By Patrick TepoortenL

The Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the Chisago County Health and Human Services Dept., was suspended last Thursday by Chisago County Administrator John Moosey. The program has been under scrutiny over the last six months, most recently in relation to the resignation of newly elected mayor of St. Croix Falls Brad Foss.

Foss had received his masters degree in social work through the program and his resignation less than a year after doing so raised questions about the programís oversight and the language of contracts between employees and the county.

Moosey instructed Human Services Director Renee Kirchner to suspend the program because of what he feels is ìa recently decreased valueî based what he called the ìconstant concern and negative publicityî surrounding the program.

Putting the MSW program on hold, said Moosey, will allow new HHS Supervisor Mary Sheehan to take her position without the cloud surrounding the program hanging over the office.

ìItís a chance to clear the decks and let her focus on really important things,î he said. ìThe amount of noise surrounding the program has become a distraction.î

Moosey would not say if the program will be reinstated or terminated. Instead, he suggested that the future of the program would lie in Sheehanís hands, as well as the county boardís. He also hinted that, with cuts to programs expected at both the state and federal level, the question of reinstatement may be ìmootî entirely.