LAUREL — State officials have canceled meetings with Laurel residents about a controversial mental health facility planned just outside city limits.
The meetings were scheduled for Friday and were set to take place at the Laurel Senior Center and with Laurel Chamber of Commerce board members. It would have been the first opportunity for residents to ask questions about the proposed 32-bed forensic mental health facility.
The facility is designed to serve people in the judicial system awaiting evaluation to determine if they are fit to stand trial.
Montana officials announced last week they had identified a 114-acre site along Old Highway 10 for the facility. In response, dozens of people showed up to the Laurel City Council meeting Tuesday night to express concern, saying they worried the site was too close to an elementary school and other residential neighborhoods.
The Laurel School District also formally opposes the project.
Q2 has reached out to the state officials to ask why the meetings were canceled. There's no word on if or when they will be rescheduled.
The Montana Legislature approved $26.2 million last session to build the facility, citing growing demand and space limitations at the state's current facility in Warm Springs.
Related:
'Inappropriate location': Laurel City Council hears from crowd about forensic facility concerns
Laurel School Board opposes state forensic detention facility in writing
Laurel chosen as site for new $26.5M state mental-health hospital
