Future Structure and Leadership of TWCC to be Reviewed

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

The Todd County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, August 4.

TWCC Update

The Todd County Commissioners received an update on Todd-Wadena Community Corrections (TWCC) from Interim Director Michael Schommer. He shared that the agency has hired a consultant to evaluate TWCC’s effectiveness and to help plan for its future. The consultant is focusing on three main areas: how well the agency is performing and where it can improve, whether the current agreement between Todd and Wadena counties is still effective, and whether to consider expanding this agreement to include another county like Otter Tail.

To gather feedback, the consultant has been holding discussions with judges, staff, advisory board members, and partners from all three counties. Initial feedback indicates that while there are some strengths, Todd County specifically has areas that need improvement. Staff are already working on these issues ahead of the full report expected in October.

During the discussion, commissioners raised several concerns. They worried about the need for adequate local presence and leadership in Todd County, noting that Schommer is only in the county about once a week and the supervisor manages a caseload while also serving both counties.

Commissioners questioned whether Todd County, being the larger partner, is receiving the level of leadership and services it is funding. They also discussed the high and unpredictable costs of out-of-home placements for youth, which reached approximately $800,000 last year.

Schommer mentioned that TWCC is flexible with funding levels, as long as it is clear that lower budgets may require additional requests later if placement costs rise...

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