90-7-227. Public hearing. The department of corrections, when seeking funding under this chapter, shall hold a public hearing to determine whether or not the proposed project is in the public interest. The decision regarding public interest is determined by the department of corrections, not the authority. Notice of the public hearing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the community where the prerelease center would be located. Notice must be given at least once a week for 2 weeks prior to the date of the public hearing. The notice must include the time and place of the hearing, the general nature of the prerelease center project, the name of the borrower or user of the project, the estimated cost of the project, and the maximum amount of financing assistance to be provided under this chapter. A determination by the department of corrections that a prerelease center project is in the public interest does not require that it be financed under this chapter.