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REMER - Cass County Sheriff's Department newly formed honor guard presented the American and Minnesota flags in a formal ceremony Tuesday at the Depot in Remer before the county commissioners opened their regular meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Sgt. Bryan Welk and Deputies Aaron Ammerman and Ryan Fisher provided Tuesday's ceremony. Other deputies who are part of Cass County's honor guard are Bob Laudreville, Chris Thompson, Chas Ratz, Eric Lueth and Ken Gardner.

Sheriff Tom Burch informed the board that $11,000 in donations has made possible purchase of special uniforms for the honor guard and their training. They already have presented the colors at a funeral for a retired local officer and will be available to do so for other officers who die throughout the state.

Deputies who participate volunteer all their hours for the honor guard, he said.

During Tuesday's meeting, the board authorized spending $90,034.64 from the radio communications fund to purchase 264 pagers for emergency responders throughout the county. This is part of the county's transfer within the next year to the ARMER radio system.[[In-content Ad]]

Kerry Swenson, emergency services director, told the board Cass was able to save about $100 per pager by purchasing jointly with neighboring counties.

Burch notified the board he has selected Joel Norenberg to fill the newly upgraded jail administrator vacancy created with the retirement of Bert Woodford. Qualifications were increased for that position and the rank of lieutenant added.

The position now requires a law enforcement college degree, plus multiple years experience within the department.

The board authorized Burch to purchase a two-seat ATV with a one-time special grant to enable volunteers to ride with a deputy when patrolling trails to help inform the public about ATV regulations. That volunteer will serve as a trail ambassador, he said.

The ATV is adaptable to accommodate tracks, which will enable using it in winter as well as summer, Burch said. The department currently has three single-person patrol ATVs, one of which was a confiscated machine.

Burch obtained board approval to apply for a COPS Secure Schools grant, which would provide funds for wages, benefits and equipment for a school liaison officer. The grant would require a 50 percent match if approved. So far, Remer-Longville Northland School has expressed interest. Other county schools have been contacted and are still considering whether they would participate, he said.

The state has awarded Cass $43,645 to continue offering sentence to serve for qualifying Cass inmates in 2012 and 2013.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.

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