A call for reason as program faces cut

A crowd of more than 300 people turned out for a rally at the Moose Lake Hockey Arena grounds Friday, Aug. 14 to support keeping the Willow River Challenge Incarceration Program in operation. The event came 11 days after the announcement of the closure of the Willow River and the Togo camps, which were prompted by a Department of Corrections budget deficit of $14 to $17 million and growing due to Covid-19-related expenses.

Since the announcement on Aug. 3, the DOC planned to relocate the two camp populations to a metro area prison. By Aug. 11, the plan had changed to have the program population moved to a wing at the Moose Lake Prison, formerly the Moose Lake Regional Treatment Center.

According to a flyer handed out at the rally, the CIP was established in 1992 as a high-intensity, early-release program which focuses on getting offenders physically and mentally fit through rigorous physical training, educational programming and intense chemical dependency treatment.

The CIP's Restorative Justice philosophy requires participants to give back to the community by assisting non-profits, local governments, and in times of emergency, local residents who are in need. According to the handout, the offenders develop relational skills by interacting with the local community which builds safety and a sense of belonging.

"In the floods of 2012 the CIP workers came to fill and place sandbags," Moose Lake mayor Ted Shaw told the crowd. "They worked shoulder to shoulder with the people of the town. They saved the town from major water damage." He said residents cheered when the CIP workers marched in the Fourth of July parade that year.

The Willow River CIP has a budget for 2020 of $5.7 million compared to the overall DOC budget of $611 million. Department of Corrections commissioner Paul Schnell spoke to the crowd and said the voice of the community had been heard. He said the turnout showed why the programs in Togo and Willow River are successful.

Former employees, Habitat for Humanity representatives, Sen. Jason Rarick, Rep. Mike Sundin and Carlton County commissioner Gary Peterson also addressed the crowd. Rarick said he hoped that the decision to move the camps would wait until the Legislature finds extra funding.

Sundin asked that public employees be thanked for performing tough jobs and that a funding solution could be found rather than just recycling offenders.

DOC spokesman Nicholas Kimball told the Pine Knot News that the move to Moose Lake will mean some jobs are retained, but most of the positions at Willow River and Togo will be eliminated. He said staff will have an opportunity to transfer to open positions at other facilities as well.

"Let's keep 51 good paying jobs here," Peterson said. "The Carlton County board of commissioners has passed a resolution to keep the program in Willow River. When these staff members have put their lives on the line during this epidemic to keep the program running, why are we considering dislocating their lives with these changes? There has got to be an answer."

Moose Lake resident Byron Kuster taught for several years at the Willow River CIP. Kuster said a conversation with former TV anchor and Democratic political candidate Michelle Lee led to his organizing a rally. Kuster said within a few days the event came together and he was glad so many people showed up.