lawyer representing the rehab facility. “We all know people that have drug and alcohol problems. The opioid crisis is crippling our country. We need this facilities and we need to be able to help people and treat people.”

The meeting ran for three hours. The council decided to table their decision until April. No date has been set.