by April Scheinoha
Reporter

North Country Food Bank needs a new building, and it’s asking for help from the Pennington County Board. Susie Novak, executive director of North Country Food Bank, sought $25,000 from the county for North Country’s new $6 million building. Commissioners took the request under advisement at their meeting Tuesday, Nov. 27.

Novak said North Country has grossly outgrown the capacity of its Crookston facility. In 2014, North Country was told its Crookston building is non-compliant and is unable to pass mandatory safety inspections. The building doesn’t have a sufficient freezer, or adequate space, parking or truck access. It also doesn’t have a licensed clean room, which is needed to repackage food.

North Country is eligible for $3 million in state bonding proceeds for a new facility; however, it needs to raise $3 million in matching funds. It is asking for $25,000 from smaller counties, like Pennington and Roseau. Roseau County has already agreed to provide a $25,000 appropriation.

“Our goal is actually to break ground this summer,” Novak said.

North Country is one of five food banks serving the state of Minnesota. It sources donated food nationally, regionally and locally, and then provides the food to 220 charitable organizations in 21 counties. In fiscal 2018 (which ended Sept. 30), North Country distributed 10.2 million pounds of food. That’s an increase of 1.9 million pounds compared to last year. “You would notice if we were not here,” Novak said.

The Thief River Falls Area Food Shelf is among the organizations receiving food from North Country. Almost 80 percent of its food comes from North Country, according to Food Shelf Director Alecia Hunt.

Commissioners weren’t sure how they wished to proceed with the request. County Board is in the process of finalizing its 2019 budget. “We definitely see a value in this,” said Chairperson Neil Peterson.

Faye Auchenpaugh provided an update on the City Auditorium Committee’s progress. The committee has learned that the county has received a grant to hire someone to write an application for status on the National Register of Historic Places. The amount of the grant wasn’t immediately available.

The committee is also in the process of securing funding to cover the cost of hiring a University of Minnesota graduate student to gather public input on how the building should be used and who should be in charge of it. So far, it needs an additional $8,300 of the $27,000 cost.

Auchenpaugh said the committee plans to ask additional foundations for support, but she asked commissioners how the committee should proceed if it doesn’t secure the remainder of the money prior to January.

Commissioners reiterated that they don’t want to spend taxpayer money to obtain public input on the building. Commissioner Cody Hempel noted the county has received a significant amount of public input regarding the building over the past five years. He said that he believed some were great ideas, but he added that he doesn’t want to continue putting this off.

Auchenpaugh replied that the committee would continue to seek additional funding during the month of December.

Commissioners approved extending a lease for the National Guard Armory kitchen. Totalling $1,900, the extension will enable the Pennington County Jail to use the kitchen from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. The jail has been using the kitchen while the former jail is being remodeled. That area will include a new kitchen, jail programming space, booking rooms, a library, an intoxilyzer room and an interview room. Included as part of the $18.3 million Justice Center project, the remodeling project is expected to be finished by Dec. 31.

County Board accepted the resignation of Prison Rape Elimination Act/Transition Coordinator Betty Coauette, effective immediately. Peterson thanked Coauette for her years of service and work during the transition to the new jail.

The next County Board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. Note the time change since the county will hold its Truth in Taxation hearing at 6 p.m. that day.