Rumble stripes tabled on County Highway 11 project

Bids for rumble stripes on Crow Wing County Highway 11 safety project were tabled Tuesday.

Rob Hall, assistant highway engineer who is handling interim department head duties, told Crow Wing County commissioners adjacent counties are now filling in rumble stripes because of noise complaints.

"I don't want to get into that boat," Hall said.

The stripes are designed for safety - to jog drivers before they drive off the side of the road. Initial bids for the project were rejected because they were almost double the engineer's estimate.

The second round of bids brought in a low bid that was about $2,000 more than the $54,896.55 estimate. Federal funds account for 90 percent of the cost. But if the stripes are filled in that grant money has to be repaid.

Hall was looking at alternatives, including a groove on the edge of the driving lane instead of the noisy stripes.

The board tabled action on the bids for two weeks.

In other business, the board:

Opened a public comment period for 30 days regarding its review of the 2010/2011 Minnesota Family Investment Program and Children and Community Services Act biennial plan. The county heard from Susan Beck, community services director, along with staff members Dale Parks, Lynda Erickson and Pat Sharbonda.

The program covers barriers to employment, child protection, education, housing, mental health, chemical/substance dependency, support services and transportation.

County efforts include more concentrated work with teenage parents, engaging fathers in a Father Involvement Task Force, providing stability for families and working to protect children, including those in abusive or neglect situations and those who need care for mental illness.

The report is available online for public review and comment with information on what the county is doing and areas it seeks to improve.

One area includes annual performance reports regarding the well-being and safety of children.

The county and state are above federal standards in categories of "no repeat maltreatment within six months," family "reunification within 12 months" and "adoption within 24 months."

The state and county are below the federal standard for percentage "re-entering foster care within 12 months" and for exceeding "two or fewer placement settings."

The county has averaged about 20 adoptions per year for the last few years from foster care and has 13 children who were moved more than twice in 2008. Children coming into the system because of abuse or neglect are not moved often, the county reported.

A shortage of child psychiatrists continues to be an issue statewide, particularly for children who suffer serious mental health issues and need medication. Collaborative efforts include the Mobile Crisis Outreach Program for adults and children to provide services after regular business hours.

The county is working on issues of family visitation and training with quick tips to assist teachers who may have a child suffering from a mental illness, such as bi-polar disorder, in their classroom.

The plan, available for public comment and review, is available on the county's Web site at www.co.crow-wing.mn.us.

In an effort to assist land sales at county auction, tracts offered for the last two years that remained unsold will be revised looking at current market values and added to an upcoming land sale.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.