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A Lakes Area Police Commission subcommittee continues looking into re-use of Lindstrom City Hall for a law enforcement facility— while the Commission met in regular session last week to handle the usual department business.  The subcommittee or “work group”  has met once in the past few months,  on the concept of  retrofitting the city hall for use as a police headquarters.  An earlier cursory $10,000 analysis  of the building showed there are a number of theoretical and practical issues to investigate.  The work group approved allocating $20,000 to hire Kraus Anderson to compare  city hall re-use and those detailed costs to the new facility,  earlier planned for next door to the Chisago City Fire Hall on Karmel Avenue. Lindstrom paid for the first study by a design firm on the feasibility of the city hall for re-use.  The commission is seeking a second opinion.

Lindstrom’s Police Commission member Brian Norelius was absent last week, but in other business three commissioners also approved the hire of Campbell Knutson for legal advice,   succeeding a local firm who stepped back.  Staff said three firms  showed interest and contract approval was based on the fact Campbell Knutson knew the Chisago Lakes area and their fees were most reasonable.

Also a special police commission budget-setting meeting was scheduled for August 13 at Lindstrom City Hall.  

Chief Schlumbohm said the 2026 budget cycle is well underway and there’s lots of work left to do.  The councils for Chisago City and Lindstrom need to accept the department’s budget proposal and work it into their overall financial needs,  as the cities split the department budget 50-50.  Local governments need preliminary budgets submitted into the county for early property tax notices in September.

Chief Schlumbohm advised the commission members to expect requests for license plate readers and drones in the upcoming budget.  

Readers are approved and coming to the county roads through the sheriff’s office and to four locations in the City of Wyoming.  As part of a comprehensive layout, for the best data coverage,  the departments need to coordinate where the units are being positioned within their territories.  

The police commissioners agreed these devices are highly useful resources in catching criminals and locating stolen vehicles, among other offenses. And, the drone use was approved by the police commission earlier, but actual drones await being incorporated into Lakes Area operations.

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