LAUREL— Laurel Mayor Kris Vogele discussed his plans for the city with MTN Saturday, which include meeting with Gov. Greg Gianforte about the upcoming state forensic mental health facility.
"That is one of my calls this week, is to try and set up a meeting with the governor," said Vogele, who was appointed as mayor by Laurel City Council Thursday night.
Watch the report:
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Vogele told MTN he does not support the facility coming to Laurel.
He worries the city’s growth could be limited if the state builds the facility on the 114-acre plot of land just outside Laurel’s west city limits.
“We need the land to grow residentially,” said Vogele. “We're going to see growth either way. We're going to be intentional about it, or we're going to have it happen to us.”
MTN learned this week that the Montana Board of Investments closed a deal on the plot of land.
RELATED: Montana Board of Investments closes deal on Laurel land for proposed forensic mental health facility
“Laurel really can't grow too much north because that land is owned by the state,” he added. "If they do take the land on the west end of town, that will really hurt Laurel, because we can't grow south. We don't have the infrastructure to grow south. The refinery is there. The river is there. So west is our area of growth, and we will do what's necessary in order to protect that.”
Vogele has attended meetings for Laurel C.A.R.E.D., a group that also opposes the facility coming to Laurel. He told MTN he no longer a member of Laurel C.A.R.E.D.
“I'm no longer a member of that organization, but I have close friends there,” said Vogele. “We are not agitators. We (are) people that just want to protect and do what's right for our city.”
Vogele will serve as mayor through the end of 2027. He takes the mayor seat after former mayor Dave Waggoner resigned, following a successful recall petition led by group Laurel C.A.R.E.D.
RELATED: ‘Laurelites are scared’: Final signatures approved for Laurel mayor recall
Residents who signed the petition said they supported it because they felt Waggoner had not been transparent about his conversations with the Montana Board of Investments, regarding the forensic mental health facility being placed in Laurel.
Waggoner resigned in May, citing “health challenges”. City Council President Tom Canape served as interim mayor until the position could be filled.
RELATED: Laurel mayor resigns in face of recall election
Vogele said immediate plans for his 18-month-long term also include creating an ad hoc committee to review Laurel’s finances.
“They can look at it with fresh eyes and really look into things like professional services, contracts, engineering, infrastructure, consulting, utilities, equipment, overtime and scheduling,” said Vogele. “They'll show us where there might be some things where we can save the city some money and do what's right for the taxpayers.”
Vogele also hopes to facilitate commercial growth, through getting residents involved on the city’s urban planning committee.
“There's obviously some commercial growth that is available, especially out around our new interchange on the West End,” he said. “I think that getting the right people on those committees and getting them involved and active only helps us as a city.”
"I want to do what's right. I want to do... what the Lord would want me to do," he added.
