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The County Board plans to take some kind of official action May 28 on proceeding with or shelving design of a Law Enforcement Center.

The Board met in an all-day work session May 15 to receive information from architects, sheriff's staff, construction managers with the meeting facilitated by consultant David Prachar. The commissioners agreed they'll be prepared to give direction to the sheriff May 28 as to the scope of the project that will proceed into design development.

Sheriff Todd Rivard last week also announced three public meeting dates that have been tentatively secured. There should be a Law Enforcement Information Meeting June 26 in Rush City, another July 8 in North Branch and one July 17 at a Chisago Lakes location. Sites for the public meetings and times will be finalized shortly.

Rivard told the commissioners he needs to know the scale of any project that he's informing the public about.

Last week's work session allowed the commissioners to review the fine details of options for the project. There are cost deductions possible on housing unit deletions (stand alone 60-bed pods that can be alternates) or by deleting items like sheriff's staff offices, firing range or garage. The goal is to open a law enforcement center by 2011 that will meet the county's needs for 20-25 years. The current jail was built in 1978.

Most of the commissioners expressed the preference to build sheriff offices as part of the new jail facility. Freeing up the sheriff's office space in the Government Center would allow for years' of expansion for district courts.

County Administrator John Moosey envisions moving courts customer service windows to the main floor where HHS is now officed in the Government Center. Health and Human Services would relocate downstairs to the vacated sheriff space. The government center top floor, where court personnel are moved out of, could then accommodate a couple more courtrooms. People could pay tickets, file documents and accomplish other legal services in a more easily accessible location on the main floor, Moosey added.

Sheriff Rivard also would like a Law Enforcement Center that includes office space for his personnel. He noted the early schematic designs illustrate where the jail and law enforcement would share space, such as a classroom for officer meetings and training that inmates could also use for educational study or counseling visits.

The 911 communications staff would also move to the new facility. Rivard said a Law Enforcement Center would create an efficient and effective department with everybody consolidated.

To vote or not to vote

County Auditor Dennis Freed is researching the referendum question and did not have complete details at last week's work session.

Freed said a ballot in the fall with the general election would cost about $4,000. A special election on selling bonds for this would run several times that amount.

With the exception of Commissioner Bob Gustafson, county commissioners were not completely clear if they want a referendum. Commissioner Gustafson said the Board is elected to make these decisions. He agreed there needs to be a public informational outreach explaining the project, but a new law enforcement center "is the right thing to do" and he wouldn't support costs for a referendum.

The Chisago County Press will begin a series the first week in June on the existing jail and why a new facility is being explored. We will cover the costs of building and the cost of doing nothing. The series of articles will run through June.

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