Walk-aways from Cove Forge Becoming a Problem for Borough

Mayor Ted Hyle told the Williamsburg Borough Council about the issue of walk-aways from the Cove Forge facility, Williamsburg, during the regular meeting last Monday, May 3.

“This is an ongoing situation,” Hyle said.

Cove Forge Behavioral Health’s main campus is located at 202 Cove Forge Road, near Williamsburg. The company offers inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment in the form of drug detox and addiction treatments for adults.

The mayor said that there are an average of 24 walk-aways monthly from the Cove Forge facility. He said that the persons walking away from the facility come into town but want a ride out of town. Some walk-aways are going as far as breaking into cars, he said.

“Our concern is our community,” Chief of Police Rowdy Kagarise said.

Mayor Hyle said that he had a discussion with Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks and Sheriff Jim Ott about the problem.

Mayor Hyle said that he, Chief Kagarise, Weeks and Ott will have a meeting with Cove Forge officials about how to protect the community.

All those in attendance voted yes in favor of the borough’s curbside waste time ordinance (No. 402), which allows for borough residents to only put trash out after 11 a.m. the day before trash removal.