June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Final version of Cass County Capital Improvement Plan approved
It calls for making major energy savings and operating improvement changes to the county's highway department garages throughout the county rather than to build new garages. The plan anticipates doing this over the five years.
Each project will require board action before being undertaken.
Improvements will include improving insulation, lighting and heating efficiency, repair damage to buildings, expand storage and office space, replace garage doors and coat floors to prevent future damage.
Cost for each site is expected to run about $120,000 to $140,000. Cost for the larger main garage at Walker is expected to run about $431,000.
Still under consideration is whether to upgrade the existing garage at Remer or whether, in the long run, it will be more cost effective to spend about $300,000 to build a new county addition to the MnDOT state garage at Remer and create a shared facility.
Other portions of the plan the board discussed last month and approved Tuesday call for the county to decline the sale of any county land at the former Ah-Gwah-Ching site until the county campus portion has an approved development plan, continuing to maintain and improve existing county buildings, declining to use any new state-authorized highway tax options, declining to borrow to fund projects and maintaining the existing road improvement program at present levels.
Jeff Holubar, loss control consultant with Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust, reported Cass's claims on property and casualty and on workers compensation claims has been low enough that the county dividends received back from the insurance program have more than doubled in recent years.
In 2008 and 2009, Cass earned about $180,000 in dividends a year. By 2011 and 2012, the dividends are up to about $448,000 annually. There has been a statewide improvement in claims under this multi-county insurance program, Holubar said.
Eric Raitanen, Chippewa National Forest fisheries biologist, informed the board the Knutson Dam at Cass Lake, the second of eight dams controlling water levels on lakes in the Upper Mississippi flowage, is in need of major repairs.
The forest service will decide by this fall which of three options it will implement. Options are to repair the existing dam, replace the dam with a new one for $6 million or try an option Minnesota DNR has used instead of a dam, which would cost $3 million.
The last option would convert the dam area to a flowage over rock weir step pools. If this latter option is selected, it would have the added benefit that fish can go up and down the rapids-type structure and would not be impeded as they are by a dam.
Whichever option the forest service selects, Raitanen said he expects the work would be done after October 2014.
Cass County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has provided funding to enable the city of Walker to map its storm sewer system and do a pilot project in one area of the system to clean sediment from it. Walker area Foundation provided matching funds for the project. Cass Environmental Services Department (ESD) also participated.
The city now is looking into whether there may be additional funding available to further clean and improve the system - maybe ultimately create lift stations, sediment traps and retention basins.
According to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, over 80,000 gallons of storm water flows from impervious surfaces in downtown Walker during a half-inch rain event, carrying pollutants, sediments and litter with it.
The commissioners authorized ESD Director John Ringle to engage a summer intern through the end of the summer to assist in that department. He is Jamin Carlson, a student at Bemidji State University.
Assessor Mark Peterson reported the state has approved the county's property appraisal for the current year and recommends no changes. All property values remain flat here, he said.
The board approved paying Central Minnesota Council on Aging $3,040 this year and next toward program operations.
Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.
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