The Tri-County Regional Community Corrections Board held a regular meeting in the Polk County Justice Center on Monday morning.
After the Call to Order, the meeting began with the approval of the monthly statistics review and a Statistical Reports Review of all departments for the month of June. The board heard from Executive Director Andrew Larson, who reported that 153 inmates are currently in the Corrections Center, with 26 from Mahnomen County. He noted that they have a daily average of inmates being 145, and when the other housing unit reopens, that number will climb. He reported that controlled substance violators and probation violations were the main sentences in the Center, with there also being a high amount of people being charged with assault. The Transition Program had two cases and is currently running with one staff member and are still searching for another officer.
The board then received an update on Personnel issues from Director Andrew Larson. Who reported that Adin Torres began today as a Corrections Officer with Sedekie Bility and Cory Hoeper beginning their work as Corrections Officers on Monday, July 18. Larson also reported that Alina Noyes had made a transfer to Probation Agent from a Red River Juvenile Center Caseworker starting today. There were a few resignations as well, such as Corrections Officers Craig Petersen and Colin Trottier, who had left on June 10 and 14. Corrections Officer Radwan Ai also retired from the Corrections Center on Monday, June 27, and Youth Counselor Sara Weiss left on Thursday, June 30. Larson also reported that their recruiting process had been slowed down, as one recruit they had was good for the job but is taking time off due to developing a tumor, while other recruits were not seen fit for the job. He also reported that they still had several job openings at the Juvenile Center for Youth Counselors and Officers, and they will be busy this month to begin advertising and interviewing people to be ready for when the Juvenile Center opens. The board approved the motions unanimously.
The board then discussed placement issues with the Juvenile Center’s Chief Probation Officer, Jessica Hajicok. Larson explained that some changes had been made to the Juvenile Placement case she had brought to their attention last month. Hajicok explained that the judge had made modifications to the original proposed agreement, but the long-term placement for treatment has remained in place but with more flexibility on the housing for them when the juvenile completes the treatment. “Once the adolescent completes the treatment program, our Probation Department will work with the placement, and Social Services will determine an appropriate next step that would likely result in them returning to their community,” Executive Director Larson explained. “It will likely mean that it will allow for some time for the child to transition into the community, whereas the previous option was that they were going to be in placement up to their 21st birthday, so this will allow for some transition time.” Hajicok explained that the child’s current program is set to last about seven months, and they have currently completed about one and a half months. She reported that their progress is going well, and hopefully, they will finish it in four months rather than the full seven and return him home.
Hajicok then went into some of the placement issues that the Probation Department currently has. She also reported that they are currently having problems with finding areas for some of their cases, particularly with juveniles with aggressive behavior, mental health issues, and trauma, in places other than Security Detention. “What she wanted to emphasize is the difficulty in finding placements, not only within the state of Minnesota but even larger more regionally, they’ve had to reach out to other neighboring states in an attempt to find placements for some kids,” Larson explained. “Due to the high needs, particularly of medical needs with some of these kids, they’re having a very hard time finding placements.” She explained that their options have become very limited, and due to the sentences and actions these kids have committed at such young ages like 12 and 13, they believe that they may be dealing with them for multiple years and can only hold them for 90 days.
The board then went into a discussion on an amendment to a contract with the Minnesota Department of Directions on the Department of Corrections Work Release Unit with Joint Powers Agreement to extend it to the end of June 2023 and change the terms to add another $150,000 to increase the contract from $300,000 to $450,000. The amendment will help with the housing of the Department of House Release’s Work Release Program. Larson reported that they extended it rather than make a new two-year contract to simplify the process on their end, then create an entirely new contract for two years. He also reported that they are waiting for another amendment to the contract coming later in the month and will bring it forward to the meeting in August. The board approved the amendment to the contract unanimously.
The board then began discussing a few miscellaneous items. The first was an update on the Red River Valley Juvenile Center Construction Project. Director Larson revealed that they had fallen behind by about two weeks due to supply chain issues. “That was sort of to be anticipated because of all of the supply chain issues across the country. I think they were anticipating that there would be some of those challenges encountered with this project, and up to this point, most of the supply chain issues have not been very problematic. So, hopefully, this is just a bump in the road.” Larson reported that otherwise, the construction has been going well as hydraulics have been completed, most of the ceiling and sheet rocking framing has been completed, and they have started the process of mudding and taping. He also reported that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units are set to arrive in mid-September. Now, they are planning to reopen the Center around mid-November, which is a little behind what they originally intended. He hoped that they could start moving people inside the building to begin work by their next meeting.
The second item was the discussion about the Minnesota Association of County Corrections Act Counties (MACCAC) Conference that is set to take place at the Breezy Point Resort from September 28 to 30. And if any of the members were interested in taking part, they should contact Larson to have them registered.
The board finished the meeting by approving the invoices and bills for the county for June, which they did unanimously.
The next Tri-County Community Corrections board meeting will be on Monday, August 8, at the Tri-County Corrections Center.
