MORGANTOWN — Hope Hill Sobering Center is the name of the sobering facility being developed on the first floor of Hazel’s House of Hope.
Morgantown Communications Director Andrew Stacy said Thursday the city is hopeful the center could be open as early as March.
The project also has leadership, albeit on an interim basis.
Bartlett Housing Solutions Executive Director Keri DeMasi has taken on director duties for the facility on a part-time, interim basis until an executive director is hired.
Stacy said most of the center’s furniture is in place and the process of outfitting the facility with computers and supplies is ongoing.
“The interim executive director is working on a website, training materials, and policy documents for the center. Recruiting for staff level positions are anticipated to start after the first of the year,” Stacy explained.
A sobering center has been on the city’s wish list for well over a decade, but cost and a lack of adequate facilities were always stumbling blocks. Both of those were cleared in late 2020, when the state awarded $3.5 million in CARES Act funding to help turn the former Ramada hotel property on Scott Avenue into a hub for social services — now known as Hazel’s House of Hope.
Morgantown Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli, who spearheaded the creation of the sobering center, led a tour of the space in March.
The roughly 5,100 square-foot facility has a dedicated entrance and is largely comprised of central intake and observation centers flanked by a pair of open dormitories.
The city had initially hoped to get the sobering center open this year, but ran into delays hiring a director to lead that effort.
“The process of filling the position was delayed because during the initial interviews a candidate accepted an offer for the position, but they had to withdraw, so the search started over,” Stacy said, explaining interviews will commence after the first of the year.
Both the city and county dedicated $100,000 to the project as part of their current spending plans.
Muzzarelli previously said initial estimates indicated it would take roughly $370,000 to operate the center for the first year.
Stacy said that budget estimate remains in place, but it will be up to the executive director to formalize a more detailed spending plan.
Stacy didn’t respond when asked if the project had received any additional funding commitments.
