The Boulder City Council passed a resolution at its March 15 meeting “enthusiastically” supporting the Montana Highway Patrol moving its operations to the former Montana Development Center campus.
Boulder City Council President Drew Dawson said the move looks fairly certain but is not a “done deal” until the enabling legislation is passed and signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte.
Dawson reported Friday that Montana Chief Deputy Attorney General Kris Hansen said that the project is still moving forward as the agencies involved, the Department of Public Health and Human Services and Department of Justice, as well as the governor’s office, are working out the transfer details.
Dawson said it is still unknown what buildings the MHP will want to use.
That the MHP wanted to move to the former MDC campus came as a surprise to local leaders in February, but it was welcome news, as the loss of the former state facility took with it 250 jobs.
The campus has been vacant for several years and the city, as well as Jefferson County and the Jefferson Local Development Corporation, have worked toward future reuse of the 48 acre property on the south of Jefferson High School
The Highway Patrol is looking at the north campus, which is currently owned by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Bills are pending in the Legislature to transfer the property to the Department of Justice, which is one of several steps needed to facilitate the move by the Highway Patrol.
The Highway Patrol’s headquarters are currently located in Helena, and its lease there expires in June. The move, which could happen by this summer, is expected to bring more than 20 employees to Boulder.
Dawson said that the Boulder Transition Advisory Committee also plans to write a letter of support.
Earlier this year, the JLDC had initiated a master plan of the facility, which includes the south campus. Portions of the south campus are owned by Jefferson County. The development of the master plan, which is expected to be completed at the end of the year, will continue.
Jefferson County has also talked about working with the Veterans Administration to put a pain management center at the property.
The status of that project is unknown at this time, said Jefferson County Commissioner Leonard Wortman, adding that pandemic stymied some efforts, and the county has not yet had a chance to talk to the new Gianforte administration about the project.
During the March 15 Boulder City Council meeting, Pat Lewis suggested that perhaps the Boulder Fitness Center could work with the Montana Highway Patrol in locating its facility on the MDC campus to allow its troopers to use the equipment, as well as the Center members.
The Boulder Fitness Center recently learned it needed to find a new location. The Ammen Building was sold earlier this month to a Whitehall businesswoman who plans to use it for retail space. The other main tenant, The Gift Box, was able to secure a location on the first floor of the Boulder Basin Masonic Lodge across the street, but the Fitness Center is having more difficulty in finding a suitable location.
Other business
• The Boulder City Council approved spending up to $6,500 in CARES Act spending to acquire audio/visual equipment that would allow for remote meetings via video conferencing. The $6,500 comes from a second round of federal CARES Act funding of $127,299. Other projects proposed by the Council include a safety barrier in the City Hall offices and personal protective equipment for the city’s emergency response workers and volunteers. The city has until Dec. 31, 2021 to spend the money.
• Lewis, who is also a member of the Boulder Cemetery Advisory Committee, reported that it is looking to install a columbarium at the Boulder Cemetery for those who have been cremated. Lewis said the committee also wants an updated cemetery policy or set of responsibilities for those purchasing plots. Lewis said that herself, public works director Dennis Wortman and City Councilman Gyle Nix will take a tour of the cemetery and come back with recommendations for the Council.
