Bradbury Township

Mille Lacs News

Questions for Nexus

1.      As of December 2005, you were listed with the IRS as an independent Charitable Organization “which receives a substantial part of its support from a government unit” for “rehabilitating convicts or ex-convicts”, which is indeed how Nexus began in 1972 under the name of Port Alpha. What is the reason that you neglected to update the IRS beyond the last ruling date in April, 1983 that you had changed your Principal Activity 1?

2.      We’ve heard repeatedly how you’ve been a “Good Neighbor”. Yet, with $13,866,529 in assets [2005], and a current annual budget of $38,000,000, you have requested that taxpayers in our little city help out your big corporation financially: with sewer and water, infrastructure, annexation costs, roads, etc. etc. How do you rationalize this?

3.      Nexus revealed that it spends around $200,000 in Onamia for gas, groceries, and hardware per year. It also uses the local drug store to fill about 600 prescriptions per year for the juvenile offenders. How is that $200,000 distributed among the businesses in town?

4.      While using the town’s services, such as the sheriff, police and fire departments, you’ve contributed no property taxes on the Crosier facility and been delinquent on taxes for the group home [2003-2005]. Since Nexus is not tax exempt in regards to property taxes, how have you avoided paying yours for sixteen years?

5.      Do any of the Nexus facilities, (Gerard, Indian Oaks, or Onarga Academies) pay property taxes in their local communities? If so, how much? If not, why not?

6.      Property taxes for the Bye 38.4 acres with your proposed $8-10 Million dollar multi-building complex zoned R2 would bring $335,000-$447,000 per year into our community. This would actually lower our individual taxes too. After enjoying a free ride for sixteen years, isn’t it time you pay your property taxes – for the good of the community?

7.      As mentioned, Nexus has an annual budget of $38 Million Dollars. 99% of which comes from state agency contracts (taxpayers), federal grants (taxpayers), and donations (tax deductible). Counties pay around $235 of taxpayer money per instate sex offender per day. That’s over $85,000 per offender per year. With 90 offenders, the Mille Lacs Academy brings in about $21,150 per day. Figuring the average length of stay at about 12 months, the Mille Lacs Academy alone takes in around $7,719,750 per year. Any comments or corrections?

8.      We know that a few years ago Nexus CEO James D’Angelo made an annual salary of $267,015. No doubt he has enjoyed a raise since then. What is the average salary for specialists whose job require master’s degrees in psychology, social work, etc.? Do any of them live in Onamia?

9.      Kathe Dellacecca said that most local Nexus workers are paid only around $9 per hour. Is this an accurate amount?

1.      In Statz’s famous article, he said, “the site provided privacy, a sense of security and peace, it is big enough to allow for future expansion.” First of all, how do you intend to expand? More buildings? More people? More parking?

2.      Secondly, why don’t you respect that it is OUR privacy, OUR sense of security, and OUR peace that you want to steal from us as if you are entitled to it?

3.    Why do you insist on coming into our neighborhood when we didn’t invite you into Bradbury Township? As they say, “What part of NO! don’t you understand?”

4.      Sheila Haverkamp of the Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corporation invested time and money for over a year to get Nexus to relocate to Brainerd on land adjacent to the state psychiatric hospital, only to be hung out to dry by Nexus -partly because Nexus couldn’t get property tax exemption in Brainerd and they were promised “free land” [Brainerd City Council Minutes] and tax exemption in Onamia. Is Nexus also going to stiff Onamia if you can’t get either here?