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A new county attorney Chief Assistant County Attorney Christopher Strandlie will fill the unexpired term of County Attorney Earl Maus as Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently appointed Maus a district court judge By MONICA LUNDQUIST Cass County Correspondent WALKER - The Cass County Board voted Tuesday to appoint Chief Assistant County Attorney Christopher Strandlie to fill the unexpired term of County Attorney Earl Maus.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently appointed Maus a district court judge. Maus' appointment will become effective in March.
Strandlie's appointment will become effective upon the county's receipt of Maus' letter of resignation.
The board referred to Administrator Robert Yochum a letter from Cass County Court Administrator Amy Turnquist requesting the county to provide additional courthouse space for a judge's office chambers, law clerk and court reporter.
Turnquist said the appointments of Maus and Kristine DeMay to the Ninth Judicial District bench will mean Cass County will have a third judge assigned one-third time to the county. That judge will rotate into Cass County every third week to hear a supplementary calendar, she wrote.
Cass commissioners voted to increase the 4-H coordinator position from .6 time to full-time in 2008 on the condition the extension committee set goals and track attainment of those goals during the coming year. Commissioner Jim Demgen asked that those goals include making 4-H clubs available to children throughout the county.
There has been frequent staff turnover in the part-time position, causing a decline in program services, the commissioners agreed. The increase from part time to full time will cost the county an additional $26,990 in 2008.
The board voted to support an effort to obtain $200,000 in equipment funding for the proposed clinic at Hackensack.
If successful, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would provide a Rural Utilities Service grant to Crow Wing Power, which ultimately could become a revolving loan fund for equipment purchases.
If Crow Wing Power receives the grant, according to Cass County Economic Development Director Gail Leverson, Crow Wing Power can then loan the money to Pines Area Medical Development Association in Hackensack to purchase equipment for the clinic in Hackensack Senior Class building. The association then would lease the equipment to St. Joseph's Medical Center for operation of the clinic, Leverson said.
North Memorial Ambulance reported operations for its service at Longville appear to be improving to the point it expects to be within budget projections by the end of this year. The service has transported 149 patients so far this year and has been able to provide paramedics on nearly 100 percent of the calls to eliminate the need for transferring patients to another advance life support service.
The board approved an 18.7 percent increase in the county employee cafeteria health insurance program for 2008. The county's share of plan costs will be $835 per month for full-time employees.
A study will be conducted over the next year on a proposal to require retirees and surviving spouses insured under the county program to have Medicare Part B insurance when they reach age 65.
The family of James Tomka, who was a drowning victim on Steamboat Lake July 19, has donated $10,000 to be divided equally between Cass, Hubbard and Itasca counties for volunteer initiatives.
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