By Bryan Henry 11: forty-two AM CDT – Updated March 12 at nine:27 PM
COVINGTON COUNTY, AL (WSFA) – Covington County leaders staked their claim that the brand new mental clinic next door to the Covington County jail could be an excellent financial development undertaking; a $1.5 million investment via the kingdom with the promise of 25 new jobs.
“We will withdraw assistance for this if you select to do that,” said Covington County Commission Chairman Greg White.
A unanimous reversal.
“Not something I need in my outdoor, my metropolis or county,” stated involved citizen Patricia Strength.
The Alabama Department of Mental Health and the South Central Alabama Community Health Center partnered to construct the power. The quick-time treatment facility might have targeted getting suspects charged with a criminal offense to grow sufficiently equipped to face trial.
“We had been disenchanted and amazed,” said South Central Alabama Community Health Center Executive Director Tommy Wright.
Wright felt a number of the fears of residents had been unfounded. However, he respects their issues.
“From a public safety factor of view, I don’t suppose there might be any problems,” Wright said.
County leaders even held a groundbreaking rite after shopping for the five-acre belongings for $60,000 in overdue 2018. White says the commission didn’t try to find public entry initially because they usually don’t in an economic development challenge together with this one. White admitted he’ll reconsider that moving ahead.
“This can also be exclusive. I’ll take that challenge and look at it again,” stated White.
White says that the county will hold on to the property and not use plans to attempt to get its $60,000 lower back.
“In the future, there might be an opportunity to position it to desirable use,” said White.
Back on the empty lot after the county prison, there was no mental health treatment center production, which was no problem for folks who in no way desired it in the first place.
The Alabama Department of Mental Health has been underneath a court docket to speed up the manner of trial competency for suspects and add extra beds. The South Central Alabama Community Health Center says it can present a similar notion to Butler County, certainly one of 4 counties it serves.
