Laurel residents attended a public hearing at Laurel High School Auditorium Thursday night to protest a psychiatric facility that would hold people going through the justice system in eastern Montana.
The state is forging ahead on its choice of a property just outside Laurel city limits, despite pushback from locals concerned about public safety, staffing and other resources. Opponents at the meeting included current Laurel city mayor Kris Vogele. His predecessor resigned citing health issues as residents gathered signatures to recall him over decisions they said allowed the forensic mental health facility to go ahead without approval from the city council.
“Our residents deserve clear and honest communication from the beginning, not after the state had already decided where this facility would be located,” said Vogele. “Instead, what we have seen is a process that has left Laurel and Yellowstone County reacting to decisions that were already been made elsewhere.”
This public hearing before the Yellowstone County Commission is a legal requirement for the state to use property contrary to zoning. Commissioner Mike Waters said they don’t have the authority to deny the state’s use of the land.
“I can tell you how I wished it would go. I wish that we would have had a chance to get a real plan from the state, a real resource commitment from the state, and we didn’t. All we see is a land deal,” said Waters.
Two attorneys represented the Board of Investments at the hearing and declined to speak with YPR. Laurel resident Miles Walton said this is the third public hearing he’s been to, with no response from the state.
“We have no hope. This is ridiculous. It’s a law that you have to put on a public meeting, and after that it goes nowhere to anybody that’s got any say so,” he said. “Leaves Laurel right in the ditch.”
