Debra Larson
Melrose
After being employed for more than 30 years for Stearns County human services, the public needs to know that a jail is needed, not a justice center. The justice center would include the County Attorney, but the County Attorney’s staff occupies a portion of the fourth floor of the Stearns County administration building, the other part is vacant. Also, the third floor, the majority of the second floor and the lower level are vacant. There is adequate space for all the attorney’s staff, when they are in the office, and not working remotely, in the current administration building due to human service employees working remotely.
Prior to Covid, the county spent $11,221,351 to add on to the service center west for human services staff. The bulk of the space on the first floor, that was completed in August 2021, is vacant. In October 2023 human services required a few eligibility specialists to work at the service center, but a sizable amount of space for the attorneys or court staff is still available as human service staff works remotely.
In addition to the courtrooms in court facility and courthouse buildings, during Covid a courtroom was built for jury trials and other hearings in the lower level of the administration building which isn’t being utilized. A number of court hearings for adults are by Zoom. The arraignments, in-custody hearings and some of the other hearings are all via Zoom, so neither the attorneys or persons appearing, including inmates, have to be in the courtroom. Also, court documents are now filed electronically; paper files/documents are no longer needed. The courts have adequate space and if they move to a (new) justice center there will be multiple empty county buildings.
We don’t need to spend $3.25 million on more empty space in our county facilities.
Call the commissioners. Say yes to a (new) jail and NO to a (new) justice center.