Flathead County discusses prerelease center lawsuit settlement

A lawsuit settlement regarding the opening of a prerelease center in Evergreen will be discussed by the Flathead County Board. This comes after the state of Montana sued the county for denying a permit to open the center in a former hotel. The Department of Corrections had proposed turning the Greenwood Village Inn & Suites into a 90-bed prerelease facility. The county board rejected a conditional use permit back in October. A public hearing on the settlement agreement is set for March 25, followed by a vote on April 1. These meetings will take place at 6 p.m. in Kalispell. The settlement suggests that the chosen site is suitable for the facility. It also addresses concerns around parking, traffic, and public services. County officials had previously argued that there are not enough law enforcement resources to support the center and feared it could negatively impact the neighborhood. Two conditions are proposed in the settlement. First, vehicles linked to the center must use a specific road to limit disruption. Second, the state would need to notify the county at least ten days before placing an offender in the center, allowing the county to share any concerns. While some residents have raised objections, local business owners see the center as a job opportunity. Local judges and the county jail commander have supported the initiative, although the sheriff voiced concerns about increased workload. The Department of Corrections argues that the county's denial was not justified and lacked solid reasoning. Currently, there are ten prerelease centers in Montana, but none in Northwest Montana. The state believes a facility is necessary to help offenders transition back into the community, offering an alternative to incarceration.