The town of Rocky Hilly has been fighting against plans for a state-run nursing home proposed for the site of the former Rocky Hill Nursing home on West Street and the battle was in court on Tuesday.
Rocky Hill attorneys are trying to persuade a Hartford Superior court judge to issue a temporary restraining order and stop the state from moving 95 disabled and mentally ill prison inmates and mental patients into the facility.
The judge did not issue a ruling on Tuesday, but plans to consider the arguments and issue one soon.
Under an agreement with the state, the owner of the nursing home is preparing to bring patients in as early as this month.
When residents heard about the state’s plan in December, a controversial debate began and many said they feel this would amount to having a prison in their backyard.
“It's dangerous to all families that live around here and it's just an unsafe place,” Tim Herrick, of Rocky Hill, said.
Others don’t think it would pose any safety concerns.
“I don't think there's anything wrong with it. These people are sick and they need help and I don't think there's a problem,” Janet Brown, of Rocky Hill, said.
Neighborhood organizers and political leaders have met weekly and collected more than $2,000 signatures from people who are against the project.
“This is not your typical nursing home. They're going to be locked down. If they're going to be locked down, to me, that's a prison,” Rocky Hill Mayor Anthony La Rosa said.
