June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Self-insured health plan to continue for Cass employees
The commissioners also gave final authorization to use Arthur J. Gallagher and Company as a consultant for the county's cafeteria plan through 2016.
They voted to accept a bid to renew employee life insurance from Minnesota Life through 2018. While that bid was higher than other bidders, it was the only plan offering a set price for three rather than two years and guaranteeing coverage for retirees for future years.
The commissioners referred to the citizen budget committee Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson's request to use $13,293.33 from the general fund in 2016 to complete funding for high definition aerial photos of the county.
Stevenson said the land department dedicated $25,000 annually for aerial photograph, taking photos of a third of the county each year. These photos, however, have not been high resolution, so cannot be used on the county's website, and so are not readily available to the public.
He proposed to pledge the land department's annual allocation, plus $25,000 Cass Soil and Water Conservation District has pledged toward the $63,293.33 Pictometry Intelligent Images of New York wants to charge to provide high definition photos over the next six years.
This leaves a $13,293.33 shortfall, which Stevenson would like to have the county general fund pay.
The county board approved giving one easement to Blind Lake Township and two to Wabedo Township over county land to enable the towns to construct turnaround areas at the ends of three town roads.
Stevenson said the turnarounds also will help loggers working on county land in those areas.
The commissioners approved selling a lot to the city of Cass Lake at appraised value, plus fees for a total of $2,860.91.
Longville Ambulance Service reported serving 102 patients the first half of 2015, down from 119 served in 2014.
Though expenditures were less than budget expectations, the revenue was significantly less due to serving fewer patients, according to Kevin Lee, North Memorial Ambulance, which operates the Longville service.
Because of deductions Medicare and insurance providers take from the amount Longville Ambulance bills and due to unpaid patient debt, the service collected 65.1 percent of what it billed in the first half of 2015.
Nationwide, Lee said ambulance services collect an average of 60 percent of what they bill, so Longville actually was above the average.
Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk said such deductions mean ambulance services must rely on local government assistance in order to survive.
Property owners in the city of Longville and surrounding townships pay a special ambulance levy with their taxes annually. That amount will be the same in 2016 as 2015, $461,000.
The commissioners voted to combine the Emergency Medical Service Task Force Board and the Cass County Emergency Communications Board into one board, because the members on both boards are the same.
They voted to cancel checks the county wrote in 2014 to 38 individuals and businesses that have not been cashed. Total value of the checks is $1,219.27. They ranged in amounts from 95 cents to $395.
Probation Director Jim Schneider obtained board approval to attend a national Institute of Justice-paid panel discussion on technology needs for small, rural, border and tribal justice systems. It will be held in Arlington, Va., in December.
Cass commissioners will hold a closed special meeting at 9 a.m. Oct. 27 at the courthouse in Walker to conduct county department head personnel evaluations.
The board plans to attend an Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference Dec. 7 to 8 at River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.
Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.[[In-content Ad]]
Comments:
You must login to comment.