BILLINGS - The proposal of building a state forensic mental health facility in the Billings area has brought both interest and opposition among City Council members and residents.
The state first came to the city months ago, but the pushback from city and county officials led the state to weigh options elsewhere.
See why the facility may come to Billings:
"We sent a letter in saying no. I'm not sure what other cities have sent letters in. It depends on what the governor wants, what the state wants. I think if they are going to do this, they need to do a better planning job," Billings City Council member Mike Boyett told MTN News in a Monday interview.
The state opened up the opportunity for other cities in eastern Montana to make their case. While a handful of cities showed interest, the window to do so closed on Monday. Only Miles City and Hardin filed the paperwork to the Montana Board of Investments to be considered.
"I think we have the infrastructure, and I think we have the land to build a state facility," Big Horn County Commissioner Larry Vandersloot said in an October interview.
"The state already owns 500 acres here. It just makes perfect sense to put a state facility on state land," said Jeff Faycosh, Custer County Commissioner, last week.
The state will visit both sites, but if those won't work, city officials say it's possible Billings will be back on the table for consideration.
"We have all the resources here. We have the airport. We have two major hospitals. We have colleges. We have the jail. We have the interstate. We have water, transportation. We have everything here. We just weren't prepared at this point to do it," Boyett said.
The state is expected to make a site decision by Nov. 26.
The Montana Legislature approved $26.2 million during the last session for a new state mental health hospital, citing the rising demand for services in the eastern part of the state.
The state did not identify where the hospital would be built, which has led to communities throughout the region expressing interest or backing away from the proposal.
Related:
Gianforte confirms search for site for eastern Montana mental hospital
Billings legislator continues push for eastern Montana mental-health facility
Questions arise about Billings as possible site for eastern Montana state hospital
