COMMISSIONERS APPROVE RESOLUTION OPPOSING TREATMENT FACILITY

  

Washington County Commissioners have joined the Brenham School board in passing a resolution opposing the Bluebonnet Have Residential Treatment Center.  County Judge John Brieden pointed out that the state has the control over whether the facility is licensed and the county has no ability beyond passing a resolution to prevent it.  Commissioner Joy Fuchs stated that she feels the facility will be a burden on the county and stated that we are not a big city.  Commissioner Kirk Hanath, whose brother is an investor in the facility, said that the county has to look at the long term effects of the center:

Several county residents spoke about the facility before the commissioners voted.  Former commissioner Donald Ray Ahrens said that he lives only a short distance from the proposed facility and that he is concerned about the residents trying to escape on the trains that run by the property.  Allen Hudson said that the facility hasn’t opened yet so we don’t know how it will be operated.  He also disagreed with the County Judge over whether the county had the power to stop the facility.

Jody Schulz, Director of the Brazos Valley National Alliance on Mental Illness said that the children who would be placed at the facility need to have some place to go and that they can be treated and return to a normal life. She also said that with the correct security in place there should be less concern than there is about the 5 Oaks facility in New Ulm.   Commissioners passed the resolution unanimously.

Resolution_Bluebonnet Haven RTC