Proposal for drug rehabilitation center denied in New Kent

A proposal to bring up a drug rehabilitation center to New Kent has been denied by county leaders.

New Kent supervisors voted 4-1 to prevent the construction of a faith recovery center at the former location of Mackemie Woods during Monday night’s meeting.

News of the proposal came out early, with many locals objecting to the location, 3700 Ropers Church Road, and need of the facility within county boundaries. Many feared that the center would bring more drugs into the county and expose more of the population. At New Kent’s Planning Commission meeting, commissioners voted 8-1 with a non-favorable recommendation.

Reverend Travis Hall, who filed the application for the camp, had one more opportunity to pitch the facility to supervisors.

“We are in the business of helping people,” Hall told count leaders. “If you pay attention to the news, there are many moms losing sons to drug overdoses, too many kids losing their dads to drug overdoses.

“It is really easy to look at someone’s behavior and place a label without understanding why that person is making choices they are,” he added. “The stigma to addiction is real. We believe redemption is real.”

Hall’s Faith Recovery program is geared specifically to men. In 1979, he established one in the Hampton Roads area. The program consists of an eight-week phase of foundations, a six-month phase of applications, and a four-month phase of transition. In total, anybody who enrolls in the program will spend at least one year in the facility.

A public comment period that lasted more than 90 minutes opened the doors for people to speak about the issue. Those in favor of the facility said it has been beneficial.

“I have been involved in faith recovery for 10 years,” said Kenneth Hodge. “The group has work crews that come out to do labor at my personal home and they have been on three separate occasions.”

“I have a relationship with Christ because of the program,” said Terrance Crawford, who entered the program back in 1994. “We need mercy, we need your grace. We are not here to help, but we are here to recover.”

However, opposition to the facility focused on a lack of accountability and impact it may have on New Kent.

“I am concerned about small businesses losing money,” said Tammy McCormick, who lives near the proposed location. “I just feel it will be a negative to us.”

More concerns were raised when an on-screen graphic depicted police calls from March 2020 to March 2022 near the facility or involving the facility. When supervisors inquired about the calls, counselors and facility representatives did not provide a clearcut answer.

After hearing all of the comments, District 2 representative Tommy Tiller made a motion to deny the resolution and facility proposal. The denial passed 4-1, with Lockwood casting the lone dissenting vote.