Cass to seek proposals for new telephone system

PINE RIVER -- Tim Richardson, management information systems director, obtained Cass County Board approval Tuesday to seek requests for proposal to install a new telephone system for the courthouse, to be installed before year-end.

The change is necessary, because otherwise the county will have to begin paying a $9.20 federal access charge for each line in the courthouse rather than the 27 trunk lines next year. That would cost the county an additional $2,000 per month, Richardson said.

Arvig Communications System has been paying the additional cost for the county the last two years. The new system will allow the county to manage its own phones, Richardson said.

He indicated he hopes the board will be able to select a provider for the new system by August, with installation to be completed by November.

Richardson reported Cass is one of only a few out-state counties to have 100 percent of land parcel data in digital form. Cass land mapping system is heavily used on the county Web site, he said. An updated system will go on the Web site in July.

Cass new plat book should be available for the public to buy by September. Included with the new book will be an updated county road map. Richardson said the maps also will be available for public sale separately from the plat book. Cass County 4-H will continue to distribute plat books as a fund-raiser for that program.