[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6270511,"mediaKeyId","3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0","parentId",3034571,"title","County highway shop wins OPERA approval for plow-to-loader adapter; procurement to follow","audioSeconds",683,"startMs",4020415,"endMs",4703775,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0&start=4020&end=4703","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0/thumbnail_4020415.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6270511/Crow-Wing-County/Minnesota/County-highway-shop-wins-OPERA-approval-for-plow-to-loader-adapter-procurement-to-follow","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270511-4555066439dac30d7a878b6382ecd4f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1774983089&Signature=HA0PW~pcFlCT4h~ah5bGGIWnJUHELiunZqjarI3fll3f-xG7EeeyQdSdQkQ1QX9MXg2xQ6QCZ~7RHHJ4i95hgtP67AaHOW96nXtryoPPWG8YAp9aa1BQ098jPMDj5alklf8gAJNNkYiMq5omK4ed7KYtErHn28fOutmYP4x1hauWVjOBc8u2JhyD-gtRIMr25GoDHbXv0JzzbXesrj7lvkqtuUuTZlZokMo8av6eVtHWSNkGoVm~EgAgp2mOSPgGBifHNdxeRPTBWGUEvkZDBVqr1POkqkabpXXmSG~a1xWGoDNsIhaivAoF0xRkj~FHeEzMIypKGMWccGmSCpmKHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Crow Wing County, MN","date","2025-04-17T07:44:09.907Z","article","Joe Lucksick, lead fleet manager for Crow Wing County, introduced a presentation from Austin Kubish, lead worker at the county highway shop, about an adapter plate to let the county mount front-mounted truck plows to loaders quickly.

Kubish said the product acts as an intermediate adapter between the loader and the plow so crews do not have to modify the plow or the loader. \"It is an intermediate adapter to go between the loader and the plow,\" Kubish said. He said the adapter would normally remain attached to the plow, which can sit on a spare truck, and crews could unhook and rehook between vehicles quickly during snow events.

Funding and procurement: Kubish said the county applied to the University of Minnesota's OPERA program (operational research for local transportation) and received approval for the requested funding. In the meeting packet an invoice from the vendor (Falls) showed $5,700 per adapter. Kubish said the county must complete procurement paperwork and take photos for the OPERA committee and LTAP processes before final purchase.

Why this matters: County staff explained the adapter will add versatility (use on parking lots and certain roadway tasks), reduce the time crews spend converting plows between trucks and loaders, and could improve safety by reducing heavy lifts and field work. Commissioners praised the staff member for the idea and asked practical questions about fit, stability and compatibility.

Compatibility and operations: Kubish said the device is produced to work with the Falls plows used by the county and that the county is moving to two-way plows on its primary trucks; he said the adapter will remain useful as the fleet transitions. He explained the loader bucket is removed by a quick coupler and the adapter is designed to be handled similarly.

Next steps: County fleet staff will complete the procurement steps required by OPERA and LTAP and move to purchase the adapter. The project was described as an approved OPERA-funded local research purchase pending standard procurement documentation and receipt of the item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Crow Wing County Committee of the Whole Meeting 04/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Crow Wing County highway staff received OPERA (University of Minnesota) approval to fund an adapter plate that lets the county quickly mount truck plows to front-end loaders. County staff said the adapter will save time and enhance safety; the vendor quote shown in the presentation was $5,700 per unit.","taxTitle","Crow Wing County, Minnesota","taxId",58966,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270516,"Camp Ripley leaders brief commissioners on training schedule, local economic impact and construction projects",1562,2437480,3999710,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0&start=2437&end=3999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0/thumbnail_2437480.jpg","/articles/6270516/Crow-Wing-County/Minnesota/Camp-Ripley-leaders-brief-commissioners-on-training-schedule-local-economic-impact-and-construction-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270516-2b1f326306b89e2a47013c8eda493989/orig.mp4?Expires=1774983089&Signature=O1RvmSbnIA0I5dwGuHdSKqfw0dRqwRwyFlSAqhNIsHLs9BF6Ms-~Vs8TsnDffIGdKaST73sc2IkUvENjvG90rWcZnbfYYF0WQrzf3q5QT7IbY9YcWZOojd8~9S6v7iQHB6eN3Qz-Dpq7vSJfO7LqC~tIGvpFwPvycxauNiCHYyI-Nod7mSQzFodHJ0nsZZ2BGTCsL9LBVvwgDcEywyPL~ZRfrKVf7OxllJQxvoBcntd~9Csq4SmwDVLQLothoHieA~KCfidQPNArtodksXxUsDaq3eCy1mV37jN04nyzkVkBhrLPz9d6LcwG0Ohs-jVNBQcx22rxQHUNYiVmgBfmVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","\"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Steve Hall. I'm the deputy commanding officer for Camp Ripley,\" Hall told the board, opening the military installation's briefing and describing his role and the base's emphasis on community relations.

