LAUREL— Co-petitioners from Laurel C.A.R.E.D. group filed a petition at the Yellowstone County Courthouse Tuesday morning, calling for the recall of Laurel Mayor Dave Waggoner.
Shawna Hopper and Jennifer Lorenz, the co-petitioners who filed it, say local and state government leaders kept and continue to keep information about the upcoming state forensic mental health facility away from Laurel residents.
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“There's a lot of reasons for the petition. One being his competency, his leadership, or lack thereof. He has failed to appear at city council meetings without notice to the city council, the city attorney, to the community on where he's been,” said Hopper, speaking of Waggoner.
“We don't want him to be our figurehead if he's going to behave in that kind of manner. Laurel deserves better,” said Lorenz.
“There's a lot of really frustrating pieces to this puzzle that we as a community want answers to from our local government on up to the state agencies,” added Hopper.
The Yellowstone County attorney has seven days to respond to the petition. If the petition is approved, Hopper and Lorenz will have 90 days to gather 840 signatures from Laurel voters.
“We feel very strongly that we won't have a problem reaching that point,” said Lorenz.
Laurel Mayor Dave Waggoner, who has stage four prostate cancer, told MTN that he does not believe the petition will gain support from the county attorney.
“I did nothing wrong, and I won’t quit. I have faith the county attorney will find the petition doesn’t meet the requirements to recall,” Waggoner told MTN in a written statement.
The petition comes after the Montana Board of Investments entered a buy-sell agreement for a 114-acre plot of land for the facility.
The plot of land borders several homes and is visible from West Elementary School, creating safety concerns, especially for nearby children.
“I have a nephew who is a kindergartner here. I have a best friend whose daughter is a first grader here. And I worry so much about not only them, (but) every single student here. They all deserve to be safe when they're at school,” said concerned Laurel resident Laura Kirschenmann.
“This town is in uproar for a good reason. And it's time that we hear from people who are supposed to be representing us,” she added.
Related: Laurel School Board opposes state forensic detention facility in writing
Other concerns include the impact on nearby property values, development and infrastructure.
“If our property values do plummet, say even 10%, that's still enough to be considered a loss. How are we then going to be compensated for that?” said Amber Zahn, whose home borders the 114-acre lot.
“It’s going to hurt our city in the long run if a nontaxable entity takes over 114 acres in our prime development area. Laurel can really only grow west right now,” said Kris Vogele, a Laurel resident.
“The whole annexation process and then not helping to staff up our EMS or our fire support… (or) helping with the use of the water and electricity consumption— the lack of doing all of that, basically, it really hurt my heart, honestly, because you kind of ruined what could have been a good project,” added Debra Pulse, another concerned resident.
Hopper and Lorenz share those concerns with the residents.
“We don't feel that this is something that should be in a residential area so close to a school in a community that doesn't have proper infrastructure,” said Hopper.
“We're not opposed to having a facility. Obviously, the state of Montana needs a facility like this. We just don't believe it belongs in our community,” added Lorenz.
