BELFAST, Maine — Belfast City Hall was an unusual site Tuesday night for a skirmish in the country’s War on Drugs, as city councilors hotly debated whether to declare city parks drug-free zones.
“I’m not in support of this,” Councilor Mike Hurley said during the regular City Council meeting. “I have two nephews in federal penitentiary now [for drug-related convictions]. The War on Drugs is a complete failure. It’s turned into a giant machine tearing up people and families. This is an idea that has run amuck — that we’re going to solve our drug problem by putting people in jail.”
Councilors were discussing the “Drug-Free Safe Zone” designation, which came from legislation passed in 2005 that would increase penalties associated with dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of such a zone.
Chief Mike McFadden requested that eight parks in the city be approved as “Safe Zones,” including the Belfast Skate Park, Belfast City Park and Belfast Common. In the end, the council tabled the matter until Deputy District Attorney Eric Walker could explain some of the details of the designation.
But before that, the councilors did not mince words about their thoughts on drug safe zone designations.
Councilor Marina Delune said that while she would like to see the city’s parks become drug-free areas, she didn’t support the 1,000-foot extension of those zones.
“I don’t have a problem with people using marijuana for personal use, but other drugs like cocaine and meth are more serious,” she said. “I don’t go to Belfast City Park at night because I am afraid. I do believe it’s a place where drugs are being dealt.”
Another councilor, Roger Lee, used succinct language to describe what he thinks about the 1,000-foot safety zone.
“I think 1,000 feet is nuts,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the way to solve the drug problem by any measure.”
But Councilor Nancy Hamilton said she agreed with the designation.
“I support it. I lived across from City Park. I would see cars go down, spend a short amount of time and come back,” she said. “It is to create a safe zone.”
In other business, councilors appointed Joseph Davis as the city’s next animal control officer. Longtime official Steve Boguen stepped down from the job in July, and the Belfast Police Department has been acting as the de facto animal control officer since that time.
Davis is a Belfast resident who has worked part time for the Belfast Fire Department for the past seven years, according to McFadden.
“This guy is one of our minutemen. We call him, he’s there,” McFadden said. “I think Joe will do a great job for us.”
Councilors also heard an update about the city’s RSU 20 withdrawal committee. Councilor Eric Sanders is on that committee and said it has joined with several other towns to explore leaving the school district.
He said they have identified more than $1 million in potential savings if Belfast leaves RSU 20, although not everyone they’ve talked to is in favor of the move.
“There’s skepticism, there’s denial, there’s anger,” he said. “But the committee is focused, and moving forward in a good way.”
Every town has schools and parks sprinkled throughout the town so the whole town actually becomes a safe zone. It’s a farce and just an excuse to put people in jail longer. We have already lost the war so we might as well tax and regulate it.
Does anybody really believe a “drug free zone” prevents addicts from doing drugs while in the zone?
I believe in the tooth fairy still!
= 86’d =
My thought in regards to Councilor Hurley’s comment
concerning his two nephews is that he needs to remove his personal life from
his work. Perhaps he should reflex on
the fact that if those type of restrictions were set and in place it may have
helped deter his nephews from involving themselves in the kind of activity that
got them into a federal penitentiary.
I can’t believe Councilor Delune’s comment “I don’t have a
problem with people using marijuana for personal use, but other drugs like
cocaine and meth are more serious.” Does
she not understand that though her personal belief is as such that it is still
an illegal act and isn’t acceptable? She is in a position to set an example
with her actions for our youth. What is
she stating by her comment is that it is acceptable to break the law for it isn’t
that bad? Plus, if she is afraid to
enter the park at night and she believes it is a place where drugs are being
dealt – where is her desire to reclaim it for what it should be; a safe haven
for our children and families to enjoy?
Delune’s comments were inappropriate and unacceptable for any city official. The Federal government still says that “pot” is illegal. “Pot” is a drug, its use can cause the same impacts on Society and family as meth, cocaine, and crack. Drug addiction is drug addiction regardless of the drug of choice. I for one do not want my children to think “pot” is ok.
Mr. Hurley at least understands that you cannot punish away drug addiction. Maybe with some education his nephews might have avoided using. However locking them up does not treat the problem, it just stops it while you’re in jail. Unless they are treated chances are high they will use once released. Just look at the recidivism rate of drug offenders.
Really? The City Council is wasting time debating this? Drug free zones will do nothing to combat the problem. I suspect that the Chief’s motivation is because the zones somehow levy initiate heavier charges against violators. Just put the signs up and stop wasting time debating.
The War on drugs by law enforcement, while a valiant effort it has not done anything to combat the problem. Drug use has increased.
Put your signs up Belfast if it makes you feel good. If it doesn’t, you ignore them like the drug dealers will.
If you want to combat the drug problem focus on changing Society’s need for quick solutions to relieve/eliminate pain. Even if you decrease the supply of pain killers you will see a rise in traditional street drugs like cocaine, heroin, and crack. We need to teach people how to deal with their emotions. Provide people with a sense of self worth, educate them, teach morals and values. Get them while they are young. Take children out of the environment and teach them. For those already on drugs all we can do it reduce the risk of injury to self or others and try to teach them.
Finally, drug use among “hard cores” isn’t about getting high for the fun of it. It is about getting “high” to live. Your body “needs” the high because without a person is sick.
for the record: I am all in favor of enforcing the laws we have even though many of the drug laws are clearly not working. The City Council is not the place for that discussion. Last night I was caught off guard, I was not prepared, and did not realize the “drug free zone” meant increased penalties. Does anyone think we’re not penalizing people enough? And without anything to show for it other than millions of people in jail. At least DUI/OUI laws actually had a measurable effect. I am opposed to any increased penalties and in favor of full funding for policing. When you have a cop in the park you get all kinds of good stuff: less littering, speeding, vandalism (don’t even ask), etc. etc. We do not need increased penalties. We need a new way of dealing with this drug insanity. I wish I knew what it was. But leading the world jailing people: with 5% of the world population we have 25% of the worlds prisoners. …. is not the answer. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/americas/23iht-23prison.12253738.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0