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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels June 18, 2004 Jackson house readies for arrival of clients with garden party By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings To mend fences and mitigate neighbors' concerns, Jackson House, an Ashland lockdown center for criminals judged insane, will host a garden party and barbecue Saturday for surrounding members of the community. "We've had meetings with the neighbors that show there is quite a lot of concern," Jackson House Program Manager Andrew Axer said. The building has roused worries from neighbors concerned about the danger posed by the criminals housed there. "Oh, yeah, we definitely don't think it's appropriate for the residential neighborhood here," said Kirsten Ferguson, 35, a mother of two toddlers who live across the street from the secure center. The center will house 12 clients who have been approved for conditional release from the Oregon State Hospital by the Psychiatric Security Review Board, which retains jurisdiction over people judged guilty of crimes except for insanity. The clients were scheduled to begin moving in this week, but that has been postponed to iron out details with the City of Ashland over the center's certificate of occupancy, Axer said. Additional paperwork was needed, in part, because the center requires secured windows. "We were supposed to have clients Wednesday, but there were some hang-ups," Axer said. He expects three clients to arrive by Tuesday, followed by three more June 30, with the remainder coming the week after that. Of the 12 clients, six are felons, according to state records. The crimes for which they have been convicted range from arson and kidnapping to sex abuse and attempted murder. The center is allowed under current zoning laws at its Maple Street site, according to Assistant City Attorney Mike Franell. Jackson House is in a health care services zone, which allows multi-family residential use. According to state statute, people, such as the PSRB clients, can't be barred. "Anyplace that the city allows multi-family residential, they have to allow this," said Franell, who was drafting a memo to council members. "It is not disputed at all." A meeting with state and county officials last week drew several worried and irate residents. Neighbors plan to monitor the center closely through a newly formed safety committee, Kirsten Ferguson said. "And we want to hold them to their statement to be out of here in 10 to 12 months," she added. Jackson House is a temporary community treatment center to be used until a new center is renovated on Hazel Street in Medford, said Hank Collins, county health director. That's expected to take a year or so. Until then, Collins said the six PSRB clients, along with six non-criminal clients, will be well-supervised at the center. He noted that nearly a dozen clients with similar criminal histories now reside in adult foster care homes throughout Jackson County. "There are people who have been convicted of these crimes and even more serious crimes who have been living successfully in the community for years," Collins said. Counties across Oregon have been mandated by federal and state lawsuits to create community-based living centers for people deemed ready to leave the state mental health hospital. "People need to learn that this is the way life is in the 21st century," Collins said. "These people have a right to live in your neighborhood." The barbecue is for Jackson House neighbors and staff and is set for noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the center, 330 Maple St. The men, the crimes Daniel Jess Cervantes Cervantes, 46, was convicted in Lane County in 1999 of second-degree kidnapping as well as driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2016. Brian Thomas Cook Also known as Sebastian Daniel Masters. Masters, as he has been known since a civil name change, was convicted of two counts of first-degree arson and one count of second-degree arson in Lane County in 1986. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2031. John Hobart Gilmore Gilmore, 59, was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse in Marion County in 1997. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2007. John Thomas Hinz Hinz was convicted of second-degree kidnapping and attempted second-degree sodomy in Douglas County in 1990. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2010. Joel Steve Kolmorgan Kolmorgan was convicted of first-degree arson in Union County in 1985. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2005. Bryon Jay Maude Maude, 45, was convicted of first-degree assault and attempted murder in Multnomah County in 1992. He is set to remain under PSRB care until 2012. Staff contributed to this story DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams