State no longer pursuing Bradley County site for mental institution

BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- For months, the state of Tennessee has been searching for a replacement for the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute.

Their search has expanded outside of Hamilton County.

However, this is not with much success.

Both the Bradley County Mayor’s Office and State Senator Adam Lowe tell us that they were in conversations with a property owner to acquire a piece of land off of Pleasant Grove Road, which is near exit 20 on I-75.

These discussions began very recently, until the state elected in recent days to withdraw from this location.

Senator Lowe says, “The state inquired about some land in the county. This was just the Department of Mental Health expressing interest in a property and opening a dialogue with local leaders and the community about that interest.    The property owner is not interested in selling by the land for that purpose and the county commission voted to express objection to the site.”

The executive assistant to Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis, Adam Lewis, said, “We were notified by the state about 10 days ago. At this point there were some meetings that were held with our state legislators. They encouraged the department of health the state level to contact local leadership.”

Before the withdrawal there was criticism at this week’s county commission meeting as residents and commissioners say  they were concerned about the safety risk this potential mental health facility posed to the McDonald community.

Commissioner Josh Rogers said, “We’ve had zero meetings, community meetings conversations and it’s like the state is trying to do this under the cover of night.”

Bradley County School Board member Nancy Casson added, “I can assure you right now that we’re not gonna be looking for property anymore down there right now if I’m mental institution is gonna go in and we’re not gonna put a school next to a mental institution.”

This is not the first backlash the state has felt in their search to replace Moccasin Bend.

They had looked at several locations across Chattanooga, including a location on Tunnel Boulevard, which faced community backlash.

Rebuilding on Moccasin Bend is not an option due to artifacts that have been found, leaving the state continuing to search.

Lewis said, “We are still very much in favor of of the state investing and mental health support here in Bradley County, but for facility like this, we just simply believe that the location matters, and for that particular location, not just that community but many across the county didn’t feel it was the right location.”

Senator Lowe added, “The state is evidently considering multiple properties in the region.”

Lewis says he is unsure if they will look at other properties inside of Bradley County.