DAPHNE, Ala.- The council chambers at City Hall Monday were filled with a group of concerned residents who addressed the council about the impact of a drug therapy clinic situated in a residential neighborhood.

Townsend Recovery Center-which leases the first floor of Mercy Medical's administration building off Old County Road-conducts an opiate treatment program with  Suboxone, an under-the-tongue tablet approved for the treatment of opiate dependence, according to the Federal Drug Administration's Web site. It treats addiction by preventing symptoms of withdrawl from heroin and other opiates.

The facility does not distribute the suboxone drug to its patients, according to a spokesperson, who said its treatment program involves meeting with physicians and may include receiving a prescription for Suboxone to be filled at a local pharmacy.

“We moved in about two years ago in the area under the assumption that it would be safe,” Holly Colclough said, adding that she runs for recreation, and once was followed by “two young guys … yelling things at me.”

The Bulletin cannot confirm that the two men who reportedly harassed Colclough had ties to Townsend.

“There are many people in our area that run and walk,” she said. “We have young children that walk to and from school.”

Four schools-Bayside Academy, Christ the King Catholic, Daphne Elementary and W.J. Carroll Intermediate-surround the recovery center within a two-square-mile area.

The group of residents have three main concerns: personal safety, reports of perceived petty vandalism and increased traffic and erratic driving.

A recent query by the Daphne Police Department showed no increase in criminal mischief within a one-square-mile radius of the facility.

A Daphne Municipal Court staffer would not confirm an increase in erratic driving based on issued traffic tickets.

Still, residents are ready to see the treatment center go, and are willing to take legal action if necessary.

“We're ready to hire a lawyer,” Hill said.

“If I have to, I'll dip into my seed money to pay for an attorney,” Lon Johnston, former city councilman, said.

Michael Handley, chief executive officer for Townsend Recovery, has said that Townsend's policy is to maintain a positive relationship with the community it serves.

“Wherever we are, we strive to be a good neighbor,” he said.

“We're used to working with people and being very active in the community,” he added. “We're very active in building awareness in the community.”

A public hearing has been set for the city council's Jan. 20 business meeting, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall to hear presentations from both sides of the Townsend Recovery issue.

Meantime, Councilman Ron Scott suggested that city attorney Jay Ross research the business license revoking process, as the council has little experience in this area; Ross agreed.