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BACKUS - Cass County received a net $58,339.23 by selling surplus equipment through an online auction this fall.

The county board announced Tuesday, Nov. 19, the results of department head evaluations conducted in closed session Nov. 5.

County Engineer Darrick Anderson; Health, Human and Veterans Services Director Michele Piprude; Assessor Mark Peterson; and Administrator Joshua Stevenson achieved the requirements of their positions.

Kevin Lee, North Memorial Health manager of Longville Ambulance Service, told the county board the new ambulance building the service moved into Oct. 10 "has been working out great for us." It is connected to a new county highway garage there.

Longville Ambulance served 273 patients through the third quarter 2019, up from 252 in 2018. The service had $677,135 revenue and $616,844 expenses through September for a new margin of 8.9 percent.

In other business, the county board:

Authorized Recorder Katie Norby to spend up to $750 to purchase a Mobile Passport Photo System Bundle to be able to provide photos for anyone applying for or renewing a passport at her office.

Previously, Thrifty White Drug in Walker offered passport photo service, but decided not to replace their equipment when it wore out, she said. Norby expects the $12 per person rate she will charge for photos to pay for the new equipment in about six months.

Approved an agreement with Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for licensed sheriff's deputies to receive overtime rate pay from the state while participating in a statewide Minnesota Anti-Heroin Task Force Program to investigate heroin and opioid distribution and related deaths.

Authorized County Engineer Darrick Anderson to seek a $144,000 grant and match that with $36,000 in county money to widen 2.4 miles of shoulders on County State Aid Highway 2 west of Pine River from four feet to eight feet.

All-terrain vehicles use that portion of CSAH 2 to access recreational trails around Spider Lake and in Foot Hills State Forest.

Approved increasing the county's rate from $70 to $100 per hour for a driver and equipment charged to Shingobee Township for winter road maintenance on Municipal State Aid Highway 208 (Ah-Gwah-Ching Road).

Approved reclassifying 35 acres in Deerfield Township from Agriculture Forest to Rural Residential 20. The planning commission recommended Darrell Baty's application for the change at their Nov. 12 meeting.

Awarded contracts to low bidders Tim Stoll at $400 and James Adrian at $375 to inspect buildings on recently tax forfeited properties in Byron and Sylvan Townships, respectively. For regulated materials like asbestos.

Learned Cass County Land Department will hold a public meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the land department building in Backus on updating the county's forest management plan.

Learned the land department sold 12,121 cords of wood at the Oct. 31 timber auction for $300,904.43. Seven of nine tracts offered were sold. Loggers paid $31.66 per cord for aspen and $22.32 for red oak, the two largest quantity tree species offered.

Voted to increase the public health service charge to administer influenza vaccine from $14.69 to $21.22. Total cost charged with the cost of regular vaccine will be $45 and for high dose vaccine will be $66. This is the first county flu vaccine increase since 2008.

Approved contracts with Teresa Watson for $55 per hour, plus mileage, to provide physical and occupational therapy services to adults and children, with Cynthia Rieck of Pequot Lakes Physical Therapy for $55 per hour, plus mileage, to provide physical and occupational therapy services to adults and children and with Little Sand Group Home of Remer to provide residential services for girls at $249.90 per day.

Approved an agreement for the county attorney's office and sheriff to provide enforcement services for social services' child support enforcement program.

Approved a contract enabling Minnesota Department of Human Services behavioral health division to pay Cass County up to $11,770 in 2020 to contract to screen children and complete mental health assessments and referrals.

Learned the county has earned 128 percent of expected interest on investments after 10 months of the year or $1,220,468 in 2019, up from $1,076,968.90 in 2018. The 2019 budget had expected $950,000.

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