By Julie Anderson Douglas County Public Information Officer
On September 2, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved executing an agreement and lease for a newly created nonprofit to run Alomere Health, which is the name of the currently county-operated hospital. This is a move the county board and its attorney agree is in the best interests of the county and its taxpayers. Board Chair Jerry Rapp said the public needs to understand the agreement will relieve the county of insurance liability which is a big deal and that the board is making this decision after careful review and understanding of its roles and responsibilities moving forward.
Attorney Tom Schroeder, hired by the county, shared the details in a 30 minute presentation. When the arrangement is finalized, two county commissioners will continue to serve on the Alomere Board of Directors and the county will retain ownership of the building and land. The nonprofit will enter into a 30-year lease with the county.
Schroeder assured the board the hospital will continue in its mission to provide important services that are not always profitable and continue to provide care to the indigent and the uninsured. Also, the nonprofit must make offers of employment to the current county employees working for Alomere Health.
The big picture goals, as explained, are to reduce the county’s and therefore the taxpayers’ risk and to maximize future opportunities for our local healthcare to survive and thrive in the future.
Land and Resources
Commissioners approved a plan to convert the Rusty Moose Resort on Lake Miltona into a planned unit private development with nine lots that will contain seven existing cabins and two homes.
Commissioners also approved a new aggregate mining and storage facility in Carlos Township. Kent and Brenda Hintermeister plan to mine a ten-acre property over a 15-year span. The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon. Truck traffic to and from the pit will be limited to Prairie Road east of the pit to State Highway 29. According to the Conditional Use Permit conditions, no truck traffic will be permitted on Prairie Road west of the mine entrance to County Road 42. No recreational riding of ATVs, off-road vehicles, or motorcycles will be allowed in the pit.
Social Services
Tabitha Kremmin, Community Human Services Director and the Administrator of Horizon Public Health Ann Stehn presented the board with grant requests from the Opioid Settlement fund. These grants had been pre-approved by the process set into place which includes review by a group with representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Police Department, three school districts, Region 4 Mental Health and others. The following were the requests.
- Bridgeway Career Learning Program $55,764.00
- Car Care $110,000.00
- Douglas County Jail $68,447.89
- Solutions Behavioral Health $143,360.00
- Unity Recovery $10,000.00
- West Central MN Communities Action $35,000.00
- Lakes Area Pride $4,000.00
A motion to approve all grants failed after Commissioners Rapp, Schmidt and Way voted no. Commissioner Schmidt asked the applications from Car Care and Lakes Area Pride be reviewed again. A motion to approve the remaining grants passed.
Horizon Public Health
Angie Hasbrouck, with Horizon Public Health, presented commissioners with the cannabis business retail registration process and timelines for implementing it. This process is only for cities and townships that have delegated authority to Douglas County. For example, the cities of Alexandria and Osakis, are handling their own registration process.
Hasbrouck said the process will begin September 22, 2025, at 8 a.m. and is on a first come, first-served basis. For additional information go to the Horizon Public Health website at https://horizonphmn.gov/.