Phill Greer introduced our speaker, Paul Couglin, who has been the Carlton County Jail Administrator since January 2014. Paul has been working for Carlton County for 23 years in various capacities: Bailiff, K- 9 officer, and patrol sergeant. 
His topic was a discussion of the future needs of jail infrastructure in Carlton County. We have applied the warehouse mentality in our jail, and this needs to change. It was built in 1979 with 24 beds, and another 24 beds were added in 1981, with no extra non-cell space. We were overcrowded in 2003 with only 48 beds and spend $2.2 million annually for boarding prisoners in other facilities. In 2016 the Carlton County Board put out a Request for Proposals to address all the various aspects of our jail needs. The report came back with 59 recommendations, items on which we missed the mark. A 119- bed jail, which should last until 2040, was recommended. All entities will be brought together for the planning process to identify the needs of inmates and to coordinate the services of the many various agencies involved in law enforcement. Treatment and staffing are significant aspects. For example, an on-site social worker is recommended. We are fortunate that the Fond du Lac Reservation takes an active role in addressing the needs of inmates. Being able to meet the needs of Carlton County without having to resort to boarding our inmates will result in substantial cost savings.
 
Excerpts taken from the Cloquet Rotary Log