Stearns County to Expand Service Center, Remodel Administration Center

ST. CLOUD -- Stearns County is moving forward with plans to shift their staff and offices around through an expansion and remodel project.  Commissioners have approved an action plan to expand the Westside Service Center and remodel the downtown Administration Center.

County Administrator Mike Williams says says a space study completed this summer recommends moving many of the county offices out of downtown.  Offices being moved to the Service Center in Waite Park include the Auditor-Treasurer Office, Human Resources, Environmental Services and County Administration.

The Administration Center will then house the entire Human Services Department and County Attorney's Office.  Williams says the license center will also remain in the Administration Center.

The project is included in the county's Capital Improvement Plan. The estimated cost is $12,000,000 and the project would be done in phases.

The service center expansion will start next spring and continue until September 2019. The remodel of the administration building would then begin in October 2019 with completion slated for August 2020.