Rice County Administrator Sara Folstad, County Social Services Director Mark Shaw, and Community Corrections Director Rick Gieseke
gave a presentation to the Rice County Board of Commissioners earlier this month proposing to combine the Social Services and Corrections Departments in an effort to better serve the people of Rice County who need help and do it more efficiently through easier collaboration. The proposed change would put an added focus on Mental Health.
The proposal come on the heels of Shaw’s announcement that he intends to retire in January. Folstad said Shaw’s departure is an opportunity to think about the changes.
“When a significant leadership change occurs,” she said, “it’s a good time to evaluate what organizational structure will best serve [the county’s] needs now and into the future.”
The Board was presented with three different options, one that would simply bring the two departments together under one Deputy County Administrator, another that would add a full time Operations and Family Support Manager, and a third that would add a full time Adult Services manager and a full-time Child/Family Services manager. The cost associated with the change would range from marginal with Option #1 to as much as $260,000 for Option #3.
County Commissioner Galen Malecha voiced his support for the change, saying he likes the idea of the two departments working together rather than existing in “silos.”
“There’s a growing need for mental health services, and with the two departments working together this will help. We need to get to the root causes of the situations, because so many people with mental health problems wind up in the emergency room or in jail, which is not good for anyone involved. We’re trying to offer seamless help and support. This should go a long way toward reaching that goal.”
The Board has taken the issue into serious consideration and is expected to make a decision sometime in January. Malecha said, based on conversations at the most recent work session, that the board supports the change and is weighing the benefits of each option. There will be costs incurred by doing it, but making this change seems to be a necessary one.
“Yes, it will cost us more money, but you can’t put a price on someone’s mental health.”
Northfield School District and Police Department agree to continue School Resource Officer Program
Earlier this month, the Northfield School Board renewed their partnership with the Northfield Police Department for the School Resource Officer.
The SRO, Officer Bart Wiese, is a shared employee of the Northfield School District and the Police Department, each paying about half of his salary. As the Resource Officer, Officer Wiese works in the schools, fostering communication between the district and the police and assisting in whatever matters might arise. Northfield Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Matt Hillmann said the School Resource Officer also offers important instruction in the community through the D.A.R.E program for Northfield fifth graders, and the Mock Crash event. He is involved in the Northfield Community College Collaborative’s Law Enforcement program as well.
Both Hillmann and Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said one of the most important aspects of Wiese’s work is building relationships with the students themselves. Elliott has spoken often about the importance of Community Policing in his department. He said the NPD is not a place for people who want to spend their time investigating homicides and other felonies, because there is not a lot of that sort of activity here. What they do focus on is getting to know the businesses and the people of the town, to build trust, and help keep the peace. He sees the Community Resource Officer’s role as a key component to that work.
“I can tell you from my experience, I was a School Resource Officer a long time ago, I still have students from that time that contact me when they have questions about law enforcement, or maybe something that happened to them, or a family member and they want to know how to navigate it. Those relationships are very important.”
Hillmann has echoed Elliott’s thoughts. The district has prioritized the idea that each student in the Northfield School District needs to have a relationship with a trusted adult, and the School Resource Officer is a model for creating those types of relationships. The new agreement will last for three years. The School Board ratified the contract by a vote of 6-1.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliott can be heard here
Hillmann encourages consideration of Public Service
As the year winds down, there is a natural tendency for many people to reflect on the past twelve months, the events that have occurred, and perhaps the direction their lives are taking. At this time of year, many people start looking to make changes in how they are spending their time. Superintendent Hillmann took the time earlier this week to appeal to those looking for change to look into public service.
The last two years have been hard on everybody, and public servants are high on that list. From health care to law enforcement, to social services to education, public service has been a taxing endeavor.
Hillmann said because of the challenges of the last two years, more and more people are leaving public service. The issue has been identified by local law enforcement leaders as well who have said there appear to be fewer and fewer people considering a career in law enforcement. Public service is being drained of good people, Hillmann said, and there is a need for more people willing to step up and lend a hand.
“And we need another group of people who can step in and say ‘I’ll help. I’ll do it. I will do this service for my friends and my neighbors, so we can have efficient services, so we can have caring services, and that we can have a community we’re proud of.’”
Dr. Hillmann pointed to several positions in the Northfield Public School District, both in substitute and full-time roles. There are any number of public service opportunities in Northfield and Rice County in the non-profit sector, municipal government, or social services. The city is always recruiting candidates to serve on local boards and commissions, and there is a vast array of volunteer opportunities as well.
Hillmann said those working in public service will contribute to creating efficient caring services, and a community of which we can all be proud.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnadio.net
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