County board adopts BLADE governance, names steering committee commissioners

Crow Wing County commissioners on Oct. 28 approved a proposed governance structure for the Brainerd Lakes Area Drug Education Work (BLADE), creating a county-led steering committee, four specialized task groups and an advisory coalition, and the board accepted the chair—————————1————s appointments to the steering committee.

Community Services staff said BLADE—was formed in 2019 to address substance use through coordinated, noncriminal responses and that the county received $2,500,000 in opioid settlement funds to allocate over the next 18 years. Staff proposed the steering committee as the core, with four task groups focused on opioid fund advisory, treatment and recovery, community education, and the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) youth prevention grant. Talia Broadhead was identified as the BLADE coordinator; other staff named included Gina Hyer (public health manager) and task-group co-chairs for treatment and prevention.

Chair Barrows appointed himself and Commissioner Lubcke to serve on the steering committee. Commissioners discussed the board————————s role as final approver of opioid fund disbursements; staff emphasized the board retains final authority for allocation decisions. The board approved the proposed structure and appointment by a voice vote after a motion by Commissioner Coring and a second by Commissioner Franzen.

Staff noted the county will require recipients of certain grant funds to report to the BLADE coalition and that DFC-funded messaging (including a $3,500 allocation for theater and social-media advertising) is part of current grant budgeting. The board directed staff to finalize task-group charters and to bring back steering-committee updates as the groups form.