Property owner applies for variance to maintain deck expansion within setback requirements.

Morrison County discusses exceeding animal cap unit ordinance based on modern dairy practices.

Morrison County considers variance for Enchanted Dairy to exceed animal unit cap by 2,540.

The Morrison County Planning Commission voted July 7 to recommend approval of an after‑the‑fact conditional‑use permit allowing a dairy to move from a tier‑3 to a tier‑4 feedlot, imposing a 1,568 animal‑unit cap and other conditions; the MPCA is overseeing permitting for the site.

After extended public testimony and debate about ownership and oversight, the Morrison County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 to amend conditions of an interim-use permit for a proposed Long Prairie residential treatment center. The changes require annual updates by the facility executive director or Ascension's CEO, tie permit termination to majority ownership, and mandate timely critical-incident reporting to Land Services.

Library executives briefed the board on a consolidated regional budget for 2027, saying Morrison County's contribution will be $536,722 (a $8,294 increase, 1.57%); presenters described borrower counts, services supported and a multi-year reserves recovery plan through 2029.

Sheriff Sean Marston and Investigator James Shelby told the county board that methamphetamine and synthetic opioids (including fentanyl) are the primary drugs of concern in the region, described task‑force activity and offered monthly crime and training statistics.

Sheriff Sean Marston and Investigator James Shelby reported task-force work, local crime statistics and narcotics trends; deputies said methamphetamine and synthetic opioids remain the principal threats and that large-scale supply often originates outside the U.S.

County health presenters reported higher youth symptoms on statewide surveys (nearly 50% reporting some depression symptoms), described gaps in crisis-response capacity and early-intervention work, and announced a pending $311,000 grant to support the county's children's mental-health initiative.

Joey Shannon of Swift Current Energy briefed the Morrison County Board on a potential 400–500 MW wind project focused on the county's eastern townships, describing land leases, a timeline tied to a regional transmission upgrade and the permitting steps before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

Carl Newbanks of the Initiative Foundation updated the board on grants, revolving loans and local programs, reporting that the foundation's Impact Fund has secured CDFI certification and that, since 1986, the foundation has directed millions to the region and Morrison County.

Carl Newbanks told the board the Initiative Foundation has recertified a new subsidiary as a CDFI, reported recent lending and job impacts in Morrison County, and highlighted nonprofit academy participation and emergency‑planning grants for Little Falls and Pierz.

After more than an hour of public testimony and commissioner questions, the Morrison County Board voted 4–1 to change conditions on an interim use permit for a planned residential treatment facility, adopting annual reporting and incident‑reporting requirements while tying permit termination to ownership changes.

The Morrison County Planning Commission voted unanimously June 9 to recommend the county board approve an interim use permit for a contractor storage yard for the Northland Reliability Project, subject to conditions including a three‑year end date, a reclamation plan, stormwater review and limits on topsoil stockpiles.

A former priest who once served several Little Falls-area parishes is facing felony sexual assault and threat of violence charges in Stearns County District Court.

The Morrison County Board approved an interim use permit for a temporary contractor storage yard (striking a topsoil-depth condition), moved vendor payments to weekly auditor warrants, finalized and awarded two public-works contracts, endorsed a bridge grant application, approved a 0.5 FTE share for a quad-county extension position and voted to enter closed sessions on cybersecurity and property acquisition.

County administrators briefed commissioners on options after Sterns County signaled it would reduce its contribution to a shared Extension program; commissioners debated moving from a four‑educator model to three educators, with a decision expected on the June 23 agenda.

After Stearns County signaled it will reduce its Extension contribution, Morrison County commissioners discussed two options—keep three educators with shared/part-time support or redistribute FTEs among four counties—and agreed to consider a formal funding decision at their June 23 meeting.

Morrison County officials heard that Sterns County intends to reduce its share of the Quad‑County Extension agreement (reported as a change from ~2.2 FTE to 1.55 FTE), prompting discussion of options including dropping from four educators to three or creating part‑time specialist support; administrators will gather data and return with proposals for 2027.

Health and Human Services told the board it handles roughly 10,700 monthly touch points, employs 106 people and is preparing for pending state policy changes that will increase workload; staff launched a new CaseWorks platform and outlined opioid and housing grant spending plans.

Morrison County approved an interim use permit for Doden Investments to build an indoor cannabis microbusiness (growing and product manufacturing), with conditions including fencing and license-linked termination; the Planning Commission and township recommended approval and the board granted the CUP 4–1.

The county board adopted a one-year interim moratorium on community solar, solar farms and wind energy projects (excluding meteorological towers) to give staff time to review the comprehensive plan and ordinances; the board also adopted findings supporting a prior denial of a proposed solar farm.

On Feb. 10 the Morrison County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 to direct staff to draft an interim ordinance that would function as a moratorium on new wind and solar projects while the county reviews its comprehensive plan and land‑use ordinance; complete applications submitted before the cutoff will be allowed to proceed.

Health and Human Services officials told the Morrison County Board that 6,721 residents (about 19.4% of the county) are active on Medical Assistance; administrators warned recent insurance changes tied to Medica's acquisition of UCare disrupted integrated plans and affected roughly 3,254 county residents.

Morrison County received approval to build an ADA‑compliant switchback ramp at Belpre Park with visible retaining walls; the county cited erosion, archaeological constraints, ADA access and a $924,516 grant as justification and the board approved the variance unanimously Dec. 9.