A meeting is set to take place this Saturday morning in Clarinda, with regard to Governor Branstad’s proposal to close or re-purpose the Clarinda Mental Health Institute. The meeting, featuring Dept. of Human Services Director Chuck Palmer, will be held in the Clarinda MHI auditorium beginning at 10-a.m.  Saturday, January 31st. District 24 Republican Representative Cecil Dolecheck also plans to attend.

Governor Terry Branstad said earlier this week his administration wouldn’t be violating state law if they continue to run “significant” prison operations and a military-style academy on the Mental Health Institute campuses in Mount Pleasant and Clarinda.

Key legislators says they were “disturbed” because they didn’t learn of Branstad’s plan to close the two mental health care facilities in Mount Pleasant and Clarinda until they were shown the details of Branstad’s proposed budget.