Remember the controversial High Point rezoning case involving a privately-owned forensic mental hospital? The commercial rezoning was denied, effectively clearing the way for Florida-based GEO Care to convert a former nursing home facility on Greensboro Road into a 90-bed hospital for mentally incompetent criminal defendants.

It’s been a a couple of months, and HP’s still waiting on approval from the state:

“I have no idea. I’ve been wondering the very same thing myself,” said City Councilwoman Bernita Sims, who represents Ward 1, where the Evergreens site is located in the Five Points community.

In December, a city-initiated rezoning attempt by the council that would have blocked the hospital failed, following a protracted debate over the project. Supporters point to the 185 jobs and multi-million-dollar investment GEO Care promises to deliver if it gets the contract.

Opponents argued a mental hospital would not be a good fit for the Interstate 74 interchange where Evergreens is located.

After the rezoning failed, there was talk that opponents might turn their attention to lobbying state legislators against awarding the contract. Whether the idea was put into action is unclear.

“I heard that, but I don’t know that it’s true,” Sims said.

Mayor Becky Smothers — who opposed the hospital —tells the High Point Enterprise she has not lobbied against the hospital and knows of no such lobbying. Remember —gov’t moves slow.