Hall and Major Michael Poppe described Camp Ripley as a major training center for the Minnesota National Guard and other state and local agencies and said the installation aims to keep training-related economic benefits in the surrounding community. The presenters said Camp Ripley's annual economic impact is about $83,000,000 and that the installation employs about 800 full-time staff and surges to roughly 1,000 during summer training.

Training and missions: Hall said Camp Ripley hosted about 558,000 military personnel through its gates in the past year and noted the installation is the third-busiest National Guard training center in the nation. He described changes in combat training that emphasize large-scale combat operations and winter-warfare preparedness, and he highlighted international exchanges (including a 52-year exchange with Norway) and regular academy and law-enforcement training held on post.

Construction and projects: Hall said funding is secured for a new force-protection access-control point that will replace the historic main gate; design work is underway with ground-breaking expected in late 2026 or early 2027 and construction taking about two years. He also discussed renovations to barracks and ranges and said the Minnesota Military Museum will move to a public site off post, with museum leaders targeting a 2026 summer opening.

Community outreach and public safety: Hall discussed Camp Ripley's public events (the next large open-house display is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2025) and urged board members to refer service members and families needing help to installation support contacts he provided. He also highlighted environmental and wildlife research partnerships, controlled burns on approximately 14,000 acres where feasible, and a volunteer program for disabled-veteran hunts and other community programs.

Noise and training cadence: Hall acknowledged artillery, aviation and other training noise and described factors that make noise more noticeable (frost, low cloud cover and lack of foliage). He encouraged residents to consult social media and local radio notices for heavy training schedules.

Board reaction: Commissioners asked about urban-warfare training (Hall described a 26-building mock urban site on post), the installation's plan to move from third to second busiest training center (Hall emphasized customer service and outreach), and how to request National Guard assistance during disasters (local sheriff must request support; the governor approves activation through emergency management).

The presentation closed with thanks from board members and an invitation to attend the September open house at Camp Ripley.","Lieutenant Colonel Steve Hall and Major Michael Poppe updated the Crow Wing County Board on Camp Ripley's 2025 training season, local economic impact (~$83 million), museum relocation, construction of a new access-control point and community outreach events.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270521,"Crow Wing County says public-assistance processing improved, child-welfare caseloads down and prevention work saved costs",2258,39590,2298540,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0&start=39&end=2298","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3034571-f5b6915a3b08c5a80f8651e287b543a0/thumbnail_39590.jpg","/articles/6270521/Crow-Wing-County/Minnesota/Crow-Wing-County-says-public-assistance-processing-improved-child-welfare-caseloads-down-and-prevention-work-saved-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270521-f8b088d140c3cd59a62dd70c7b49ba77/orig.mp4?Expires=1774983089&Signature=YqzQWU-C~dwJrBFNnMegn~LKfZF2EvbjGfkvrsqonL5JKAHtghRU3T7TFV0tLxYqXhwCJe49D5ZDQ2TMR-qDrwQH7MPZ-N245w8QDLHb5LQB1K4wyfTQg~4jspY00~TPWVt3y6JZSxRl-6k7ze-LSWZCN-G0LzpCye7qBTtuQBvCeV3cSu5kfvnCTys9XMwOkSJRNGZucoepgF7jH1~JdLog6-khiFwDv~31uZVT61e6qOo6dwqoS9zV9fzSimE9WRmwHPbGPTaafWit6goy6Ej44S4a4meXNRu3z-46-5yRvssRWfhzXK8fF9~PEwsL~6QJKw3aiZbXPNTKiFbYew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kara Griffin, division manager for Family & Children's services in Crow Wing County, told the county board that a 2024 reorganization of intake and processing cut average application-processing time from about four weeks to about two weeks and produced other service and budget improvements.

