Farmington city officials voted Tuesday to continue funding the area’s only existing detox facility until a new center is up and running.
Four Winds Recovery Center gets intoxicated people off the street by providing a bed to and a place to sober up and begin treatment programs. But the Center’s administrators say they don’t have enough money to keep housing intoxicated residents until their contract ends next June.
Meanwhile, City officials have been working with Presbyterian Medical Services to open a new detox facility. Farmington Mayor Tommy Roberts says it will have four times the sleeping capacity currently available at Four Winds.
“We recognize we have a problem, and we recognize that these are people that need help,” Roberts said. “We have a history of providing that help, but we think that there’s a better model going forward and that’s what we’re trying to embrace and implement.”
The new city facility will take over housing the communities intoxicated residents once it opens, town officials say they hope that will happen by March.
