| Cooperative Agreement | Its Purpose |
| City/County Law Enforcement Center | Reduces redundant services - City handles records for both, County handles dispatch for both |
| Downtown Municipal and Services District | County works with City and Downtown Council on parking issues |
| Planning and zoning (with townships- plat review process) | Power sharing arrangement between counties and townships |
| Highway planning (with cities and townships) | APO and Region 7W (4 county area) jointly plans use of federal and state transportation funds |
| Reciprocal highway maintenance agreements (cities, townships, and other counties) | County pays cities maintenance stipend to maintain County roads located in cities |
| Grant applications (several watershed districts) | Clearwater Watershed District uses the County for obtaining federal grants to fund rural sewer/water projects |
| Tri-County Solid Waste Commission (including planning, education, and recycling programs) | Joint powers group oversees solid waste management for 3 county area |
| Association of Minnesota Counties | Lobbying and County support organization |
| Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative | Cooperative develops and purchases computer software for 80 counties |
| Tri-County Major Crime Unit | St. Cloud and surrounding counties jointly investigate major crimes |
| Tri-County Hazardous Waste Response Agreement (Benton, Stearns, Sherburne, and St. Cloud) | Counties purchase Hazardous Waste Materials services from St. Cloud |
| County 911 Committee - County and local emergency services agencies | Local emergency responders in the County coordinate services and technology with the County |
| Community health services agreements between Stearns County, St. Cloud, and various school districts (re: hearing test contracts) | County contracts public health duties to local governments instead of hiring extra staff |
| Stearns County Water Planning Committee (County, townships, City of St. Cloud, Watershed Districts, and Soil and Water Conservation District) | Committee develops work plan for County's clean water planning activities |
| Building projects with St. Cloud and Stearns County Housing and Redevelopment Authority | The County utilizes the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for lease/purchase building projects |
| Department of Natural Resources - County grant programs | State has delegation agreements with Stearns County for restaurant inspections, feedlot permitting and water planning |
| Planning with St. Cloud Area Planning Organization | Joint powers agreement plans area wide transportation projects |
| Cooperative agreements between County and local assessors | Local assessors provide assessment services for the County in various outlying townships |
| Consulting services performed by County Emergency Management Director and local directors | The County Emergency Management Director assists small cities to develop emergency management plans |
| County training grant programs for local emergency medical services from Community Health Services | The County coordinates training for local emergency responders |
| Cooperative agreements between Minnesota Extension and local community education programs | School district community education programs utilize University of Minnesota Extension Service expertise |
| Stearns-Benton Employment and Training Council | Joint powers agreement provides job training programming through federal and state grants |
| Council on Aging | The County helps fund and participates on this area wide board for senior citizen programs |
| National Association of Counties (NACo) | National county lobbying and support organization- counties in all 50 states participate |
| Great River Regional Library | Joint powers group of seven counties provides public library service to Central Minnesota |
| Host County social service contracts | County contracts with local providers for various human services. By law, other counties can use the same contract. Services include residential group homes, out-of-home placements, etc. |
| State/County joint purchasing agreement | The County takes advantage of state bid pricing for a variety of goods such as cars, furniture, computers, etc. |
| Mental Health Advisory Council | Council of advocates on mental health issues |
| Community support (mental health) Benton/Stearns County | Joint powers agreement to coordinate mental health programs |
| Bridge bonding agreement with State of Minnesota | Finance of County bridge projects through MnDOT bridge bonding program |
| Township road signage program | County addressing system implemented with County/township agreement |
| League of Stearns County cities | Stearns County is a member of the Stearns County Municipal League; made up of small cities in the County |
| Township Officers Association | Stearns County participates in the townships' semi-annual meetings |
| County/township purchasing agreements | Townships purchase products off a County bid list. Examples include culverts, 911 addressing, signs, etc. |
| Central Minnesota Labor Management Council | The County's HR Director meets with area labor and management leaders on a quarterly basis |
| Downtown Council | The County is a member of St. Cloud's Downtown Council, whose purpose is to address economic development, safety, and parking issues in downtown St. Cloud |
| Project Impact Joint Powers (emergency services between Benton and Stearns Counties) | Joint powers agreement to program disaster prevention activities through a federal grant |
| St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership (The Partnership) | The County is a member of this Central MN economic development organization |
| Central Minnesota Dairy Task Force (Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties) | Organization coordinates dairy program activities in the three county area |
| Gang Strike Force (Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns Counties, and St. Cloud) | Joint powers agreement coordinates law enforcement efforts to combat gang influence in St. Cloud area |
| Stearns County Collaborative | Human Services provider agreement between Stearns County and all school districts in Stearns County, along with several non-profit agencies |
| Central Minnesota Regional Parks Board | Coordinates grant efforts between five area cities including St. Cloud, and Sherburne, Stearns, and Benton Counties |
| Local policy services provided by Stearns County Sheriff's Department (6 cities) | Several small cities contract with Stearns County Sheriff's Department for police services |
| Law Enforcement integrated computer records systems between Stearns County Sheriff's Department and all major police departments in the County (first of its kind in Minnesota) | System is precursor to state-wide criMNet system |
| Formal agreements with Stearns County townships and the Stearns County Environmental Services Department forming a joint administrative structure for implementing the County Zoning Ordinance | The County has Memorandums of Understanding with townships outlining joint responsibility for administering the County's Zoning Ordinance |
| MICA (Metropolitan Inter-County Association) | Stearns County is a member of this lobbying and support organization for large growing suburban and regional center counties |
| Central Minnesota Mental Health Center | County provides financial support and contracts for state mandated services |
| 911 signage program between Stearns County and County townships for address signs | County provides materials for township 911 signage program |
| Joint purchasing/sharing agreement with Waite Park | The City and County have agreed to share resources when beneficial to both (e.g. fuel, salt, equipment) |
| Traffic Signal Manager | This is a shared employee between Stearns County and the City of St. Cloud. Both the County and the City own and operate traffic signals; the person in this position coordinates and manages the entire structure and oversees operations and maintenance of traffic signals. |