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WALKER -- Cass County had five foreclosures in the second quarter this year, about half the number in each of the preceding three years.

Three were homesteads. One was a seasonal recreational. One was a commercial property.

Two were worth under $100,000. Two were worth between $200,000 and $400,000. One was worth between $400,000 and $600,000.

Assessor Mark Peterson reported Tuesday, Sept. 3, at the county board meeting there were 437 arms-length property sales the first half of this year, down slightly from the 445 sold in 2018.

Commissioner Dick Downham was absent from Tuesday's meeting.

In other business, the county board:

Authorized Central Services Director Tim Richardson to spend up to $35,000 to replace the county's main uninterrupted power supply for the courthouse computer systems and the cooling system for the main courthouse computer center.

Learned Longville Ambulance Service billed 172 patients the first half of 2019, compared with 145 in 2018.

The North Memorial Health service had a 7.7% net increase for the Longville district. They took in $441,468 and spent $407,658.

Authorized Land Commissioner Kirk Titus to provide a $20,000 match from county forest development funds if he is successful in obtaining a state Conservation Partners Legacy Grant to purchase from private landowners about 150 acres north of Mud Lake in Pine Lake Township and 27.4 acres west of Bear Lake in Crooked Lake Township.

Both sites are currently surrounded by public land and will be managed as county forest land, and will be open to public use. Pine Lake Township has approved the purchase. The other purchase will be contingent on Crooked Lake Township approval.

Lawrence Valuation Services was selected to appraise the Pine Lake property value for $2,200, pending the county's purchase. They were the lowest of three bidders.

Selected Holmvig Excavating as the lowest of three bidders to provide taconite tailings at $19.75 per yard to repair washouts on the Thunder Lake Trail caused by summer logging use.

Awarded a contract to Champion Forestry Services, the lowest of three bidders, for $59.85 per acre to staple bud caps on young planted trees to prevent deer browse.

There are approximately 800 trees per acre on 15 sites in southern and central Cass County.

Accepted a $250 donation from Hackensack American Legion Auxiliary for the county veterans transportation program.

Authorized Elections Administrator Sharon Anderson to purchase, for $24,070, enough additional Poll Pad electronic voter registration roster systems with maintenance contracts to complete the switch from paper to electronic voter registration records in all precincts before the 2020 elections.

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