BUTTE, MT— A site in the southern part of Butte has emerged as one of several potential locations for a new women’s prison that the Montana Department of Corrections is considering to build, prompting local officials to call for public input on the proposal.
The Department of Corrections is weighing multiple sites around the state for the $246 million facility, including locations in Butte, Boulder, Billings, and the Anaconda area. In Butte, the state-owned property off Basin Creek Road near the former Acadia facility is under consideration.
Butte District 5 Commissioner Russell O’Leary emphasized the importance of community engagement in the decision-making process. “Our primary concern is this gets dropped on our laps at the last minute and folks don’t have time to discuss their issues,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary, along with District 1 Commissioner John Morgan, has requested more detailed information from the Department of Corrections regarding the proposal. The commissioners have received numerous inquiries and concerns from local residents, O’Leary added.
Butte Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher highlighted the potential economic benefits of the project, noting it could bring approximately 100 new jobs to the area. However, Gallagher stressed that the voices of the community must be heard before a final decision is made. “The state can make a decision where they want to put the prison if they own the land on that, but I think our constituents and the citizens need to be heard here, whether they would like to see a women’s prison here or not,” Gallagher said.
At this stage, Commissioner O’Leary said it is too early to weigh the pros and cons of the facility. He hopes to gather more input from citizens before taking a position. “I’d like to hear the concerns of the citizens before I make a decision kind of where I stand on it,” he said.
The public is invited to share their opinions and ask questions at the upcoming Butte Council of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, June 4th, at 7:30 p.m.
