LAUREL— Laurel Mayor Dave Waggoner sat down for an interview for the first time since the state announced a new forensic mental health facility would be built in the city — addressing both his role in the process and a petition circulating to remove him from office.
Waggoner and City Chief Administrative Officer Kurt Markegard had sporadic conversations with the state Board of Investments as early as July, leading up to the November announcement.
Watch the interview:
Laurel mayor breaks silence on forensic mental health facility, recall petition
Waggoner said Tuesday that he shared little with city council about those conversations.
“We never did get any information that we wanted. We constantly asked them. The only thing we got was 32 beds and 100 to 130 jobs,” said Waggoner, about his conversations with the Montana Board of Investments.
“Staff and myself have to know what we’re providing to council before they can act on it, so… I didn’t take the council,” he added.
Related: Myth vs. fact: State officials address Laurel residents’ worries about forensic facility
Markegard wrote a letter to the BOI a week before the announcement. Waggoner approved the letter, but it was not shared with city council.
Vanessa Willardson/Q2
Waggoner holds copy of letter
It explained that Laurel had not nominated itself for the facility, but outlined how the state could annex land for it through an approval process.
“I really wanted the jobs for the people of Laurel and the economic growth,” said Waggoner, who said he believed the state was no longer considering Laurel at that point.
The Laurel community has opposed the facility coming to their city, sharing concerns about lack of infrastructure, proximity to an elementary school and nearby property values decreasing.
Related: Laurel residents demand transparency over proposed state mental health hospital
Waggoner said voicing his complete opinion on the facility could open the city up to legal consequences.
“I probably should have said no comment here, but myself and the council can’t weigh in on which side we’re on. Otherwise, it could be deemed that we made the decision before the annexation request was even put in,” Waggoner said.
Some Laurel residents have filed a petition to recall Waggoner from his position as mayor, claiming his health problems have left him unable to fulfill his duties. Waggoner was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in November.
Related: Laurel residents file petition to recall mayor
“I’m probably looking at in a couple months another round of treatments. But I feel good. I feel healthy,” Waggoner said in response.
He claimed that he has and will continue to fulfill mayoral responsibilities, despite missing two city council meetings after his diagnosis.
“I was in contact with all my staff every day. Multiple, multiple times. I even came in here. And would be in here for a couple hours going over things with staff. I met my ability to do my job. So that really frustrates me that they would even bring that out,” said Waggoner.
Waggoner said he will fight back in court if the petition gains enough traction.
“They’re going to have to put on a full mayoral election, which was not budgeted for and is not scheduled for, and I don’t want to put this on the city. So, I probably will take this to court and have an injunction put in place against the recall,” Waggoner said.
Click here for more information on the state forensic mental health facility.