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Board approves new steering-committee structure for BLADE and appoints commissioners
Summary
The Crow Wing County board approved a new structure for the Brainerd Lakes Area Drug Education (BLADE) initiative, establishing a county-led steering committee and four task groups funded in part by opioid settlement and DFC grant money; the chair and Commissioner Lubcke were appointed to the steering committee.
Community Services staff presented a reorganization plan for the Brainerd Lakes Area Drug Education (BLADE) coalition and asked the board to appoint two commissioners to a steering committee that would oversee four task groups (opioid funding advisory, treatment/recovery, community education, and DFC youth prevention). The presenters said the county receives opioid settlement funds — "we would receive 2,500,000 over the next 18 years in opioid funds" — and described Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant activity in county schools.
Tara Terry (Community Services) said the steering committee would guide strategy, allocate resources and ensure alignment among task groups, and identified staff support (Talia Broadhead and others) for coordination. The board discussed oversight and affirmed that the board retains final authority over opioid fund allocations. Chair Barrows appointed himself and Commissioner Lubcke to the BLADE steering committee and the board then voted to approve the proposed structure.
Presenters also described a small advertising allocation from the DFC grant (about $3,500) for community messaging; staff offered to provide more detailed updates to the board and to arrange a presentation on school-based DFC activities.
