Illumination and False Alarms Draw Attention in Lexington

LEXINGTON - There is an old Rock song that never meant to do so, but it tells a melodic story about concerns being raised by some residents regarding the new recovery center in Lexington.

“They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but looking at them just gives me the blues,” the song goes, telling a musical tale about a young guitar player trying to make it big in the Big Apple.

Government officials are having similar words expressed, in writing and verbally, related to exterior lighting at the BriteLife addiction treatment facility on Route 42 between the hamlets of Lexington and West Kill.

Town councilman Michael Barcone, at a recent meeting, shared the worries of a citizen who opined the illumination was, ”pretty bright.”

In a subsequent phone interview, town supervisor Jo Ellen Schermerhorn said, “somebody from Beech Ridge told me they were looking down into the valley late at night, seeing a lot of brightness.”

And more than one person, officials say, has voiced disquiet after driving past the buildings in darkness, finding the lights “blinding.”

“It is quite a complex, a very nice place,” Schermerhorn said of BrightLife which opened following years of planning and renovations to a former boarding house and site of Marie’s Dream House restaurant.

Their arrival was welcomed, offering help to people dealing with substance abuse and alcohol issues, one of three Centers in the country including Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Hanover, Pennsylvania.

BrightLife’s presence also provides opportunities for employment and a non-invasive, professional services addition to the community.

As it has turned out, however, “people living here for the peace and quiet are seeing lights that remind them of a shopping mall,” Schermerhorn said.

“This is something that was part of the discussions with our planning board,” during the project’s permitting phase, Schermerhorn said. 

While acknowledging that BrightLife could merely be adhering to strict Department of Health regulations, the visual landscape has been noticeably impacted, officials say.

“If there are codes, the general public needs to be made aware of them. People want answers,” Barcone said, noting talks are tentatively slated between town officials and the facility administrators.

Those conversations are also expected to touch on ambulance service to the center, with the town being called upon to respond.

Lexington contracts with the town of Ashland for primary service and also operates a longstanding, First Responders unit.

“We don’t foresee any problems but we want to make sure our resources are being used properly, making sure everyone is on the same page,” Schermerhorn said.

“It is nice to have them in town. We have the contract with Ashland so we are wanting to confirming how all this will work,” Schermerhorn said.

Phone messages left at BrightLife were not returned. On their website, the company states, “our treatment center is nestled in the tranquil Catskills, providing a peaceful and restorative backdrop for recovery.

“The serene environment allows clients to focus fully on their healing journey, away from the chaos and stress of everyday life in New York,” the website states.

“If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, our inpatient treatment program at BriteLife Recovery…offers the care, support and services necessary to begin a new chapter,” the website states.

In other business:

—Town council members set a public hearing for their next regular monthly meeting, on June 3, regarding a proposed “False Alarm Prevention and Civil Penalty Local Law.”

The potential legislation was recommended by the town’s Board of Fire Commissioners in response to concerns about repeat false alarms, particularly from seasonal homes.

A false alarm is defined as, “an alarm activation that results in the unnecessary dispatch of emergency services including fire, medical or law enforcement personnel, when there is no actual emergency.

It involves a disruption of emergency services, defined as, “a condition created by frequent or unnecessary false alarms that strains the resources of emergency agencies, delays response times and jeopardizes the safety of the community,” the proposed legislation states.

False alarm penalties (within any 12-month period) are First False 

Alarm (written warning, no fine), escalating from $250 for the second instance, $500 for the third and $750 for the fourth.

The purpose of the ordinance is not to inordinately punish residents but rather to, “reduce unnecessary false alarms,” the proposed law states, limiting wasteful wear and tear on personnel and equipment.

If the law passes, Jewett would join other neighboring towns such as Jewett and Windham who report seldom-if-ever need for enforcement, though it is good to have something on the books.