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Committee discusses need for a county grants coordinator and wider outreach for sober events
Summary
Members proposed creating or funding a county grants role to replace lost federal dollars and discussed publicizing sober events and county-sponsored recovery outreach after recent grant cuts.
Committee members discussed how Sawyer County should respond to multiple federal funding cuts, including suggestions to create a dedicated county grants role and to improve public outreach for recovery and prevention activities.
Members said the lost grant funds had been intended as supplements to existing programming and that the county had not yet implemented the proposed expansions because the grants were cut before program rollouts. Several members suggested the county consider hiring a grants coordinator or a small grants team to pursue discretionary and infrastructure grants; one speaker noted that the local tribal government maintains a grants department that helps tribal entities in that way.
Committee members offered examples of possible grant targets, including transportation (STP) funds that could free local money for other priorities. Bruce Paquette suggested the county could free department resources by dedicating staff to seek and write grants.
The committee also discussed public outreach: the health department’s youth-substance-misuse billboard campaign (student artwork was used) and local sober-events programming. Members said event brochures and clear web links or contact information would help increase turnout for community events aimed at prevention and recovery support.
Committee members also noted the recent death of Deb Hillquist, who for nearly 20 years had provided literacy services in the jail through Sawyer County Literacy; members said there will likely be follow-up about filling that role.
