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   WABEDO TOWNSHIP — Sheriff Bryan Welk requested the board create a steering committee to pursue options regarding the Cass County jail during the regular board meeting on Tuesday, June 17.

   During the annual planning meeting, held June 12, Welk shared the county is spending $56.75/day for 40 beds in the Itasca County Jail, and is slightly higher if the inmate is in custody on a civil commitment. Therefore, the county is spending approximately $72,000 per month on just beds and a total of $84,000 per month with medical expenses included. Currently the county is only using about half of the allotted beds, but they still have to pay for the total. By creating a steering committee it can be determined if the county continues to contract or if they pursue other options for the future of the jail. It was also stated over the past 20 years Cass County has spent approximately $22.5 million for jail outsourcing.

   Welk stated currently the jail is still functioning as needed, but there are many updates needed as shared in the Capital Improvement Plan that was adopted June 3. After much discussion with all commissioners agreeing this discussion will need to include all board members along with others a motion was made to create a Jail Steering Committee with a committee of the whole, the County Administrator, the Sheriff, the County Attorney, the Chief Financial Officer, the Jail Lieutenant, the Facilities Capital Project Manager and the Central Services Director. The motion passed unanimously.

   Welk then informed the board with the loss of State funding for the sentence to serve program there is a shortfall of $11,500 for the remaining of 2025. This program proves to be a benefit as it provides work experience for eligible individuals in custody such as mowing various county and non-profit locations. Welk stated the department’s budget can cover the shortfall due to open positions. A motion was made and passed unanimously as all commissioners felt this is a much needed program.

    Dana Gutzmann, SWCD Conservation Manager, presented the Cass Soil and Water Conservation District 2024 report. It was shared that $396,000 was paid from a variety of grants with property owners, local government units and entities contributing another $418,000. Gutzmann also stated that for every $1 that is spent on conservation $1.81 is generated in the economy, therefore, during 2024 Cass County conservation projects generated $1,473,000.

   Some of the key accomplishments for the department included the following:

   • Implementation of 11 agricultural best management practices on 340 acres for drinking water and surface water protection.

   • Sealed three abandoned wells to protect ground water.

   • Created 18 Forest Stewardship Plans on 2,000 acres for enrollment in protections programs and initiated eight conservation easements.

   • Completed 11 shoreline restoration and stabilization projects on 1,600 feet of shoreline, conducted site visits and plan designs for an additional 89 shoreline properties and inspected 27,198 boats to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

   Also the board heard a request from Diane Lehner, representing Richard Beach, to pull the denial of the reclassification request from Beach off the consent agenda for further discussion. Lehner presented a letter the board stating she feels she did not properly explain Beach’s request to the planning commission regarding dividing a parcel and requesting for it to be re-zoned. In the initial request Beach requested 10 acres from a 40 acre parcel be reclassified in order to place single-family homes for family members. The initial plan was for this 10 acres to be broken down into four separate 2.5 acre parcels for Beach’s grandchildren. During the May Planning Commission meeting it was noticed some of the information on the application was incorrect, therefore that application was tabled in order to make corrections. Lehner resubmitted an application for the June Planning Commission meeting, but she stated the information in the packet was still incorrect. However, with the information the Planning Commission had during that meeting, along with the 19 letters opposing the reclassification, the Planning Commission recommended denying the application. 

   During the board meeting Planning Commissioner Scott Wold explained the reasoning for this recommendation was because this property is located in a large Agricultural/Forestry location and it is the practice of the county to not split large areas into Rural Residential 2.5 or Rural Residential 5.0. Also, Wold mentioned with this particular area all zoning is at the Agricultural/Forestry and if a small parcel is re-zoned as a Rural Residential it would throw up red flags with the State. After further discussion Commissioner Rusty Lilyquist made a motion to send the request back to the Planning Commission with the new information Lehner provided, Commissioner Bob Kangas seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

   In other business, the county board:

   • Approved the USDA Forest Service Region 9, Chippewa National Forest Agreement and authorize the Cass Soil and Water Conservation District to accept the funding on behalf of Cass County.

   • Approved the 2025 Highway Department Budget Amendments transferring $670,000 from Restricted LOST fund balance to Road & Bridge Unassigned Fund Balance and decreasing Aggregate Surfacing budget from $330,000 to $0.

   • Awarded Roadway striping to Sir Lines-A-Lot, LLC in the amount of $183,038.08 and upgrading to a higher quality pavement marking paint to lengthen the life expectancy. 

   • Awarded the contract to reclaim and pave portions of County State Aid Highways 4, 52 and 54 and County Road 130 to Hawkinson Construction in the amount of $4,340,520.28.

   • Adopted the Cass County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. 

   • Approved a Grant application for a roundabout on County State Aid Highway 77 and County State Aid Highway 18 and County State Aid Highway 77 and County State Aid Highway 70.   

   The next meetings are as follows: Commissioner’s board meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 1 at the boardroom in the courthouse annex in Walker; commissioner’s board meeting, 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 15 at Ottertail Peninsula Township, 12325 W Shores Rd. NW, Cass Lake and Walker ambulance service district public meeting, 11 a.m. Friday, July 18 at the courthouse annex in Walker.

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