Cass County Board: Grant covers majority of Enbridge tax lawsuit

   CASS LAKE — Chief Financial Officer Sandra Norikane shared an update on the Enbridge Energy, L.P.’s tax lawsuit on Tuesday, Aug. 17 during the regular commissioner’s board meeting. 

   Norikane stated that on June 30 a settlement agreement had been reached between Enbridge Energy and the Department of Revenue for assessment years 2012-2016 to be paid with interest and assessment years 2018-2019 without payment of interest. Cass County is one of thirteen counties affected by this settlement. Norikane mentioned Cass County’s total tax refund liablity to Enbridge Energy is $3,824,072, with interest calculated in the amount of $711,446.43. 

   In a previous board meeting the commissioner’s approved adopting a resolution to request the State of Minnesota pay any refund payable to Enbridge Energy. Norikane was happy to inform the board local governments were awarded a one-time grant to help cover this tax liability. Cass County received a grant in the amount of $2,631,052, which leaves the county with a shortfall of $116,373.40 currently. However, this amount is subject to change as it was noted the county can now approach Enbridge Energy and try to negotiate the interest rate. Norikane mentioned that some neighboring counties  have already paid full amounts and some counties are going to try to negotiate the interest rate from the current 4% down to 2%. Norikane had first suggested the county pay the amount immediately, but after being notified of a possible negotiation, it was recommended that the county wait.

   The board took Norikane’s suggestion into consideration and motioned and approved holding off on making the payment to Enbridge Energy until after a possible negotiation and to make the payment by using grant funds and funds from the uninsured claim reserve.

   Norikane also updated the board on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant by asking for the board to approve a county project, direct cash assistance to various businesses and non-profit organizations and two projects requesting a 20% match. It was noted, as of that morning approximately 138 businesses or non-profit organizations had requested the direct assistance grant and there was still approximately $410,000 remaining in that fund. 

   Citizens Jerome and Jan Jennen attended the meeting to request the board reconsider the denial of the reclassification of 40 acres of their property from Ag Forested to Rural Residential to allow them to divide it into four ten acre parcels to be sold. After a public hearing was held with numerous comments opposing the reclassification, the Cass County Planning Commission denied the request at their Aug. 9 meeting.

   Jennen stated they believed they were being discriminated against and grouped in with other people that have disturbed the area with their 4-wheelers, all they would like to do is sell their land in smaller parcels to individuals that would like to live up north. It was mentioned the planning commission feels if the land is divided into smaller portions, expenses would be increased for the county. Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk mentioned citizens should look at the county’s plan when purchasing land as the goal for Cass County is to maintain large areas of agricultural land for hunting and farming. If land begins to be reclassified and split up in smaller portions there would be large clusters of houses and little room for farming. The board motioned and approved to uphold the Planning Commissions recommendation and deny the reclassification request.

   In other business, the county board:

   • Heard a summary of the personnel committee meeting and approved the addition of an administrative agent and the elimination of the office support specialist, both positions in the probation department. Also, tabled filling the vacated Forest Resource Manager position pending a review of the proposed work plan with the recently approved LIDAR inventory program.

   • Authorized the Land Commissioner to issue emergency hay stumpage permits of county land at no cost on a first come, first serve basis due to the extreme drought.

   • Approved state land acquisition of four parcels on the Roger’s Point area of Miller’s Bay for an Aquatic Management Area.

   • Approved the first reading and final adoption of the Cass County Comprehensive Plan Update after a public hearing was held. 

   • Approved a Truancy Intervention - Collaborative Response for the 2021-2022 school year which will commit a probation officer and social worker to attend established school attendance review boards.

   The next meetings are as follows: Commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept 7. at the boardroom in the courthouse annex in Walker, Association of Minnesota Counties Fall Policy Conference, Sept. 16-17 at Arrowwood Conference Center, Alexandria and Commissioner’s board meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 at Pillager City Hall, 306 Elm Ave West, Pillager.