Rehab Plans Spark St. Andrew's Fire

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From NewsChannel 34 in Binghamton:

Last Update: 12:22 am

Fate of Former Vestal Church Remains Uncertain

A private Christian organization wants to buy the former Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Vestal near the high school--and, turn it into a rehab center for women.
Based on a meeting last night, the organization, Candlehouse, and people in the area-- who don't want it near them-- may be in for quite a battle.

NewsChannel 34's Peter Quinn has the story.

Candlehouse wants to turn this property into a rehab site for 12 women, who have emotional issues, some because of alcohol and drug abuse.
The lower level of Saint Andrew's community center would be dorms.
The actual church would be where education, counseling, and church activities would be.

Richard Mecklenborg says, "Our success rate is 90 percent. The majority of our students go onto higher education or are working in a Teen Challenge center some place."

Candlehouse still has to buy the property, but Mecklenborg says the rehab center can be here, in part because of a past state court ruling declaring you couldn't deny a center like this from being put in an area unless a suitable alternate location could be found because of discrimination concerns.

It dates back from when some mental institutions were broken up into smaller group settings.

Padavin's law could mean a zoning change would NOT be needed.
But, some neighbors dispute that and say the corner of LaGrange Street and Mirador Road is zoned for single family homes and churches, not for a rehab center.
They're also concerned about a possible increase of crime in the area.
24-year-old police officer Tim Mulvey worked in Delaware County for five years and says he had to constantly round up people from what he calls a similar facility.

Tim Mulvey says, "While I was there for five years we had at least several days a week where they would break into houses nearby to get food, money or to get transportation..."

Things heated up after he was interrupted by Mecklenborg.

Or take Eric Kelley's concerns.

He lives next to Saint Andrew's.

Eric Kelley says, "The folks come in with the state of mind, 'I'm here to get my life back, right?' My question to you is, what do you do in your facility to keep drugs from coming in and to keep weapons from coming in? And, I don't want to hear that hasn't happened so far."

The answer -- the women would be drug tested and searched after they come onto the property, although they rarely leave.
Full body cavity searches are not done however.
Women also would be from several hours away so they don't know where different vice hot spots are.

Candlehouse currently has its facility in Owego, where Mecklenborg says he has never had a problem with crime.

He wants to move for more room.

The town will have to sort out the zoning issue.

Town board member Fran Majewski says he wants the board to vote on putting the center at the proposed location.