State: Replace county jail soon

After the yearly review by the state corrections inspector earlier this month, the Carlton County jail is looking at a forced retirement.

The final report following the Jan. 9 inspection of the jail and its daily operations included plans to recommend to the commissioner of corrections that a future "sunset authorization" be made for the facility. Senior detention facility inspector Sarah Johnson noted in her findings that "it is the intent of the Department of Corrections to continue to work with the officials of Carlton County to address the public safety needs of this community."

Without plans to fund and build a new jail and provide required programming for incarcerated at that facility, some time in the near future the Department of Corrections will move to close the Carlton County jail.

The Carlton County board of commissioners considered the report at its meeting Monday, Jan. 27.

Commissioners and county staff involved with public safety have worked on a plan for the future of the jail for at least four years, sparked by overcrowding, the age of the facility and a design that doesn't serve today's needs. A jail study was commissioned and completed and several proposals for a new jail complex are under consideration, with the favored plan to build a new facility in the north parking lot of the current courthouse. Purchasing the Carlton High School property would also give the county other options for buildings and/or parking. The price tag is still up in the air - but $24 to $30 million is in the ballpark - as is the question of how to pay for such a project.

The board is hoping to fund a new jail complex utilizing a half-cent sales tax. But it needs approval from the state legislature before it can take a vote to residents. The legislature requires that any sales tax use must be for a project that will have a regional impact.

The county board unanimously approved a major push for state bonding for engineering, planning and designs for a new female offender program in conjunction with the new jail being considered. There is a dearth of programming for women offenders in the region and board members hope the project will help in securing state permission for a sales tax.

It unanimously approved asking the Legislature for permission to ask voters to approve a half-percent sales tax to build a new jail. Sheriff Kelly Lake said she thinks the decision to start the process of sunsetting the jail could also help.

The earliest the legislature can give its blessing is during the session that begins Feb. 11. Approval would empower the county board to put the half-percent sales tax funding for the new jail on the November ballot.

At the end of a flurry of board actions, commissioner Dick Brenner said "the jail construction now is set for a 2022 construction season if all these steps and approvals are successful."

Newly revealed during the discussions Monday was the plan to use the old jail for a kitchen and laundry facility.

Commissioner Mark Thell said in addition to the request for bonding money in the proposal for a new jail, that the Carlton waterline along Highway 210 to the Carlton Junction is in the governor's final request for state bonding.

Mike Grebel, who was part of BKV Group's work on the new jail concept and building scheme, was chosen by the county board for consulting services for the proposed Jail.

Other matters

• The renovation of the old Cloquet City Hall, now owned by the county, is on the fast track. County coordinator Dennis Genereau said once the building was turned over to the county, it took several months of meetings to determine which programs should be housed there. The ACT team (Assertive Community Treatment) was chosen to relocate there to avoid paying expensive rent elsewhere in the Cloquet business district.

To house county programs the old city hall needed updates in technology and work space. County officials had hoped to keep the cost of the upgrades under $175,000 so that the work could be quoted by three local contractors. The quotes came in above that level and forced more planning and more hoops to jump through.

The committee also proposed that motor vehicle licensing and veterans services move to the new complex. Most of the renovation and relocation of programs should be done by mid-summer.

Commissioner Tom Proulx asked again why the old council chambers could not be used for county meetings. Genereau responded that it had been discussed in committee sessions but it was decided to not use the space in that way.

• Commissioner Brenner said that the operations of the two county airports in Cloquet and Moose Lake are close to operating financially with little cost to the taxpayers.

• A letter to the county board from the Midwest Regional Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs notified the board the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa wishes to acquire 11 parcels of land totaling 233.12 acres to re-establish the band's 1854 land base and provide housing.

According to the county assessor, this move would result in a net loss of taxable property for county and local municipalities of $2.4 million from the existing tax base. The band already owns the Northstar Ballroom at the Carlton Junction. As part of the proposed action, the band would acquire the neighboring Don Dens Sales property.

• The public hearing for the Transportation Capital Improvement Plan and the intent to issue bonds for the new Barnum maintenance facility received no comments and the plan was approved by the county board.