June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Cass citizen budget committee, planning commission and EDC work session Tuesday
It will be a work session (open to the public) to review the budget, discuss any changes to the county's capital improvement plan and to consider whether the county should reinstate offering business subsidies such as tax increment financing.
Tuesday, Administrator Robert Yochum said he does not foresee the board starting any major building projects this year, but he does expect the commissioners to look at proposals to improve security in the county's existing buildings.
Also Tuesday, Cass EDC Director Gail Leverson presented a proposal calling for the county to re-institute business subsidies.
The county did offer tax-increment financing to six businesses prior to 2003 when a comprehensive plan was written. That plan called for business development to be done in or immediately adjacent to cities where there is infrastructure to support them.
Since 2003, TIF has been available only from cities in Cass.
The county board reviewed the comprehensive plan in 2008 and continued the concept of limiting business development to cities. At Leverson's request two commissioners met with her again this year to re-evaluate the concept.
Tuesday, Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk said it is possible it makes more sense to locate some types of businesses outside cities. He cited logging and lumber-related operations as one type.
The commissioners will seek input at next week's meeting from the planning commission and county planner, who spearheaded the comprehensive plan development. They also will seek input from townships where potential businesses could be located under a county business subsidy.
Leverson reported she recently has helped four businesses complete financing for new operations.
Nate Sauvageau will build a new Laundromat in Pine River. Nick and Julie Newman will expand Ridgeline Manufacturing Inc. to begin offering deck and architectural components, adding five new employees. Travis Kelley of Backus will begin having a Remer business manufacture the Cheatah, a tool used to hang doors, which he will sell and distribute, creating one to three jobs. J.T. Industries LLC owner Jason Trout will expand his Pine River manufacturing business, adding one employee.[[In-content Ad]]
Assessor Mark Peterson reported fourth quarter 2010 foreclosures in Cass County dropped back to 2007 levels, with only 23 recorded, compared with 30 to 36 in each of the three intervening years.
The 12 residential homesteads foreclosed the fourth quarter of 2011 were half the number foreclosed in 2009. Foreclosures on cabins and other non-homestead properties were up slightly in 2011 at 10, compared with 2010 and 2009, but slightly under the 11 in 2008.
Properties valued between $100,000 and $200,000 continue to be the highest number, but there also was a jump the fourth quarter of 2011 for properties worth $600,000 to $1 million. Since 2007, other years had only zero to two, while there were four of that value in 2011 and one over $1 million.
Social Services Manager Michele Piprude reported to the county board social services records showed an increase in adult clients in 2011, compared with 2010 and 2009, while the number of children decreased.
She attributed the change in children served to the fact Leech Lake Reservation increasingly serves more children. Some of the increase in adults, she said, reflects improved record keeping on clients served.
Pine River Area Sanitary District reported to the county board that the district has signed an agreement with the city of Crosslake to bring their solids twice a year to be added to the Pine River reed drying beds. The district made a contract with the city of Pequot Lakes to handle all of their water service and maintenance for three years.
This will bring an estimated revenue flow to the Pine River district of about $60,000 in 2012.
The district also will begin receiving all of the city of Backus's sewage this summer. Improvements the district is making include a new standby generator, replacement heaters and copper pipes in the plant and replacing a 35-year-old main lift station located by the Dairy Queen with the latest pumps and electrical panel.
All improvements are being made with cash on hand, according to the report.
Sheriff Tom Burch obtained board approval to investigate the concept of charging prisoners for medical services while in jail under Cass County arrest. He said he would expect to implement the charges for inmates being held in Crow Wing County first, because that county already has a system in place to collect such fees from their inmates. It would be implemented later at the Cass jail in Walker, he said.
He will report back to the board later on a proposed fee schedule and potential date to implement the charges.
The board authorized Lieutenant Scott Thompson to participate in a National Task Force Public Hearing on children's exposure to violence in rural and tribal communities. It will be held in Albuquerque, N.M.
Auditor-Treasurer Sharon Anderson reported the county earned $1,150,137.46 interest on investments in 2011. That is above the budget estimate of $1 million and the actual receipts in 2010 of $1,100,404.58..
Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.
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