Today is a great day to do business in Moorhead
“When people are unemployed, services to our citizens increase,” explained Clay County Administrator, Brian C. Berg, to the Wednesday “Let’s Talk Business” breakfast attendees.
When bad times arrive and poverty increases, demands on the Clay County’s services increase and that demand for services stretches the budget. In recessions, the popular thought is that the services can’t be afforded and spending should be curtailed. However, in good times, the popular thought is that services are deemed not necessary and spending should be limited.
Even though the social service department is well known, the county has a number of other important areas of responsibilities. One such example of an important social service is law enforcement, which falls under the county’s $63 million budget. Law enforcement includes two facilities – the jail and the annex.
The Clay County Jail is the oldest jail in Minnesota and has been over crowded for at least the past six years. It houses 66 adult inmates and the annex holds 30 minimum-security adult inmates. Because of the lack of space, twenty prisoners must be housed 60 miles away, costing the county $55 to $60 per day for each individual. Berg projected that the need will continue to increase to 188 to 200 beds requiring a new facility, which is estimated to cost $30 million.
Several cost options have been discussed, such as shared services with regional facilities. After serious considerations, the county deemed a regional partnership not economically viable because of the high cost of transportation and additional personnel requirements. It is estimated that approximately 80% of the prisoners have mental health issues, which may present security-transporting issues with a regional partnership-funding model. The proposed jail would be connected to the existing underground inmate transfer tunnel that links to the courthouse.
It’s important for citizens to understand the needs of their community, particularly with major social services. Thanks to Berg and his team for making a difference in the Moorhead area.