Sonja Kosler
Staff Writer
New York Mills no longer has a motel. The Mills Motel, formerly owned by Don and Sandi Carrlson, was sold Friday to a group who plans to transform the building into a residential chemical dependency treatment facility.
The Stepping Stones program will treat chemically-dependant women with children. That program is to be modeled after the successful ShareHouse and Sisters Path programs operating in Fargo.
Bill Lopez, Executive Director of ShareHouse says hes glad to be done with that step in the process. Otter Tail County Commissioners have already approved a letter of support for the proposed facility. Lopez says the next step is an inspection by the State Fire Marshal which may take 30 days for completion. After a positive report from inspectors the formal application for a license will be forwarded to the State Department of Human Services. That process could take up to 90 days.
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Lopez expects the facility will be ready in June or July to serve women with addiction problems while having their children stay with them. He says as soon as the fire inspection is successfully completed he will hire the clinical supervisor/director for the facility and begin visiting with potential residents.
