County Meets with Community About Boys Totem Town

On Tuesday, September 30 about 50 neighbors and concerned county residents came together with County Commissioner Jim McDonough and staff of Ramsey County Corrections to talk about Boys Totem Town and juvenile corrections. Although there were some questions about what happens to the site should Boys Totem Town merge with Hennepin County’s residential facility and move to a different location, most of the questions centered on how a potential merger would affect youth and the community.

Commissioner McDonough began the evening with an explanation of what has happened so far in the reevaluation of Boys Totem Town and its current site. In August, there was a joint meeting of both Hennepin and Ramsey County commissioners where all fully agreed that they should continue to look into whether a merger between their facilities would be feasible. It may take one to two years to figure out whether a merger could actually work. In general, correction professionals say it would be a good idea since the two counties have similar approaches to youth corrections, there are similar aged youth in both programs, and the risk levels of each of the groups held in the two residential facilities are similar. However, actually it will be a decision made by the elected commissioners. First they need to examine whether the bureaucratic structures of the two corrections systems can be made compatible.

Questions asked by the attendees included:

Doesn’t a merger of the two facilities at either of the existing sites impose a burden on families from the other county whose children will be housed there? Isn’t the point of the facilities to keep children close to their families? – response: These children are pretty mobile but the county would be looking for a place that is easily accessible and on transit. Ramsey County currently already sends some of its youth to Hennepin County.

What about differences that youth from different cities have with each other, including potential conflicts between gangs from the two cities? – response: The staff at these facilities know how to deal with different gangs. Their purpose is to teach the youth how to get along. They also work with various community groups to help deal with these issues.

How is Ramsey County working to keep children out of the system in the first place? – response: The decline in numbers of youth in both Ramsey and Hennepin County residential facilities demonstrate that what is happening now is doing just that. They work with such organizations as St. Paul Youth Services, 180 Degrees, curfew officers on this. But once kids get into the system, there needs to be a place for those who need to be removed from their homes, or who have a repeated history of violations. A follow-up comment from the audience – The county should be looking at how to integrate smaller organizations into this effort as well as the larger nonprofits.

Is this plan being explored just to fill the beds at facilities? – response: They are trying to “right size” the facilities to the current and projected need, which is less than what it was before.

Is there a pre-design for the site if there is a merger and the facility is here at Totem Town, or if Totem Town leaves this site? There is a concern that the community should be in on the conversation now. – response: There is no ulterior motive for this work. What happens at the site should not take precedence over what is good for the kids.

Questions about the process – What is the $30 million for? Who is the consultant? How long until a decision is made and who makes that decision? – response: The $30 million is to do the work that will eventually produce a plan. At the moment the only outcome being explored is whether it is feasible to merge with Hennepin County. If that is not feasible, other options already outlined will be explored. Hennepin County is paying for the same consultant to do this current exploration that Ramsey County used in defining its multiple options. This allows for some efficiencies in process and some continuity. The ultimate decision will be elected County Commissioners and both sets of county judges who work with the youth.

What gets kids into Boys Totem Town vs other parts of the juvenile corrections system? – response: 80% of the youth at BTT have mental health issues. Many have chemical dependency issues. Many have had many failures in the community, but they are not considered a risk to themselves or to others. Those who end up in Red Wing tend to be gang members and considered a risk to the safety of themselves or others. There would be no change to this framework after any merger. Currently 75-80% of BTT parents are involved in classes and therapy along with the youth.

Questions related to what happens at the site should BTT leave:

A statement was made that the determination of use is already set in stone through a 1990 localized land use plan stating that it should become parkland. - Response: The District 1 Community Council is updating its community plan and this one statement will be reevaluated given that we have an entirely different community and circumstances in 2014 than we had in 1990. A draft of the plan will be rolled out later this year for community response and refinement.

A community member stated that she did not want and there was no need for more low income housing. – response: There is no point in making plans for what should or should not be at the site since no determination has been made to leave.

Another community member stated that he felt BTT was a community asset and didn’t want to see it leave.

The County has committed to coming back with updates twice a year until this is all decided.