Guest Post by Fred
I just want to make it clear that I was the one that brought up students leaving the school and stealing a horse that was eventually returned. This as brought to light after corresponding with one of the alumni from Oakley School after GVA's first petition. I can provide the student's name if they want to continue to raise objections.
I did a lot of research on Jared Balmer and his long time, and current partner, Kimball DeLaMare. Their combined history was eye opening. If you search child advocacy groups, you will see that some of their former schools have been accused of being abusive.
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If you research the residential treatment industry, you will see that there are good and bad facilities. Unfortunately, there are plenty of bad facilities built just to make a profit as the expense of their clients. I'll let you do your own research on Dr. Balmer's and Kimbal DeLaMare's facilities to reach your own conclusion. I've reached my own not very complementary conclusion. They've never run a purely educational facility. They have all been RTCs and they have all been sold.
Aspen Education has lost lots of money during the economy down turn. They have closed RTCs that were proved to be abusive. The question is, what happens if GVA goes bust? Will neighbors be stuck with the facility and what it might turn in to?
At the least residents can insist that very high privacy walls be installed to protect their patient's and the neighbor's privacy. The more you can make it look like a prison, the less attractive it becomes to clients.
Also, the "sign" they plan to put at the front of the property requires a conditional use permit according to the zoning.
They don't have a cirriculum consistent with public schools since it is residential. It can be argued that the original intent of the zoning was for non-residential schools.
I'm all for kids getting the right kind of help. The information I have unearthed to date does not give me confidence that GVA will be the right kind of help. If the community is interested, I can share my research on the industry and the GVA petitioners.
