June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Cass County Board: New construction, sewer permits down from a year ago
The county issued 580 land use permits the first half of 2018, compared with 587 in 2017. The planning commission approved 38 variances this year through June, compared with 49 in 2017.
The commission approved 13 conditional use permits the first half of this year, compared with 12 in 2017.
Shoreland alterations dropped to 69 in 2018 from 147 in 2017.
One minor land subdivision was approved through June this year, compared with two minor subdivision and one plat in 2017.
The largest number of land use permits issued, 30, continues to be for work in Woodrow Township between Hackensack and Longville, followed by 28 in Shingobee Township by Walker, 25 in Sylvan Township by Pillager, 22 in Wabedo by Longville and 21 in Fairview Township North of Pillager.
In other business, the county board:
Cass County will receive a $1,233,015.58 state payment in lieu of taxes and $106,987.50 in state wildlife management lands distribution, Sandra Norikane, chief financial officer, reported to the county board.
The county's state PILT dropped by $286,000 in 2017, compared with 2016, but is back up to about the 2016 level for 2018, because the Legislature increased the per acre payments from $1.50 per acre to $2.
Cass County Soil and Water Conservation District manages the county's aquatic invasive species prevention and remediation program. The county, using its state AIS grant money, reimburses SWCD for program costs.
Tuesday, county commissioners approved reimbursing the SWCD $147,188.83 for AIS expenses from March 1 through July 16, 2018.
Most of the money was paid for boat landing inspectors. A $10,000 grant was made to Norway Lake Association at Pine River. Some of the lesser expenses were for T-shirts for inspectors, boat decontamination processing, portable toilets for landings and inspector supplies.
Land Commissioner Kirk Titus obtained board approval to award a contract to low bidder Schrupp Excavating for $500 to brush an access trail to a tree planting site in Homebrook Township.
Titus reported the county sold 10,001 cords of wood from six tracts of land to loggers at a July 26 auction for $371,457.86. The county also sold 68,200 board feet of standing red pine saw timber for an average price of $152.80 per thousand board feet.
Aspen sold for $37.39 per cord. Red oak sold for $38.12 per cord.
Mark Ewoldt and Lynne Wells obtained an easement across tax-forfeited land to properties they own in Wabedo Township. They provided a certificate of survey and have paid a $660 easement fee.
Turtle Lake Township donated $500 to the sheriff's sentence to service program for equipment. Shield Services of Princeton donated $4,185 to the sheriff's department to purchase three automated external defibrillator units.
Authorized contracts with the family centers at Pillager, Pine River and Remer to provide child and teen check-up outreach.
Approved an updated contract with South Country Health Alliance to continue providing services to existing Cass County clients even though the county is no longer a member of that alliance.
Referred to the planning commission a request from the Quarterdeck to reclassify two 2.7-acre lots from shoreland residential to water-oriented commercial.
Referred to the planning commission a request from Craig Buscho to reclassify 10 acres in Meadowbrook Township from agriculture/forest to rural residential 10.
Referred to the citizen budget committee requests for 2019 funding from Kitchigami Library and Cass County Agricultural Association (Pine River Fair Board).
Tabled until the next regular board meeting further discussion on whether the county should participate in a Property Assessed Clean Energy program to make low-cost loans to Cass County businesses to add solar or otherwise improve energy efficiency for their building.
The program is offered by a loan from the St. Paul Port Authority, which the county would be liable to repay if the businesses do not.
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