Crime & Safety

Rumson Officials Release Complaint Filed Against 'Oxford House South Ward'

No word yet on the borough's request to have the house vacated immediately.


As they await word from a Monmouth County Superior Court judge as to whether or not an injunction for "temporary and permanent restraints" to disband Oxford House immediately will be granted, Rumson officials have released a copy of the permanent complaint filed against the substance abuse rehab home to shut it down.

"The Borough of Rumson is in danger, the residents of the entire area are in danger, and the facility must be closed immediately," the complaint alleges. "Nothing short of closure will remedy this highly dangerous situation."

The complaint, filed by Rumson Borough Attorney Martin Barger in the municipality's stead, lists reasons why officials think the facility should be closed for the good of the borough, citing, among other things, that the special terms of lease for the "alcohol and drug rehabilitation residential facility" have been violated.

Those special terms, the complaint quotes from the lease, are: "The tenants must follow the Oxford House Model and adhere to all conditions of their Oxford House Charter. The tenants must be a member of a local Oxford House chapter where available. There are no gambling, firearms or other illegal activity permitted on the premises …"

It adds that Oxford House is prepared to legally defend "any claim of zoning violation made by localities still unfamiliar with the Federal Fair Housing Act …"

Rumson officials, in the complaint are alleging that within the six-month start-up probationary period of any Oxford House, the rule of prohibiting any alcohol or drugs on the premises was violated, as proven by what they allege were two overdoses, one resulting in a fatality.

The autopsy report on the death has not yet been released; and the other alleged overdose was called in as a medical emergency, not a police matter.

"Nothing has worked," the complaint alleges, adding that the Rumson facility at 61 South Ward Ave. has "been a failure since day one. There has been no supervision, drugs are obviously being used at the facility …"

Oxford House representative George Kent was not available for comment as of press time. He had said at a recent forum held with the neighbors of the Oxford House South Ward that the residents of the house are also residents of the community and should be treated as such, with the same rights.

Neighbors had requested background checks be conducted as a prerequisite to residency in the Rumson house. Kent had posed the question of whether or not the residents of the borough were willing to impose that restriction on every resident that moves into town.

Once in the 38-year history of Oxford House has a house been shut down. That house was not in New Jersey. Kent had said he never experienced a situation like the one in Rumson in his time with Oxford, but had conceded that the initial group of nine men in the Rumson house was not a particularly good mix.

The complaint is attached. Officials did not release the evidence, as, Mayor John Ekdahl said, it is 14 pages long.

See the following related stories for background on the issue:

http://rumson.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/rumson-officials-file-injunction-to-shut-dow...

http://rumson.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/medical-emergency-at-rumson-oxford-house-injunction...

http://rumson.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/rumson-oxford-house-neighbors-wait-for-answer-on-ba...

http://rumson.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/rumson-police-chief-disappointed-with-lack-of-sympa...







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