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WALKER - Cass County commissioners awarded contracts Tuesday for four energy improvements for Deep Portage Conservation Reserve. A fifth contract was awarded in December.

Total for the contracts is $200,964.88. Another $10,000 has been designated for a contingency fund and $21,000 for engineering costs. If the total $231,964.88 is expended, Deep Portage Foundation will cover the difference over a $212,000 state grant for the projects.

KMI Mechanical will do the plumbing work. Residential Wind Power Inc. will install a 130-foot, 10 KVW wind turbine. Knox Electric Inc. will install more energy efficient lighting. Tony Peterson Construction will install more energy efficient windows. St. Cloud Refrigeration will make a refrigeration update.

The board approved a revised county fee schedule for 2011. Changes are listed on the county website at www.co.cass.mn.us .

Cass Health, Health, Human and Veterans Services spent only 78.3 percent of the 2010 budget through the end of November or 91.67 percent of the year.

Part of the savings came as a result of lower out of home child placement costs. The county share of those costs ran only 60 percent of anticipated expenditures through November.

The board voted not to fill at this time a child protection social worker position, but will review and consider whether to fill the vacancy later this year.

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