Counties Step Up as State Pulls Plug on STS Grant

The Sentencing to Serve (STS) program in Todd and Wadena counties is continuing its operations despite the recent loss of a long-standing state grant. This grant, which had supported the program since 1991, was removed from the state budget for 2025 and beyond.

According to Kathy Langer, Community Corrections Director for the counties, the state grant previously covered approximately 25% of the program’s costs.

“For 2025, we received a state grant of $50,848, but it ended on June 30, 2025, so we only received about $25,000 for the first half of the year,” Langer explained.

The counties are now using their corrections fund balance to cover the shortfall for the remainder of 2025.

Langer noted that the loss of funding coincided with a decrease in adult STS crew numbers and an increase in juvenile participants.

“Our adult STS crew member numbers have been lower than average, but our juvenile STS crew numbers have been larger than average,” she said.

The juvenile crew worked in Wadena County parks, disposing of garbage and raking to prepare for campers and other park users.

Adult crews have also been involved in various tasks, such as painting, brushing, cemetery maintenance, cement work, setting up and cleaning up after public events, shoveling out fire hydrants, city clean-up, and selling firewood.

They also collaborate with other county departments, including health and human services, to help clients that are moving.

For the organizations in the local communities, this means that necessary jobs can be completed—jobs that they cannot afford to pay for, as they may provide the materials instead.

To adapt to the funding loss, the counties have reduced the use of part-time crew leaders and are postponing the filling of a recently vacated part-time position.

For 2026, Langer has proposed using a combination of the fund balance and county funds to fully support the program, which will require replacing approximately $51,000 in lost state grant funding.

Despite the funding challenges, Langer remains confident about the program’s future...

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