St. Cloud City Council to Address Justice Center, Opioid Programs, and Neighborhood Improvements Monday

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud City Council will tackle several major initiatives at its Monday meeting, including a public hearing on the new Stearns County Justice Center location, allocation of nearly $900,000 in opioid settlement funds, and approval of a $7.1 million neighborhood reconstruction project.

The council will hold a public hearing to consider annexing approximately 85 acres of land in St. Joseph Township for the new Stearns County Justice Center. The proposal involves two parcels located northeast of the intersection of County Road 75 and County Road 134. The parcels border the current St. Cloud city limits on their western boundary.

Stearns County has applied for the annexation following voter approval in a November 2024 referendum to relocate the county’s jail and court systems from downtown St. Cloud. All current property owners have signed petitions requesting that the land be brought into the city limits. Under state law, the parcels must be annexed to St. Cloud, the county seat, to house the court system.

If approved, the city would need to conduct an environmental review, establish zoning, and issue building permits. Stearns County will be responsible for extending utilities and other public infrastructure to serve the new facility.

The council will consider authorizing approximately $870,000 from opioid settlement funds for community programs addressing drug abuse and its impacts.

The largest allocation, $667,000, would fund a Co-Responder Program from February 2026 through January 2029. The program would add two positions to work alongside police on opioid-related calls.

Other proposed expenditures include $60,000 for encampment cleanup from 2026 through 2029, $106,000 for an Opioid Wellness & Harm Reduction Outreach Initiative through the city’s Aging Services Department, and $30,000 for cameras to help police address opioid use impacts.

St. Cloud began receiving settlement funds from national opioid litigation in November 2022. As of December 8th, the city has approximately $1.04 million available, with annual allocations ranging from $56,784 to $81,331 expected through July 2028. Total funds awarded to the city through 2038 are estimated at $1.63 million.

The city is exploring partnerships with Stearns, Benton, and Sherburne counties to coordinate regional use of opioid settlement funds. Under consideration is allowing St. Cloud-based nonprofit organizations to apply for funding through an existing Stearns County competitive grant program.

The council will also hold a public hearing on ordering Phase 5 of the Pan Park Neighborhood street reconstruction project, estimated at $7.1 million.

The project would reconstruct 29th and 28th Avenue North from 10th to 12th Street North, 26th and 27th Avenue North from 11th to 12th Street North, and 10th and 11th Street North between 29th and 27th Avenue North. Work would include replacing aging utilities, deteriorated roads, and adding new sidewalks.

This continues a multi-year neighborhood revitalization effort, with previous phases completed in 2018, 2019, 2024, and 2025. A final phase is programmed for 2027.

Property owners would be assessed approximately $1.82 million, or 25.7% of the project cost, with the city covering the remaining $5.28 million. Residential properties would be assessed at reduced rates compared to standard assessments, and single-family homes would not be assessed for new or replaced sidewalks under city policy.

The St. Cloud City Council meets at 6:00 p.m. inside city hall.

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