Two claim negligence against county

BACKUS - Cass County Board received notice Tuesday two people filed suit March 10 against the county claiming they suffered injuries as a result of negligence by a county probation officer who served a warrant Nov. 17 to apprehend a juvenile from a Cass Lake house.

Dawn M. Fineday claims Probation Officer Kelly Felton failed to replace a trap door in the floor of the house after retrieving the juvenile from a crawl space there. As a result, Fineday claims she suffered a fractured leg and internal injuries when she fell through the opening into the crawl space.

Michael Sargent, who also walked into the house after the juvenile was apprehended, claims he suffered injuries when he went to assist Fineday, who was reportedly screaming for help. He said he also fell through the opening into the crawl space. The suits were filed in Cass County District Court.

In other county board business Tuesday, Administrator Robert Yochum reported the county received $84,919.50 sales tax revenue the state collected from Leech Lake Reservation in 2007. He said Leech Lake has been very active ensuring all taxes collected on the reservation are being paid to the state.

Chief Financial Officer Larry Wolf said Cass' receipts have ranged from a high of $94,600 to a low of $24,000 since 2000. Last year, the county received $71,426.

The board approved sending two sheriff's deputies to a crime scene investigation training in Iowa in August and sending Commissioner Jim Demgen to the National Association of Counties meeting in Missouri in July.

Sheriff Randy Fisher obtained board approval to purchase through the state contract a water patrol boat, motor and trailer for $21,454. The sheriff's department will patrol from May through September again this year portions of the Chippewa National Forest under a contract with the forest service.

Cass County Economic Development Corporation Director Gail Leverson reported she had 93 requests for assistance in February this year. She currently is working with 32 businesses, 20 of which would be new developments, three relocations, seven expansions and one a purchase of an existing business. If all complete their projects, she reported it could mean 227 new jobs and a $26 million investment in the county.

The county took the first step toward installing solar panels on a county garbage transfer station and recycling center building north of Pine River. The board voted to apply for a $5,000 design and installation grant to be used, if received, toward the estimated $13,600 it would cost to place solar panels on that building. The county would pay the collector hardware, fans, ducting and installation parts costs.

Environmental Services Director John Sumption told the board he also has been discussing with County Engineer David Enblom the potential for installing solar panels on some county garages.

The transfer station project would provide a solar air heating system for an insulated service building, Sumption said.

The board awarded contracts Tuesday to Joni Tulenchik for the north half of the county and Ron and Cheryl Brown for the south half of the county to inspect new private sewer system installations in 2008. Tulenchik bid $63 per inspection. The Browns bid $70.

Cass County will receive a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency $21,820 grant to enable lake associations in the county to collect water samples from 36 lakes and have the water tested for phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and Secchi depth transparency. Lake volunteers will collect samples from six points each of two years. A Detroit Lakes laboratory will analyze the samples.