HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Statement 1.23.2026 CITY HALL
115 W. 1ST ST.
PLANNING: 628-4796
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COURT: 628-1964
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City Of Laurel
P.O. Box 10
Laurel, Montana 59044
Community Statement from the City of Laurel’s Administration on the
Montana Board of Investments Public Announcement about Purchasing Land
Outside the City of Laurel’s City Limits
January 23, 2026
The City of Laurel’s City Council and Administration were notified by the Executive Director of the
Montana Board of Investments at the January 20th City Council’s Workshop Meeting that they had
entered into a buy-sell agreement to purchase land outside of Laurel’s municipal city limits. After this
public announcement, the Executive Director of the Montana Board of Investments then immediately sent
Laurel’s City Clerk/Treasurer a map of the land that their buy-sell agreement covered.
The City of Laurel provided the map and any information sent to us to the press as soon as it was
requested from numerous news outlets. The City of Laurel’s administration is required to provide all
documents for any official city business for public disclosure. Currently the city has not received any
documentation asking for inclusion into the Laurel City Limit’s for the purpose of building a State of
Montana Forensic Mental Health Facility. It is expected that the City of Laurel will be presented with an
annexation application in the near future for the City Council and the Laurel Community to consider
based upon verbal communication to the Laurel City Council by the Executive Director of the Board of
Investments.
Annexation into the City of Laurel is a public process based on previously adopted city policy and the
laws of the State of Montana. To provide the community with transparency, the city will be updating the
city’s website with a link to the annexation city ordinance, annexation city resolution, and Montana State
Statues for the inclusion of land to Laurel’s municipality.
The City Council is required to hear from anyone that wishes to comment on a pending action they may
be considering for consideration prior to any decision’s being decided. Annexation decisions will require
public notices, public hearings, and a public decision. The nature of the anticipated annexation request is
different than past annexations for residential, recreational, or commercial inclusion and has garnered
considerable press coverage and comments on social media. The City Council and the Administration are
very aware of the comments circulating within the community and ask for constructive discourse as the
community of Laurel navigates the Montana Board of Investments possible land purchase inclusion
within the municipal city limits.
The annexation application is expected but has not been received to date so there is no information to
share except our annexation policy at this time. All annexation documents and any future documents
received will be shared by the city on the City of Laurel’s website at https://cityoflaurelmontana.com/