By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County board members, on Nov. 5, agreed to move forward with an extension of a lease agreement at the county-owned facility north of the Bigwood Event Center and post office on Western Avenue in Fergus Falls.

The facility is currently used by Northstar Behavioral Health (NBH) which serves individuals facing mental health and chemical dependency disorders. The new lease agreement will run from Jan. 1, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2027. NBH will have an option to purchase the building, but that would need to be submitted no later than December 2026.

“This agreement will ensure a commitment by county government to have a facility in our county serving people in need,” said County Deputy Administrator Nick Leonard to county commissioners.

County board chairman Kurt Mortenson of rural Underwood said the new two-year lease agreement will also protect county assets. NBH is a for profit limited company duly organized under the laws of the State of Minnesota.

Services at the facility in northwest Fergus Falls include inpatient residential care along with outpatient services. NBH, while serving individuals facing mental health and chemical dependency disorders, offer individual, group and family counseling.

“Our facilities cater to a client’s needs through our innovative long-term residential program,” said a NBH spokesperson. “We have customized programs for each person who we serve.”

NBH, also addressing its long-term outpatient programming, points to success in integrating clients back into communities while focusing on their individual needs. The organization operates seven facilities, including the one in Fergus Falls, throughout the state of Minnesota.

The county-owned facility leased to NBH in northwest Fergus Falls is a freestanding and one-level structure, containing approximately 32,000 usable square feet of space. Surrounding grounds comprise a tract of land of approximately 3.5 acres containing 60 off-street paved vehicle parking spaces to accommodate employee and visitor vehicles, including handicapped parking spaces.