Commissioners hear housing summit update, psychiatric bed rule suspension and LEC cost estimates

Commissioners received several committee updates on Oct. 21, including a Red Wing housing summit, a temporary change to psychiatric transfer guidance and preliminary cost estimates for a joint law‑enforcement center.

Commissioner Linda said the Red Wing housing summit is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the St. James Hotel from 2 to 6 p.m., and that the Southeast Minnesota Coalition housing study is gathering information from cities and counties with an updated report expected around mid-2026. Linda also reported on an inquiry about a so-called "48-hour" rule for moving people with a mental-health diagnosis to hospitalization. She said the 48-hour rule applies after a bed has been found but noted that, because of a scarcity of beds in Minnesota, the rule has been suspended for the next two years.

"The 48 hour rule is apparently after a bed is found, and there are very few beds in Minnesota. However, it has now that rule has now been suspended for the next 2 years because of the fact that there aren't enough beds to, to handle the people that need it," Linda told the board.

On an update about a possible combined county/city law-enforcement center (LEC), commissioners said three building options were presented at a recent meeting; the lowest building-only estimate discussed was about $8 million (site prep and other costs were not included), and an option that included a parking garage was estimated at about $17–18 million. Commissioners said the decision will hinge on whether the city wants a larger investment and how costs would be shared.

Another commissioner reported that an Alternative Urban Area Review (AUAR) for Pine Island is available on the city website; county staff and commissioners are continuing discussions with the city and developers about that project.

No formal board actions were taken on these committee reports at the Oct. 21 meeting.