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   BACKUS —  Cass County Probation Director Jim Schneider and Minnesota Department of Corrections District Supervisor Mark Smith shared the Cass County Probation Comprehensive Plan and Department of Corrections annual report during the regular meeting Tuesday, Mar. 18. The probation comprehensive plan replaced the annual report in 2024 due to a legislative change for budget purposes. Therefore, all probation departments must complete a comprehensive plan and have it approved by a corrections advisory board. Schneider stated they have updated the plan to include 2024 end of year data which is being shared with the commissioners.

   2024 saw a continued decrease in caseloads for the probation officers with cases down to 734 from 758. Schneider mentioned the department continues to work with Minnesota Monitoring Incorporated on an alcohol/electronic monitoring program for both juveniles and adults. It was mentioned this is a huge cost savings due to it costing $325 per day to house an individual in a correctional detention center verses $20 per day for an ankle bracelet. Plus this also allows juveniles to remain in their home, attend school and not be in detention.

   Other statistics shared during the meeting were bail evaluations being down from 264 to 252; pretrial offenses down to 342 from 503 and adult offenses (DWI offenders, assaults or drug offenders) down from 1,225 to 977. 

   Smith briefly shared an update stating currently the department has only four probation agents out of six positions, one support staff and himself due to one agent moving to Health Human and Veterans Services. Therefore, there are two positions looking to be filled. Smith also shared some goals for 2025, with a couple being the continued collaboration on the Domestic Violence Court and continuing to work with Leech Lake Tribal to develop probation services specific to the Reservations needs.

   For the complete Probation and Department of Correction Annual Reports go to www.casscountymn.gov.

   Cass County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Mike Paulus presented a request of support for a revolving loan fund community property development application in the amount of $150,000. This loan request is from Ken Moen for a project in Cass Lake which would include commercial space on the main floor for a new laundry location and a proposed coffee shop with the upper level containing eight apartments. Paulus stated there is currently $350,000 left in the revolving loan fund and the City of Cass Lake is in full support of the project. The location of this proposed project will be on Second Street NW where Moen currently owns two parcels and will be purchasing two adjacent parcels currently owned by the City of Cass Lake. Also, Moen currently owns a laundromat in Cass Lake and will close that location once construction of the new facility is complete. 

  A motion was made by Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk, seconded by Board Chair Rick Haaland and approved unanimously.

   County Administrator Josh Stevenson then requested the board make a motion to deny the request from Mark and Barb Anderson for County Board intervention to overturn the Planning Commission Stop Work Order. During the previous regular meeting the Anderson’s came before the board, as a request to be heard not on the agenda, and requested the board overturn the Stop Work Order placed on their Gull Lake construction project. The board at that time requested legal input from an attorney to clarify the lines of authority. When contacted, County Attorney Ben Lindstrom referred the matter to Attorney Paul Donald Reuvers, with Iverson Reuvers Attorneys at Law, due to the timeliness of the matter and Lindstroms schedule. 

   Therefore, Reuvers researched the request and replied in short “the County Board does not possess the authority to overrule these decisions made by the Planning Commission under either state law or the County’s Land Use Ordinance.” However, Reuvers stated in conclusion “The Anddersons have a clear legal pathway to seek review of the Planning Commission’s decisions, which is to district court rather than the County Board.”

   A motion was made by Haaland to deny the request, seconded by Gaalswyk and approved unanimously.

   In other business, the county board:

   • Approved increasing the court appointed attorney rate to $125 per hour effective Apr. 1.

   • Approved the Title IV-E administrative agreement for parent legal representation effective Mar. 18. 

   • Approved the purchase of two Minnesota Department of Transportation signs for the County State Aid Highway 37/Ah-Gwah-Ching road to be placed on Trunk Highway 371 in the amount of $4,988.

   The next meetings are as follows: AMC Leadership Summit, Wednesday, Mar. 26 through Friday, Mar. 28 at Grand View Lodge, Nisswa; commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Apr. 1 at the boardroom in the courthouse annex in Walker and commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Apr. 15 at the Land Department meeting room in Backus.

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