Alice Pickering
Linwood Area Reporter

Connie Moore, executive director of Alexandra House, Inc. explained the services provided by the organization and their benefit to the Linwood Town Board on May 23.

The program provides domestic violence services for women, families, and communities. The organization provides some shelter programs and support groups.

Sue Redmond, community program director, provided additional information.

There are shelter programs as part of the service provided. However, the organizationís community programs include advocacy programs, criminal justice intervention advocacy services, legal clinic services, support groups, hospital advocacy services, and violence prevention advocacy services.

Last year the total of these services was 17,904. Of these, 66 were provided to Linwood residents.

Alexandra House has a formal agreement with the Anoka County Sheriffís Department. The organization provides information to clients, about their rights, and the court process. It also contracts attorneys for civil court hearings associated with domestic calls.

Part of the public safety response is to the domestics. Alexandra House is involved in violence prevention and serves as a liaison between victims and prosecutors. Currently there are five advocates and a criminal justice advocate.

Costs for the program are determined by the number of clients served. The community program budget for 2006-07 is $704,000.

The cost for services provided to Linwood residents this past year is $2595, of this $1298 was paid by other sources. Moore made an appeal to the board for $1298 to make up the difference of the cost.

The Linwood appropriation would be during the 2008 budget year if approved by town officials.

State cuts in funding have hit the organization hard. Alexandra House has begun seeking support from communities. According to Moore, a further drop in funds will mean a drastic cut in services.

The township designates funds to be used for public service organizations, but currently the annual limit is $5000. Supervisors have changed the policy of having organizations seeking funds for support to bring their requests to the board at various times throughout the year, rather than hearing these during the annual meeting.

The Youth Service Bureau, Anoka County Historical Society and Family Pathways are three organizations which have received money from the township. There were no presentations made at the annual meeting in March. A motion to increase this to a larger amount was defeated at the annual meeting in March, without discussion.

Other topics

The board tabled final decisions about which road projects to complete until a final review with Engineer Craig Jochum. Some projects may need to be postponed to put the budget in line with the levy.

In addition, costs have increased between 30- and 40-percent for asphalt.

Supervisors granted an interim use permit to Steve Carlson to install three additional antennas to the communication tower at 21831 Viking Blvd. NE. Planning and Zoning recommended the approval. Three panels will be attached to mount at the 182-foot level on the tower.

Since Nextel and Sprint have merged, the unified company is also merging technologies. The township ordinance for communication tower heights prohibits taller towers. The 182 foot height covers two miles. Taller towers would allow transmission for five miles.

Fire Chief Joe Dolphy reported classes in August for incident command system 100, 200 and National Incident Management System 800. He said the first two sessions are about 2.5 hours long. The NIMS takes about four hours. Plans are to schedule this training for fire department volunteers for normal drill nights.

Representatives from the town board are required to receive the training as well. Dolphy said he will know the training dates by the first week in June and notify the board. Training must be completed by September 2006.

In addition, the zero tolerance policy for drug use is extended to all township employees, including fire department employees. The effective date is retroactive to January 1, 2005, when their status changed to that of employees. Action was approved by a 3-0 vote. Supervisors Scott Bailey and Mike Parker were absent.

Supervisors accepted the bid by Legacy Electric, in the amount of $4750, for up-grading the lighting in the senior center. Clerk Judy Hanna said she believes the reason for the low bid is that the business is located close to the senior center, so shipping can come directly to the senior center and time can also be saved traveling to the facility. The individual bidding for the job also knows the building.

Supervisors approved a variance application from Brent and Deb Pronger, 6959 228th Place NE, to attach their modular home to a small existing cabin by a small breezeway.

Other business

In other business, the board:

ïLearned street sweeping on township streets was to start May 24.

ïApproved the appointment of Judy Curry to the cemetery beautification committee.

ïTook no action on a proposed lease/purchase of a Bobcat.

ïLearned from Hanna the Community Development Block Grant application for new flooring in the senior center was not approved.

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Forest Lake Times
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