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WALKER-Sheriff Tom Burch obtained county board approval Tuesday to seek federal approval for a grant that would benefit the Chippewa National Forest and the county.

A local Chippewa Resource Advisory Committee already has approved the concept. U.S. Department of Agriculture must give final approval.

Burch is seeking at least $12,000 to enable the Sentence to Serve crew to eradicate invasive noxious weeds and manage vegetative cover within the Chippewa National Forest.

Areas where they would work include county road ditches, around public landings, by the forestry offices and in trailhead areas.

One sheriff's employee oversees crews of inmates under the Sentence to Serve program.

They are court ordered to the program and can work off court-ordered financial obligations or jail time.

Cass Sheriff's Office will receive $9,000 from the National Joint Powers Alliance to help pay for drug task force services.

The commissioners approved a resolution enabling the sheriff and county attorney to use the state Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension criminal justice communications network the next five years.

They also approved a resolution to apply for disaster relief for the Aug. 4 windstorm, which struck hardest in southern Cass..

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