Griffin said those operational changes improved customer service and staff workload: \"Since they reorganized the work, they're averaging about 2 weeks out in processing.\" She also noted child-care assistance applications are now being processed in about one week.

The changes followed a decision to split intake duties from processing duties: a core group focuses on intake and interviews while the rest of the team concentrates on back-office processing. Griffin said the arrangement reduced backlog, phone volume and walk-ins and made the work more client-focused.

Why this matters: faster processing affects families waiting for benefits and provider reimbursements, and the county recorded measurable performance gains under state timeliness targets. Griffin said, \"We averaged 91% of timeliness in 2024,\" exceeding the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) timeliness benchmark; she added the county processed expedited SNAP applications and health-care applications above state expectations.

Support services and contracting: Griffin said the county contracts with CareerForce Center (sometimes referred to as Rural Minnesota SEP) to provide employment services required for MFIP cash-program participants. She said the county expects to open bids for that professional services contract in July and to present a recommendation to the board in October or November.

Child-support and performance: Karen Holt's child-support team reported high statewide comparisons, Griffin said: paternity establishment was 102% for the county (state average about 96%), and timely orders were 94% (state 86%). Current collections were 74.69% (county goal 75%), with arrears collections at 72% compared with statewide 69%.

Child protection and prevention: Griffin said the county receives roughly 1,600 child-protection reports annually. She described ongoing state work considering a centralized intake and screening model and said local stakeholders have expressed concerns about potential downsides, including higher state administrative costs and loss of local relationships with reporters. \"Right now, our we record every single report that we receive,\" Griffin said, noting that local entry of all reports helps the county see a full picture of families and do earlier outreach.

Workforce and caseloads: Griffin said intake and assessment teams face turnover: about 75% of child-protection social workers have three years or less of experience, which required substantial onboarding. At the same time, the county has been able to grow prevention work by reclassifying program specialists to social workers so staff can pivot between prevention and investigations as demand shifts.

Out-of-home placements and budget impacts: Griffin said the county had 65 children in out-of-home care at the time of the report, down from a November 2017 peak of about 195. She said the out-of-home placement line came in roughly $1,000,000 under budget for 2024 and that the 2025 out-of-home placement budget is set at $2,800,000. She cautioned one unusually high-cost case can change projections: \"There's 1 in particular that's actually in a placement right now that it's $4,000 a day,\" Griffin said, describing a youth placed in a waiver home who requires two staff at all times and specialized care.

Prevention programs and grant-funded services: Griffin credited investments in family-preservation and evidence-based in-home therapies for reducing placements and costs. She said Crow Wing received a Systems of Care grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the past to fund collaborative intensive-bridging services (CIBS) and systemic family therapy (SFT). She said those programs reduced out-of-state residential placements and have been part of the county's strategy to reduce detention and residential rates.

Other program notes: the county has a crossover worker who focuses on youth engaged in criminal activity to reduce time in detention; county staff have also trained an LICSW internally to provide SFT when community providers leave. Griffin said the county will continue to monitor placement costs monthly and review the rolling 18-month average when setting future budgets.

Board questions and next steps: commissioners asked about the timeline for state decisions on centralized intake; Griffin said a contractor will present a recommendation to the state in June and any rollout would likely be 2026 or later. She reiterated the county will open the employment-services contract to bids and bring a recommendation to the board later in the year.

The presentation closed with board members thanking Griffin and staff for the reorganization and the prevention work that helped lower placements and budgetary costs.","Division manager Kara Griffin told the Crow Wing County Board the Family & Children's division reorganized intake and processing in 2024, cutting average application-processing time from four weeks to two, while child-protection prevention programs and a SAMHSA grant helped lower out-of-home placements and reduce related costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County highway shop wins OPERA approval for plow-to-loader adapter; procurement to follow

Camp Ripley leaders brief commissioners on training schedule, local economic impact and construction projects

Crow Wing County says public-assistance processing improved, child-welfare caseloads down and prevention work saved costs