Former Williamstown inn could be treatment facility
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A view of the Autumn Harvest Inn off Vermont Route 64 in Williamstown on Tuesday. Stefan Hard/Times Argus |
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By David Delcore Times Argus Staff - Published: March 22, 2006
WILLIAMSTOWN – A private developer wants to transform a local inn and restaurant into transitional housing and a treatment facility for patients who are scheduled to be discharged from the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury.
Peter Holmburg has told members of the town Selectboard that he plans to buy the Autumn Harvest Inn on Clark Road and convert it into a "therapeutic community residence," working in conjunction with a consortium of mental health agencies and the state.
He said the new facility would help fill an anticipated void in Vermont's mental health network associated with the looming closure of the state hospital in Waterbury.
Hoping to head off public opposition that recently helped derail plans to locate similar satellite facilities in Vergennes and Greensboro, Holmburg was joined at the meeting Monday by Michael Hartman and other officials from Washington County Mental Health Services.
Although Holmburg said he will be responsible for the acquisition and renovation of the inn, Hartman explained that the sub-acute community recovery facility would initially be run under the auspices of WCMHS, the regional mental health agency.
If all goes as planned, Hartman said the project would eventually be operated by a consortium including WCMHS, the Howard Center for Human Services in Burlington and the Clara Martin Center in Randolph. He said those three agencies are already collaborating on a Berlin-based center that provides outpatient treatment to people with substance-abuse problems.
Nestled on a quiet pastoral hillside, but located only a short distance from the interstate, 10 minutes from Barre and Randolph and 15 minutes from Montpelier, the inn's location is ideal from both a therapeutic and convenience standpoint, Hartman said.
"It does all the things that we want it to do," he said. "There's lots of good outdoor and indoor space to meet our program needs."
According to Hartman, the organizations are also working with the state to site an additional 10-bed facility in northern Washington County or southern Chittenden County. At least one town has tentatively been approached, though preliminary discussions haven't progressed past the town manager and local planners.
Hartman said the facility would be licensed to serve up to 14 residents – most of whom have been hospitalized for years and aren't yet ready to be placed in one of the "halfway houses or group homes" that are already operated by each of the partner organizations.
"The general idea is we get them out of the environment they're in and we get them into a community where they feel safe and comfortable … and can work on developing the skills they need to succeed in a less structured setting," he said, describing an important transitional step for a pool of patients who suffer from an assortment of ailments ranging from traumatic brain injuries and schizophrenia to developmental disabilities and dementia.
Most of those patients have been confined for prolonged periods of time and many suffer from other conditions that require regular medical attention, according to Hartman. He said the facility planned in Williamstown would include full-time nursing services in addition to round-the-clock supervision and a part-time psychiatrist.
Although Hartman said the facility would be licensed for up to 14 residents, he predicted the actual number probably wouldn't exceed 11 for the foreseeable future. Assuming those numbers hold, he predicted the facility would eventually bring 25 to 30 jobs and an anticipated payroll of roughly $1.5 million to the community – though he warned it would likely take more than a year after opening to hit full occupancy.
Holmburg told Selectboard members that he hoped to obtain the necessary permits and certifications in coming months. If all goes well, he said the renovations could be completed and the building ready for occupancy by fall.
Holmburg, who said he has a contract to buy the inn and the 45 acres upon which it sits from owners George Malek and Malek's wife, Carolyn White, stressed that the property, which is assessed at nearly $1 million, would remain in private ownership and on the tax rolls. He said he plans to enter a long-term lease with WCMHS for use of the property.
The continued taxability of the property, fear of future expansion and the potentially detrimental effect the proposal might have on the value of surrounding properties were identified as possible areas of concern by board members and residents attending Monday's meeting. Although none reacted strenuously to the proposal, more than one suggested they might think differently if they lived closer to the inn.
Rep. Phil Winters, R-Williamstown, said that fact wasn't lost on Holmburg, Hartman and state officials, who recently abandoned plans to create similar facilities at the old Briarwood Manor nursing home in Vergennes and Lakeview Inn in Greensboro amid public opposition.
"They realize they have a selling job to do," Winters said, explaining officials behind the project plan to hold a series of public hearings and have embraced the idea of a town advisory committee in an effort to calm fears and promote a better understanding of the project.
"They realize that public relations is a big thing," he said.
Hartman said that was fair characterization.
"We want to address community concerns," he said, predicting outreach forums and community meetings will be held at the inn in the next couple months.
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