Cass County Board: Cass County approves more grants through American Rescue Plan Act

   WALKER -- County Administrator, Josh Stevenson presented three American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant applications for approval at the county board meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 1. 

   The first application was a request from Northern Empire, LLC dba Next Innovations, Walker for the amount of $7,000 to assist in the purchase of a touch screen TV with computer and necessary video equipment. Arnold Volker, president shared with the board that when businesses were shut down due to Covid, many non-profit organizations needed a place to meet. Next Innovations offered their conference room to these organizations free of charge to hold meetings and trainings. They also rent out the room for a small fee to other businesses in the area. Volker stated the company would like to purchase an interactive video conference TV/system so people can use the room for trainings or other meetings. The request was unanimously approved by the board.

   The second ARPA Grant application was a request from Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) in the amount of $791,635 for a broadband project in Sylvan Township. Chief Executive Officer Kristi Westbrock stated currently the project has $590,932 committed funding from Sylvan Township and CTC. The total cost of the project will be $1,583,270 and if the county approves the current request CTC will still seek funding in the amount of $200,703 from other sources. If unable to secure that funding then CTC stated the company would fund that amount to ensure the project was completed. Westbrock also stated that they currently have all of the material for the project on hand in order to begin the project this year. 

   Commissioner Jeff Peterson stated the county only has $1.5M set aside for infrastructure from the ARPA Grant money the county is going to receive. CTC is requesting 53% of the total infrastructure budget and he doesn’t feel the county should put all of the money into one project. Commissioner Rick Haaland questioned the amount requested, stating he thought the Commissioner’s  set the applications at a 20% match to allow more businesses opportunity.

   Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk made a motion to fund CTC $791,635 under the condition Cass County receives the remaining ARPA Grant funds from the Federal Government, as currently the county has only received half of the money. No second was made on the motion, therefore, no vote was taken.

   The final ARPA Grant application request the board received was from the Pine River Chamber of Commerce to purchase furniture and other equipment to create a Covid-friendly meeting space for public use.  The request was in the amount of $10,000 with the project needing a total of $10,283. President Jay Cline sent a video for the board to watch with examples of the proposed furniture and equipment the Chamber is hoping to purchase. Executive Director Michaela Reed was on hand to answer any other questions the board had. Gaalswyk questioned why the board was considering funding a project at 100% when the board had agreed on a 20% match. Peterson stated he would rather fund multiple $10,000 projects to help out more Cass County businesses and encourages more area businesses to apply for help with infrastructure projects. The request was approved unanimously.

   In other business, the county board: 

   • Heard a report on the Solid Waste Committee meeting and approved a 7.3% contract increase for both Recycle Bin and Transfer Station management contracts.

   • Heard from Mississippi Headwaters Board Executive Director Tim Terrill with an update, which can be viewed at www.mississippiheadwaters.org.

   The next meetings are as follows: Commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15 at the Land Department meeting room in Backus; commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Mar. 1 at the boardroom in the courthouse annex in Walker and AMC Legislative Conference, Wednesday, Mar. 2 through Thursday, Mar. 3 at the Intercontinental Hotel, St. Paul.