June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Supervisors update Cass Commissioners with department reports
There are significant signal improvements than there were previously, he said.
Further, he reported signals will be good inside all Cass school buildings by the end of this year, because of improved service through the ARMER emergency radio communications upgrade done in the last two years.
Cass commissioners decided to hang in the health, human and veterans services lobby the award plaque Association of Minnesota Counties presented to Cass recently to recognize the achievement of integrating intake services for health and human services staff.
The board approved eliminating a case aide position and replacing that with an eligibility worker who will accept new applications for benefits.
Director Reno Wells reported to the board the county has already received 621 of the 650 new cases for benefits under the Affordable Care Act for health insurance that state officials projected the county would receive.
Cases for benefit recipients have to be reviewed every six months as well as at sign-up, he said. Wells estimated the county will receive an additional 50 to 100 new cases before year end, exceeding state projections.
Wanda Reed, an income maintenance supervisor, explained, it takes at least eight months to train a new eligibility worker, because of the number of programs for which an applicant may be eligible. Each program has different eligibility criteria.
Jeff Woodford, veterans services officer, obtained board approval to develop a certificate of appreciation to send to people who donate to the veterans transportation program.
Tuesday, the county received donations for that program from Sons of the American Legion Post 202 ($300), Salem Lutheran Church ($100) and American Legion Post 458 ($100). The veterans transportation program drove 35 people a total of 8,368 miles in November, Woodford reported.
He also reported Cass has the 23rd highest number of veterans in the state, but ranked ninth highest of 87 counties in November for providing assistance to veterans under state programs for vets. The county distributed $91,990.59 to vets from those programs in November.
They include a special needs once in a lifetime grant, which can be used for shelter, catastrophic lost or utilities such as replacing a well or septic system, he said. There are no income limits for that program.
The other main state program does have strict income and asset guidelines. It offers help to veterans and their families for dental care, optical services, personal needs, utilities, housing and special needs, Woodford explained.
He also reported a rising number of veterans coming to the main veterans services office in Backus.
Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson informed the board Enbridge will offer informational meetings about the proposed Sandpiper Pipeline Project at 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at Trelipe Town Hall, 3669 County 55 NE, Remer, and at 8 p.m. Jan. 14 during a Bull Moose Township meeting at Cass County Lake Department building, 218 E Washburn Ave., Backus. Both are open to the public.
The county board accepted a Soil and Water Conservation Board recommendation to leave the county's extension policy for timber sales as it has been for at least the last eight years. That policy calls for timber buyers to pay all remaining balance due on a sale if they wish to extend rights to the sale beyond the initial two-year term.
County Engineer David Enblom obtained board approval to attend the National Association of Engineers conference in Baton Rouge, La, in April.
Auditor-Treasurer Sharon Anderson reported the county received 91 percent of expected interest income on investments through the end of November this year.
Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.
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