The $75 million project will include 185 jail beds, three new courtrooms and new facilities for the county's attorney's office, plus a remodel of some existing space at the aging complex.
The Itasca County Board met for a regular session at the Itasca County Courthouse on Tuesday.
During the meeting, commissioners approved an additional $15,000 in expected legal expenses for relocation efforts related to property acquisition for the construction of the new correctional facilities.
Attorneys with Rinke Noonan provided a letter why the budget had gone beyond its initial contract. The county board approved the original contract in August 2020. The board felt the issue was beyond the scope of the county attorney to handle the specialized service of relocating tenants.
County Administrator Brett Skyles recommended approving the additional $15,000.
âItâs not always easy to find relocation spots or relocate tenants in there,â Skyles said. âThis group (Rinke Noonan) has been excellent to work with and answered all my questions. Very responsive when it comes to any kind of communication and very professional. I was really glad we had some specialized co
The Itasca County Board of Commissioners officially opposed the parole of James Shane Swanson this week and recommended his continued incarceration.Â
The recommendation came during the county boardâs work session on Tuesday, April 20. The board felt the release of Swanson âwould create an extreme safety risk.âÂ
Swanson was convicted of four counts of first degree murder and one count of kidnapping on Dec. 14, 1994. Swanson and his co-defendant admitted to the killing of Carin Streufert in Aitkin County in the early hours of June 14, 1991.Â
On June 14, 1991, Streufert, an 18-year-old college student, went to a Perkins Restaurant in Grand Rapids with some friends between 12:30 and 1 a.m. Around 2:45 a.m., Streufert departed. Although another friend offered her a ride home, Streufert decided to walk.