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WALKER - Cass County Board Tuesday approved funding its $50,835 share of a computer software system if other member counties also approve funding it.

Cass has been a member of Minnesota Counties Information Systems (MCIS), based at Grand Rapids, for many years. The joint effort provides software for county operations to member counties.

The property tax, assessing and payroll systems member counties use through MCIS first were written in the mid-1970's, according to Auditor-Treasurer Sharon Anderson, who said there have been only minimal upgrades to the taxing system since that time.

The proposed, improved system would give better data analysis and enable county employees to connect to the system remotely while working around the county rather just inside their offices.

Anderson said her budget for elections runs about $140,000 in election years, but that money is not spent in non-election years, meaning there would be money available in her budget in 2013 to pay Cass's share of the computer software upgrade.

Under a 1911 state law, counties can require a bond and charge a $150 fee to license transient merchants for a license to sell in the county.

On a recommendation from Anderson, the board approved Tuesday to exempt such merchants from obtaining a license in Cass County if they are selling at a weekend festival or if they are selling under a license a city issues.

Chris Trout, 4-H program coordinator, reported the newest update of the county plat book will be available for sale about July this year. The 4-H clubs in Cass County earn money by helping distribute plat books, which are available for sale at some businesses throughout the county and from 4-H clubs.

Sheriff Tom Butch obtained board approval to have Central Services Director Tim Richardson purchase new courthouse surveillance cameras from bids received, with cost not to exceed $30,000.

Burch showed the board credit card-sized cards he is having printed to distribute to lake associations. It lists information about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, similar to the state decal made available to stick on boats. The concept is that the card with a key chain hole can be placed on a boat key ring to remind people about preventing the spread of invasive species.

Depending on demand for the cards, Burch estimated printing costs will run $500 to $1,000.

Kerry Swenson, emergency services director, reported to the board the total cost for Cass's transition to the ARMER radio system should stay under $3.5 million. It is nearly complete, with the final cost well under estimates before the conversion began, Swenson said.[[In-content Ad]]Kevin Lee, North Memorial Ambulance, reported calls for service at the Longville Ambulance Service ran higher than expected in the first quarter 2012. The service budgeted for 44 calls, but billed for 51 calls. He said calls In North Memorial's Brainerd region are up overall this year.

First quarter Longville expenses ran $760 over budget, Lee said, largely due to higher fuel costs. The service had a paramedic working every day the first quarter, Lee said, though the service license does not require that level of care.

Longville Ambulance is in the process of adding new in-vehicle computers and heart monitors, which should be installed by the end of this month, Lee said.

Emergency helicopter training will be conducted at Longville in July.

The county board named Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk to represent the county on the Greater Minnesota Advisory Panel. It is a quarterly roundtable forum in St. Paul for all levels of government to discuss and propose ideas and policies to ensure that greater Minnesota issues are considered before decisions are made.

Jamie Richter, health services director, informed the board she has begun calling area dentists to encourage them to offer their services under the county's discount drug card program. The TWRx (now also called PRO ACT Inc.) cards made available to county residents in the last year also can provide low cost dental insurance for the uninsured or under insured.

However, Richter said, none of the area dental offices have joined the network as of this time. She said the first calls she made to dentists sound encouraging.

To enroll, discount drug card holders need to call the telephone number on their card to sign up for the dental insurance, Richter explained. Cost is $36.50 per year for individuals and $52 for families.

Any county resident who has not already obtained a discount drug card can do so by calling county health services at (218) 574-1340. Residents who have used the card find about a 66 percent savings on their drug purchases, she said.

Richter reported Cass, Todd, Wadena and Morrison Counties will share a $200,000 per year Minnesota Department of Health grant to encourage regional programs like the in-county SHIP grant program, which encourages active healthy living and accessible healthy foods as preventive health care measures.

Cass County's use of group home services for children has dropped to less than half the cost through the first quarter of the year compared with 2011. The number of children in out of home placement has dropped from an average of over 60 per month to an average of about 45 per month this year.

This means overall out of home placements through March this year ran about half the total expected in the 2012 budget. Cost for children in correctional facilities also was down.

Since most of the out of home placement budget is a county expense rather than state or federal funded, it meant the overall health, human and veterans services budget also is running at only 25.89 percent after 33.33 percent of the year.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.

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