At a workshop meeting in June, Probation Director J Hancuch described how a CCA system might be beneficial over a County Probation Officer (CPO) system, which Sherburne County currently has.

 

A CPO supervises all juvenile and adult misdemeanor offenders residing in the county. Adult felons are supervised by the Dept. of Corrections (DOC).

 

Under a CCA, all juvenile and adult offenders, even felons, are supervised by the county probation department.

 

Hancuch said the CCA system gives the county local control over all offenders, and it has a more reliable funding stream.

 

Tuesday, Hancuch gave a budget comparison of both systems. The probation department under the CPO system has 20 staff and 1,786 offenders.

 

If the county switched to a CCA system in 2015, the staff would increase to 25 and the county would be handling 2,346 offenders.

 

The CPO budget is currently $469,611, with $379,902 paid in reimbursements from the state.

 

The budget would increase to $890,511 under a CCA, with a $575,728 state subsidy and another $225,074 reimbursement currently paid to the Dept. of Corrections for handling the felons.

 

“We have a 25% increase in salaries and expenses with staff, but we would also increase revenue by 33%,” he said.

 

Hancuch said under the CPO system, the county was promised 50% reimbursement from the state.

 

“But we have not received 50% since 1996,” he told the board.

 

Under a CCA, the county would receive funding that follows a specific formula based on population and number of cases. That formula is adjusted every other year.

 

Commissioner Bruce Anderson said he was concerned state lawmakers might revamp the probation funding system. He said they discussed it at this year’s legislative session. If the county took on a bigger budget, they might be stuck with funding it if the state reduced its contribution.

 

“With a different governor and legislators, funding could possibly change,” he said. “That’s a bit of a concern I have. Are we moving too quickly without seeing where it goes?”

 

Hancuch agreed there was no way to know what legislators would do.

 

“I know things change. There’s no guarantees,” he said. “But the funding thing is an issue in the CPO world. Our funding has not been based on any type of formula.”

 

Commissioner Felix Schmiesing said he agreed there was a risk with making a change.

 

“I don’t disagree with Bruce (Anderson). There’s risk because of what changes might occur in St. Paul,” he said. “But I don’t think we’re in a good position to be second-guessing what those folks are going to do next session.”

 

Commissioner Rachel Leonard said the state hasn’t come through with funding in the CPO system in years, even with different lawmakers running the state government.

 

“Promises have not been kept. We’ve had different legislators and governors,” she said. “I don’t see how it’s changed anything.” 

 

She said she was in favor of making the change because it gave the county local control and because the judges and department heads all thought it was a good idea.

 

“The judges, the county attorney, the sheriff - they are all for doing it,” she said. “And I’ve got to believe they are doing it for the best for Sherburne County.”

 

Schmiesing said the bottom line was, it wouldn’t cost taxpayers any more money.

 

“I understand the budget is increasing, but the net-to-levy will be less, and that’s what affects our taxpayers,” he said. “That’s an important  component that can’t be overlooked.” 

 

When the vote was taken, Commissioners Schmiesing, Leonard, John Riebel and Ewald Petersen voted in favor. Anderson voted against.