Crow Wing may share assessor with Cass County

An agreement between Cass and Crow Wing counties could have the two sharing a county assessor.

Tuesday, the Crow Wing County Board gave its authorization to enter into a cooperative agreement to equally share Cass County's assessor for one year.

Crow Wing County hired Gary Griffin, who previously worked with Todd County, to be a supervisor in the assessor's office. Land Services Director Mark Liedl said bringing in Cass County's assessor Steve Kuha will enhance the county's efforts to move to a computer-aided mass appraisal system. The county is working to move records from books to a computer system.

The county plans to pay $61,118 for Kuha's shared time, including anticipated mileage at 15,000 miles at 55 cents per mile.

After the meeting, Administrator Tim Houle said the collaboration between Griffin and Kuha will be a development opportunity for Griffin and a way to prepare him to become Crow Wing County's assessor.

Longtime assessor Marty Schmidt is retiring at year's end.

Houle said it's not uncommon to hire a consultant to help with the CAMA conversion. While he estimates 80 percent of the computerized assessment system is the same county to county there are specific attributes here with the number of lakes and resorts to be addressed. Liedl said the computerized assessment system will help streamline the process for consistent and uniform valuation practices and is designed to manage work more effectively.

Cass County is expected to address the proposal at its Dec. 1 meeting.

Houle said with the addition of Griffin and should the agreement with Kuha be approved, the assessor's office budget remains below last year's. The department expects to have about five employees depart at the end of the year with retirements.

In other business, the board:

Approved an off-sale liquor license for Brenda Ikola, Sportsman's, Mission Township.

Agreed to close county offices at noon on Christmas Eve.

Authorized the creation of a recovery zone through the American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in Center Township. The township requested the option in order to use recovery zone economic development bonds for street reconstruction projects.

The bonds were available to the county, but the county doesn't typically bond for road projects and can redirect that option. Center Township expects it may use one-third of the available funds, or about $600,000 for the shovel-ready projects. The allocation ends Jan. 31. Auditor Deborah Erickson said the county hasn't received other requests for the funds.

Approved two replacement hiring requests in Community Services, for an administrative technical position and a social worker. Tamra Laska, human resources director, reported Community Services reduced staff by 16 full-time equivalent positions up to this year. The administrative position, which followed a retirement announcement, will be designated for priority staff need with the Veterans Service office. The social worker position is designated for the long-term care unit.

Met in closed session for labor negotiation strategy. Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom was absent.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.