New court to seek funding, By LISA KACZKE, Staff Writer

The Koochiching County Family Dependency Treatment Court is a step closer to obtaining funding to hire staff to work closely with the families in the program.
Court officials discussed the program with Koochiching County commissioners Tuesday. The board was supportive of the new program, slated to begin in August, and agreed to back a grant application for the program.
But commissioners voiced concerns that the position had not been reviewed by the county’s personnel committee before it came before the board. Commissioners agreed to refer the matter to the personnel committee before the board is expected to make a decision on whether to hire a new employee.
The court is for families with addiction-related abuse with the goals of recovery and family reunification. It is a program offered by a U.S. Department of Justice program.
A part-time employee would be hired to work in the county’s Community Services Department and would provide enhanced case management in the new court program. The employee would meet with the families every day at the beginning of the program and provide constant supervision and support to the families, according to Della Warren, administrator of the Koochiching Family Collaborative.
The court program would accept the “hardest to serve families,” those who are seen in the court system repeatedly, Warren said. Results from other courts have shown that 75 percent of the families that go through the court program are not seen again in the court system, Warren said.
The program would work to provide preventative measures in child protection, according to Community Services Director Terry Murray. It will help reduce problems without using county funds, he said, adding that the program comes at a time when the county is cutting programs due to a lack in funding.
The new court is expected to help reduce the number of out-of-home placements of children. The county spent nearly $1.2 million, or about 80 percent of local property taxes, on out-of-home placements, according to Murray.
Those involved with the program are also seeking funding through the Otto Bremer Foundation, Warren told the county board. The grants would financially support the program through next year.
But Commissioner Chuck Lepper said the county board is being asked to hire a new employee. Lepper said he feared that when grant money runs out to pay for the position, the county will get stuck picking up the tab. He also said he’s concerned that other departments may hire new employees without the involvement of the personnel committee.
In addition to referring the position to the personnel committee, commissioners also made it clear that the position would end when the grant funding ran out.

Koochiching County Board news notes
• The Koochiching County Board did not respond to an invitation to meet on a regular basis with the International Falls City Council.
Falls Mayor Shawn Mason extended the invitation as a part of the Falls’ strategic plan to improve communication between governments. Mason told the county board Tuesday that it did not need to respond and she would come back to the next meeting to give them another opportunity to respond.
The city wants to build a relationship with the county, Mason said, adding that Falls city councilors are expected to attend county board meetings more often to communicate and help the county board if it’s needed, Mason said.
Mason told commissioners she feels there is a “wedge between us.” It’s OK if the county board and city council can “disagree respectfully,” Mason said.
She also presented the Falls’ strategic plan adopted by the council Monday. Mason called the plan an “overall vision of the city of International Falls.” Mason said she would like to see greater job creation and an increase in population.
• The board heard an update on new permanent rules proposed by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources.
BWSR is proposing changes in buffer zone rules, which could play into Dunnick Lake being used as a wetland credit bank, Commissioner Wade Pavleck said.
BWSR is also proposing a change exemptions that would create more work for the county in administration and site visits, according to Pavleck.
• The board approved in a 4-1 vote to buy a lawn mower. Pavleck voted against the motion because one quote was solicited before the decision came before the county board. Pavleck called it “grossly unfair” to other businesses in the community.
Commissioner Chuck Lepper responded that it was evident that Building Complex Superintendent Terry Glowack had done research on different lawn mowers and prices.
• The board heard that Voyageurs National Park had received funding to build a 50-passenger boat to give tours on Rainy Lake.
• The board received notice of the hire of Michael Malachi as the assistant engineer in the Highway Department.
• During public comment, Dan McCarthy said the city wastes time at county board meetings on “ineffective proposals.” The city council’s requests are more like demands, McCarthy said, adding that no other cities in the county appear before the county board in the manner that International Falls does.
The city seeking a writ of certiorari to review decisions issued by a Minnesota Department of Transportation dispute resolutions board, which McCarthy called an example of “more time wasted.” The city is “a total disaster” on economic development and the way it spends money, he said.