Bradley County commissioners, the county mayor and local residents are opposing a proposal to build a new state mental hospital near Interstate 75’s Exit 20 as a replacement for the aging Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute in Chattanooga.
The Bradley County Commission united against the proposal Monday in a unanimous vote to send a letter to state officials officially objecting to a state mental hospital of any kind anywhere in the county. County Mayor D. Gary Davis issued a statement on where the county stands on the idea, which he said took most by surprise.
“Late last week, we were informed that the state of Tennessee is actively considering this location for a new state-run mental health facility,” Davis said in a Facebook post. “This proposal is being driven at the state level. Neither I nor anyone in Bradley County government recruited this project, requested it or was consulted about this site in advance. In fact, recent discussions at the local level about this property were based on information that it was being pursued for commercial and residential development.”
County spokesperson Adam Lewis said Bradley County officials and residents are being heard.