The Scarborough Town Council extended the town’s moratorium on methadone clinics to 180 days last week. A 90-day moratorium previously had been in effect.

Town Manager Ron Owens recommended the extension, saying it will give town staff a chance to develop zoning ordinances that better address methadone clinics and where they should be located. Currently methadone clinics could be allowed nearly everywhere in town.

The work comes after the town received an inquiry about possibly locating a methadone clinic here. Town officials have not named the interested organization.

Two residents spoke against allowing methadone clinics in town, believing that they will cause more harm than good.

“We don’t need it here in Scarborough,” said Donna Pralicz, adding that she does not want to worry about what could happen with the clinic’s clients coming into town. “I don’t think we need that moratorium, we need to put this to bed.”

Lifelong Scarborough resident April Chadbourne, whose son died from died from methadone he purchased illegally, said, “I don’t think Scarborough needs it.”

The council unanimously supported the extension and some councilors indicated that it is unlikely that one will located in town.

“I really don’t have any interest in a methadone clinic in this town,” said Council Chairman Jeffrey Messer.

Owens said the town would be on “shaky ground” if it zoned out methadone clinics altogether, but said the town does have the ability to alter the zoning ordinances to provide for them on a limited basis.

Those involved with methadone treatment say there is a need for additional clinics in the area. According to Dan Mahoney, director of the Discovery House in South Portland, the clinic has 510 clients and another 100 on a waiting list.

The majority of the patients come every day, he said. Most of them live within half an hour of South Portland, although there are some who come from farther away.

Mahoney said his company did not inquire about coming to Scarborough, although he said that opening another clinic in the area is necessary.

“There’s great need,” he said, adding that opiate addiction is a problem in Maine and is the basis for some crimes occurring in Scarborough and other towns, something many people are unaware of.

Communities can pretend the problem does not exist, but not until communities allow the construction of new clinics will the problems associated with opiate addiction be reduced, Mahoney said.

“No matter what you do, if you are not delivering treatment, addiction is growing in your town,” he said.