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Steps toward government center continueBy MaryHelen Swanson The Chisago County Commissioners took a big step last week and voted to sign purchase agreements for land within the city of North Branch on which the county would build a government service center and a new long-term care facility replacing Green Acres Country Care Center. The two sites are located along Falcon Avenue west of the freeway and west of Tanger Outlet Center. The action did not come without considerable discussion, however and the vote on the land for the government center was not unanimous. Commissioner Ben Montzka was opposed. The county is looking at a little over eight acres on the east side of Falcon for a price of $400,000 for the government complex. The land chosen for the new long-term care facility is 20 acres on the west side of Falcon and a little to the south of the government center site. The cost for this property will be $312,000. A conceptual sketch of the proposed long-term care facility site also incorporated a health care facility and potential other senior housing options. Both Allina and Fairview health organizations have been contacted about the possibility of opening a clinic at this site. The county would also acquire, in this transaction, a small three-acre parcel owned by the city that could be used only for parking, perhaps a park and ride option. Following these actions, the board moved to hire KKE Architects, Inc. out of Minneapolis, for the government center project, and WAI Continuum out of St. Paul, for the long-term care campus project. One of the issues Commissioner Montzka had with the site for the long-term care facility was that a gas pipeline crosses through it. He also wanted the board to look at other available land to the south of the chosen sites. When he talked about his concern over relying on a site plan (for the long-term facility) drawn up by a firm not yet under contract with the county, County Attorney Ted Alleigro said that any time the county is looking at purchasing land, it relies on advice from someone knowledgeable about the site. Board chairman Bob Vande Kamp reminded everyone that the boardâs job is policy-making and not micromanaging. County Administrator Jim Thoreen summed up the process saying the county is committed to the project and will go through with it if the county is accepted in the state moratorium acceptance process. If the county does not get accepted, it will try again. Commissioner Montzka asked if the county had any interest in selling the facility after it is built. Commissioner Tom Delaney said the county would love to see someone like the Board of Social Ministry (BSM) take it over. Currently the county contacts with BSM to operate Green Acres.
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