Cass County Board: Board receives report on probation

   KEGO TOWNSHIP — Cass County Commissioners met Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the Longville Firehall for the second to last “road show” meeting. The meeting began with county administrator Josh Stevenson sharing more detail of the consent item concerning approving the professional services agreement with Elizabeth Kujava, Ph.D.  Dr. Kujava analyzes data and evaluates the county’s justice program and measures various outcomes, including: integration of pretrial policies and procedures; number of defendants successfully completing the program; reductions in pretrial failure; reduction in the pretrial detention of low risk defendants and referral to services for pretrial clients. With this additional clarification the consent agenda was approved.

   The next item Stevenson shared with the board was a report back from the personnel committee concerning the Probation

Department. Concerns relating to understanding of role of Probation by other departments, agencies and Courts. A request was made that another meeting be scheduled with an invitation to other departments in order for them to understand the functions of the Probation Department. The committee also discussed the Remote Electronic Monitoring Grant in the amount of $8,000 and the possibility of extending the program by using other funds in order to allow individuals with no financial resources to utilize the remote electronic monitoring program. The committee recommended not to subsidize the program to the board and to continue using the funds that are currently available through the grant. 

   In other business, the county board:

   • Heard the Longville ambulance 2022 second quarter report from Kevin Lee, Ambulance Service Manager for North Memorial Health, stating numbers are beginning to rise however the net margin was still a negative 4%.

   • Approved the contract of operation with the Cass County Museum of Historical Society from August 16, 2022 through August 16, 2032, with the option of two ten year renewals.

   • Approved the Cass County Trail Improvement Grant submitted by the Longville Lakes Area Snowmobile Club for the Inguadona snowmobile trail reroute project, in the approximate amount of $15,000, and to authorize the Land Department to proceed with obtaining quotes to acquire an accurate cost.

   The next meetings are as follows: Commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 at the boardroom in the courthouse annex in Walker; AMC Fall Policy Conference, Sept. 15-16 at Arrowwood Conference Center, Alexandria and commissioner’s board meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Boy River City Hall, 112 Main Street S, Boy River.