Stearns County Voters Face Key Decision on Funding for New Justice Center This November

(KNSI) — A new Stearns County Justice Center is coming, and in November, Stearns County voters must decide how to pay for it.

For years, the Minnesota Department of Corrections has warned the county the jail is beyond its useful life. Two studies show renovating it would waste taxpayers’ money, so a new one must be built. The DOC says the facility is constantly overcrowded, leading to the need to house inmates in other counties. Boarding them elsewhere costs between $500,000 and $1 million a year. A new jail would increase capacity from 160 inmates to 270, saving the county money by eliminating the need to house inmates elsewhere. The sheriff’s office has also run out of space and has resorted to using closets as offices for its deputies.

A ballot referendum asks residents to approve a 3/8 cent sales tax to cover the construction cost for a new jail, courtrooms, sheriff’s and county attorney’s offices. The tax would be collected for 30 years or until the $325 million project is paid off, whichever comes first. If the tax is approved, officials estimate 54% of the funding would come from non-county residents. If the tax referendum fails, residents face a property tax hike as they would be on the hook for 100% of the cost instead of just under half.

County Administrator Michael Williams told KNSI News some people think if they vote no to the sales tax, the county won’t be able to build, but that’s not true. “People need to understand that we’re going to do some kind of project, no matter. This board is intent on taking care of the problems that we have here and ensuring public safety.”

Williams says another misconception is the belief that everything is done remotely, so there’s no need for courtrooms anymore. During the pandemic, many court proceedings went virtual; however, for the last couple of years, most court hearings have been in person.

That building would be outside of downtown St. Cloud at a yet-to-be-determined location. The land would then be sold for redevelopment, and the historic courthouse would remain and be repurposed.

For more on the ballot question, click here.

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