Plans on hold for corrections facility

By Erin Nicholes - 10/03/2008

ANACONDA — Plans for a 144-bed corrections facility on the outskirts of town are in a holding pattern, for now.

After an initial review, the state Department of Corrections is further evaluating competing proposals by Butte-based Community, Counseling and Correctional Services and Hardin's Two Rivers Authority for a new facility to house the START Program.

"The evaluation committee had noted several areas of concern or deficiency in the response from Two Rivers Authority," said Gary Willems, DOC's contracts management bureau chief. "We're in the process of re-evaluating that information making a decision regarding our next step." Through a state contract, CCCS runs the program on the Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs campus and is proposing to build a new $13.5 million facility at Montana Highways 48 and 243. Two Rivers Authority would use an existing Hardin facility.

Based on costs, the Hardin proposal scored higher in an initial evaluation than CCCS's bid.

But CCCS executive director Mike Thatcher expressed confidence that the organization's plan would be most cost-effective in the long run.

"I felt our proposal was the exceptional response," he said. "I have all the confidence in the world that our response was superior and our past history and track record" are superior.

The state is looking for a new facility for START because the Warm Springs building in which CCCS runs the program is slated for demolition. The organization employs 37 people at the existing facility, and has said the new proposal would likely mean more jobs.

While there are no guarantees the program will stay in the area, Thatcher expressed optimism about the prospects of START remaining local.

"We're revisiting our budgets, but there's nothing today that would say it's theirs or ours" right now, he said. "I'm very optimistic." Meanwhile, the department expects to know its next step regarding the evaluation process in coming days, with a final decision on awarding the contract scheduled towards the end of October.

Reporter Erin Nicholes may be reached at erin.nicholes@lee.net.