The Stearns County Attorney’s Office is taking on a new responsibility. For the first time, the County will be handling criminal cases for some cities. Sauk Centre, Brooten and St. Augusta have all agreed to contracts that allow the County to prosecute its entire misdemeanor, petty misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges. The County has always prosecuted felony cases. The change is coming about in light of budget cuts many cities are facing. Officials from various cities had come to the County last spring, desperate to find ways to save money at the request of their city councils. Contracts vary from city to city, depending on the volume of cases each handles in a typical year, but all noticed some cost savings. For example, Sauk Centre hoped for a contract at $39,000, but signed for $32,000. St. Augusta for $17,000, but ended up with a contract for $11,000. Brooten will pay on a per case basis. “This is a win-win situation for both the County and the cities,” said Janelle Kendall, Stearns County Attorney. “Brooten, St. Augusta and Sauk Centre are saving money at no cost to the County. We are charging only what we thought it would cost us to provide the service, and it’s less than what they all expected to pay.” Although St. Augusta, Sauk Centre and Brooten are the three cities on board at this time, these contracts could be a model for other cities. Other towns that wish to have the County take over their legal services can come forward at any time. In towns with populations less than 600, it’s automatic that the County handles their criminal cases. Initially all contracts are for two years. A new brochure will be given to homeowners planning to build in rural Stearns County. The Board approved the distribution of the brochures and they’re in the process of being printed. The Stearns County Environmental Services Department developed the brochure to educate new homeowners about rural living. There is an apparent need to make homeowners aware of the smells, sounds and sights that they would experience living in the country. With the increased rate of development in the rural areas, this is a real sensitive issue in Stearns County. Livestock producers in Stearns County are concerned about the increased pressure from development and their ability to operate their farms with their new neighbors. The goal is to encourage new homeowners and farmers to work together to avoid conflicts. This brochure is similar to one developed last year in Ottawa County, Michigan. The Ottawa County brochure incorporates a scratch-and-sniff cowpie. At some point in the future, Stearns County’s brochure may also include a manure/feedlot odor. The brochure will be distributed to people applying for a permit to construct a new home and to land developers proposing to build developments in rural areas. The brochure will also be available on the County’s web site or to anyone who wishes to pick one up at the County Environmental Services Department. The Board of Commissioners heard about the problems of homelessness in Stearns County. Not surprisingly, the number of homeless people in our area is going up. What is surprising is that in the last 4 years, it jumped 27 percent. It’s predicted that these numbers will only continue to grow. Only slightly more than half the demand for emergency shelter beds will come from single adults, the rest from children and families. Statewide on any given night, an estimated 8,600 people are homeless. Of that number, over 3,000 are children, and of that number nearly half are under the age of 7. The study also found that more of the homeless are working. In 1991 that number stood at 19 percent, in 2000 the number of working homeless jumped to 41 percent. More are mentally ill; over 1/3 had serious mental illness. Among the homeless youth, 28 percent had been sexually abused, 47 percent physically abused and 28 percent had been placed in child foster care. Some other interesting information gathered by the study is that housing costs played a big role in homelessness. Also, most homeless families didn’t have fathers present and half didn’t receive child support. Lastly, more than 1/3 of all homeless mothers were fleeing the abuse of a partner. “This is getting to be quite a problem and we need to do something about it,” said Stearns County Commissioner Larry Haws. “This is a growing issue and we are going to have to deal with it.” This was the first of a three part series on the problem of homelessness. Next week, at the Board’s January 27th meeting, the cost of emergency sheltering will be discussed. The third presentation will address the issues of chemical dependency, mental illness and homelessness. Stearns County’s Warner Lake County Park received a unique distinction. On Tuesday, the Minnesota DNR presented a sign to the Board recognizing the park as a TREE FARM. Warner Lake Park is the only county park in the state to get this distinction. The TREE FARM status is awarded because of the quality of tree management practices in a 30-acre pine grove at the park. The tree grove is 50 years old this year. Today the cathedral of pines house trails for hiking and skiing on a year-round basis. Warner Lake Park is located about 2 miles north of the city of Clearwater. Maps of the County parks can be found online at www.co.stearns/mn/us/departments/parks. The Board recognized two businesses this week for their work in food safety. Hilltop Family Restaurant in Paynesville and St. Mary’s Help of Christian School in St. Augusta received the 2003 Food Safety Awards. Last year the Stearns County Environmental Services Department began recognizing food service establishments that have demonstrated an outstanding performance in the area of food safety. “So often we hear about all the bad things that happen with food establishments, such as food-borne outbreaks,” said Don Adams, Environmental Services Director. “We decided it was time to recognize those who do a really good job.”
