County to meet next week to continue CUP discussion
By Eileen Persike
MMC Staff
ONEIDA COUNTY – A decision on allowing an adolescent treatment and wellness center to be built in the Town of Cassian north of Tomahawk has been delayed.
The Oneida County Planning and Development Committee will meet Wednesday, Jan. 17 to continue the discussion of a conditional use permit request by the Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council.
A public hearing held in Woodruff on Thursday, Dec. 28 included more than an hour of public comment from advocates for and against construction of the 36-bed Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center.
GLITC is a 501 c (3) non-profit corporation governed by 12 sovereign nations; 11 in Wisconsin and one in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After viewing many properties, it purchased acreage off Swamp Lake Road, near US 51 on which to build the center.
The idea of a youth wellness center started over two decades ago.
“Now we have an opportunity; an opportunity to save our youth,” CEO Bryan Bainbridge told the committee, saying he reached out to the Cassian Town Board to advise them of his plans. “It’s important to create partnerships, without an ask for financial support, but support just to do something – be part of the solution instead of the problem.”
Those in favor of the project included healthcare workers, addiction specialists, some people who experienced rehab firsthand and relatives of substance abusers. They spoke of the lack of facilities for youth in the area.
“There is more than enough evidence to show this is definitely needed, and I know that is not the case that is being disputed; however, I feel with the right people in place, we could get the rules and regulations in place so this could occur,” said Oneida County resident and certified peer specialist Linda Jacobson.
One county resident said the lack of mental health services for youth has put them at high risk for substance use at an early age.
“Our correction facilities – for both youth and adult – are housing substance users with little or any services,” said Lori Hunter. “This facility will give youth the tools they need to grow and flourish so they can return to their communities as strong and contributing members.”
The Cassian Town Board is opposed to the 36-bed facility due to infrastructure and economic concerns, noting in a letter to Planning and Zoning Director Karl Jennrich that the center would cause undue economic harm to Cassian and its residents. Before the public comment period, the Planning and Zoning Department and county Corporation Counsel said they found conditions of the CUP had been met.
The town’s attorney disagreed.
“The stated purpose for this zoning for this land is to provide an area for residential, limited commercial and agricultural development in a rural atmosphere,” attorney Frank Kowalkowski said. “That doesn’t sound like dozens of people being treated in a drug rehab mental rehab facility.”
Other concerns raised included a perceived reduction of property values, inadequate supply of groundwater and possible difficulty staffing the facility. One speaker said he is concerned that friends, relatives and gang members from Milwaukee, who might be connected to youth in the proposed facility, would bring drugs to the center. Another voiced her concerns about where GLITC would get the funding to build the multi-million dollar project and urged the committee to refer to the town and county ordinances and land use plans.
“Bryan told us at one of our meetings that this site would be funded by grant money,” she said. “Grant money doesn’t fall from the sky. It’s going to come out of your tax dollars, my tax dollars – I don’t care if you’re from Milwaukee, Green Bay or Harshaw. State and federal funds – we pay those in our taxes every day.”
U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) was in attendance and said the facility should be built on tribal lands and that he is “prepared to go to bat” for GLITC to get money to build the facility in an “appropriate” place.
A representative for U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) read a letter from Johnson stating his support for construction of the ARWC in Cassian.
After public comment, the committee decided it had more questions and needed more time before making a decision.
A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 17 to further discuss the CUP.