County staff to pursue joint-powers contract with Anoka ERJC for a guaranteed juvenile-detention bed

Morrison County juvenile corrections staff asked the board Nov. 4 to pursue a joint-powers agreement with Anoka County’s East Regional Juvenile Center (ERJC) to secure one guaranteed juvenile-detention bed.

Staff said the ERJC offer would be billed annually at $146,000 and presented as 12 monthly payments of $12,166. Corrections and juvenile staff told commissioners that the ERJC has reserves (reported by staff at about $1,600,000) and a long operating history; staff also outlined differences between a simple contract and a joint-powers agreement and noted the typical notice periods required to exit a joint-powers arrangement.

County staff explained the operational benefit: a guaranteed bed reduces late-night transport time for deputies, keeps youth closer to family for visits and reduces the risk that officers will spend hours trying to locate an available bed outside the county. Staff recounted earlier practice of sharing a half-bed with Carver County and the administrative difficulties that arrangement caused.

Commissioners discussed timing and termination notice (a 30-day/January start timeline was described for exiting the current Prairie Lakes contract), the financial treatment of the contract in next year’s budget and the potential for annual rate adjustments. Staff said ERJC had added capacity for two beds in the current year and that prior operating shortfalls had been handled from ERJC reserves.

Action taken: commissioners directed staff to pursue drafting a Morrison-ERJC joint-powers agreement, to return the draft for board review and to target bringing final documents to the board before the December/January notice deadline so that the county can give required notice to the Prairie Lakes contract if it chooses to switch providers.