Morrison County commissioners amend interim-use permit for Long Prairie treatment facility, require annual reports and incident notifications

The Morrison County Board of Commissioners approved amendments to an interim-use permit for a proposed Long Prairie residential treatment center on July 14, voting 4–1 after extended testimony from the applicants, their counsel and county staff.

The amended conditions, as read into the record by the chair, require that the facility executive director or the CEO of Ascension Recovery Services provide an annual update to the county board or Land Services by Jan. 30; that the interim-use permit terminate if Long Prairie Project Associates ceases to be the majority owner; and that the facility executive director or CEO report critical incidents to Land Services within 30 days. Commissioner Winter recorded the lone no vote.

The applicant, Doug Leach, identified himself as the founder and CEO of Ascension Recovery Services and told commissioners the facility is built, furnished and ready to operate once it receives state licensure. "I've invested every penny that I have," Leach said, adding his company invested "close to $13,000,000" in the property and expects to hire about 50 employees with an average wage he described as roughly $60,000. He told the board that licensure was "imminent" and estimated operations could begin in roughly 90 to 120 days once the state completes its review.

Land Services Director Amy Kowalczyk explained the technical effect of the amendment: denying the change would leave the existing permit and its earlier conditions in place, including the provision that would terminate the interim-use permit if the named individual retained on the original permit (Troy Hoekstra) ceased to be involved. "If you deny the request to amend the conditions, they'll still have an interim-use permit with the original conditions," Kowalczyk said. She and others warned the board that some aspects of licensure and oversight rest with the state agency reviewing behavioral health licenses, which must confirm local zoning as part of its process.

Several commissioners pressed applicants on oversight and community relations. Commissioner LeMaire and others said a named individual on the original permit had served as the community contact during the earlier process; Leach and his team said they have been meeting neighbors and plan open houses and continuing outreach. Clinical director Bill Coleman said the program will prescreen admissions to exclude court-ordered clients and those with violent histories. "We're partners early on," Coleman said, adding the operator would report critical incidents to county partners.

Commissioners debated whether tying the permit to an individual was appropriate or whether the county should instead link the permit to the property owner or the licensed operator. Board counsel and staff noted that the county's ordinance permits amendments and that, practically, state licensure and ownership changes can trigger separate reviews; commissioners expressed concern that a small ownership interest could preserve the permit under the earlier language.

The motion to approve the amendments was made by Commissioner Lemire and seconded by Commissioner Casper. On roll call, Commissioner LeMaire voted aye; Commissioner Moran voted aye; Commissioner Winter voted nay; Commissioner Casper voted aye; and the chair voted aye, resulting in a 4–1 passage of the amended conditions. The chair said the board would expect annual updates and that the new reporting condition would provide a mechanism to capture critical incidents in a timelier way.

The applicants and county staff emphasized that state Department of Human Services licensure remains a parallel step and that local zoning approval is one part of the state's review. Kowalczyk cautioned that the state would not routinely notify the county of every licensing action, making the new reporting conditions an important local control.

The board's action leaves the facility able to proceed under the revised conditions; if the county later determines there has been a significant change in ownership or a state licensing event that affects the facility, county staff indicated those changes could prompt reexamination of the permit.

The board adjourned the discussion and moved on with the agenda after the vote.