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WALKER - Medical Examiner Michael McGee reported 92 people died in Cass County during 2014.

Of that number, private physicians signed death certificates for 41 decedents.

McGee's office at the Ramsey County accepted 51 death cases for autopsies. He signed death certificates without examination for 10 and did complete autopsies with toxicology reports for 41.

In 2014, 69 people died of natural causes, 16 from accidents, six from suicide and one case was undetermined. There were no murders.

Cass County Board Tuesday authorized the auditor-treasurer's office to include an informational newsletter with tax statements again this spring.

Among the topics to be presented will be information about changing the name for the "solid waste fee" to "refuse management fee" and a refresher on what this charge covers, a list of tax payment options, a description of new aquatic invasive species funding, upcoming highway construction plans and the coming new county website design.

Property tax statements will be mailed the end of March.

The board authorized the auditor-treasurer's office to contract with Northland (Longville-Remer) School District to oversee that district's May 12 special referendum election, with county costs to be billed for employee time spent.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) approved Cass County's updated solid waste management plan, enabling the county to apply for MPCA grants.

The board received a trash pickup and sanitation plan from Eelpout Festival operator Jared Olson and food vendor Charlie Thompson that had been submitted to the sheriff's and environmental services departments.

It calls for extensive trash collection barrels, regular pickup from those barrels and extensive distribution of portable toilets on Leech Lake ice and shoreline during the festival. Olson's contract calls for a $5,000 financial assurance payment, which can only be refunded after the sheriff is satisfied with lake cleanup.

Cass commissioners approved paying the county's annual $5,000 support for the county fair at Pillager.

Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson obtained board approval to permit the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Minnesota DNR to include some county land in areas each plans to burn to enhance wildlife habitat this spring. One site is in Pine Lake Township. The other is in unorganized territory.

Stevenson also got approval from the board to hire Widseth, Smith and Nolting to do a structural analysis of a building possibly attached to another in downtown Cass Lake. The land department plans to demolish the tax forfeit former business building, but first needs to know whether the demolition will affect the neighboring privately owned building.

The land department sold trees from six of seven timber tracts offered at a January timber sale for $246,732.92. It included 3,636 cords of aspen, 2,088 cords of basswood, 3,156 cords of red oak and smaller amounts of other tree species.

Loggers paid $27.49 per cord for aspen, $28.44 for oak, but only $9.61 per cord for basswood. No pine saw logs were offered on this sale.

Mississippi Headwaters Board (MHB) will pay Cass County $40 per hour to have the county environmental services department prepare and provide meeting minutes for MHB monthly meetings.

Cass County commissioners will attend the Association of Minnesota Counties joint legislative conference March 4 and 5 at Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront in St. Paul.

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