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Voorhees Planning Board member Mario DiNatale holds up three-inch binder that he found at his front door when he got home from work at 5:30 on the day of the July 22 meeting.
When a healthcare company went before the Voorhees Planning Board in late July with plans to open an opioid treatment center, the meeting quickly became tense.
The meeting didn't get far and public testimony and board questions were postponed.
Lawyer Samuel "Skip" Reale Jr., representing applicant Affinity Healthcare Group Voorhees LLC, told board members he didn't believe his client needed to go before the township for permission to offer opioid treatment services at 200 West Somerdale Road.
"We really don't need to be here. We're not certain why we're here in front of this board," Reale told members. He said the state Health Department requested an amendment to the outpatient program's 2018 zoning permit that would state that Affinity's program would include opioid treatment using methadone.
However, the state has since said it doesn't need the amendment, Reale said. The 2018 zoning permit in the name of property owner Mid America states that tenant Dr. Kenneth Brown provides "behavioral health services on an outpatient basis."
"If you believe that you can open tomorrow, why did you file an application?" asked board member Jason A. Ravitz, who also serves on the Township Committee and is deputy mayor.Â
Later in the meeting, as debate heated up, Ravitz advised Reale: "If you could just, like, lower the volume and chill a little bit, make your presentation. I know you're being emotional. Just relax. You'll get more with sugar..."
Voorhees Planning Board member Mario DiNatale holds up three-inch binder that he found at his front door when he got home from work at 5:30 on the day of the July 22 meeting.
Zoom | Voorhees Planning Board | July 22, 2020
Board member Mario DiNatale said he came home at 5:30 on the day of the meeting and found a three-inch binder from Affinity with supporting documentation on Affinity's application. He said he had to eat dinner and didn't have time to review the exhibits in the binder before the meeting.
Other board members echoed DiNatale's objections to what they said was the last-minute submission of documentation.
The meeting didn't get deep into testimony before the board decided to postpone additional testimony, public comment and board questions to a later meeting.
