The following letter was sent to Rev. Micheal Thompson, Dist D Police Juror on behalf of residents of Lincoln Park Subdivision
Dear Mr. Thompson;
We, the citizens of the Lincoln Park Subdivision, have unofficially learned that the former nursing home (Southern Acres Care Center) building located at 4600 Reddix Lane, Ouachita Parish, will perform services as a drug rehabilitation center after renovations are completed. If the information we have learned about the operations at the building is true, we want you to know as our Police Juror that we strongly opposed the placement of a drug rehabilitation program operation in our community. Serving as our representative, we are requesting that you effect all necessary actions within your authority to halt placement of the drug rehabilitation treatment operations in the Lincoln Park community.
We are well aware of the services provided by a drug rehabilitation center and the type of patients treated therein. Consequently, we strongly feel that the location of a drug treatment program within a residential area such as ours is not the proper place where such services should be rendered. The LincoIn Park community is like other neighborhoods within Ouachita Parish. We desire a safe and friendly environment that is free from interruptions for our families to live.
It is important to inform you that the composition of the people who reside in this community includes retired senior citizens, young working adults, school children, and infants. The proposed drug rehabilitation operations will be amid residential buildings, next door to a church and an elementary school less than two blocks on the same street. We sincerely care about the well beings of all the people and entities currently located within our community. We acknowledge that there may a genuine need for such services offered by a drug rehabilitation center, but we do not believe that its planned location should be within our residential community.
One of the factors that have been very disappointing and hurtful for us to accept in the community is the fact that we were not informed beforehand that there were plans for the placement of a drug rehabilitation program within our residential community. As far as we know, there was no feasibility impact study performed to ascertain that such an operation would pose grave concerns for people within the community. As the Police Juror representing us, we were expecting that you would have involved us in the process via letters and/or town hall meeting.
Your actions to preclude the operations of a drug rehabilitation center at the site mentioned are highly appreciated. Thank you so much for your support.
Sincerely,
Jimmie L. Clay
Albert Sweet
