[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6530833,"mediaKeyId","3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516","parentId",3636423,"title","Cass County board of equalization moves appeals to pending status and approves city valuations","audioSeconds",3667,"startMs",1707000,"endMs",5374000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516&start=1707&end=5374","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516/thumbnail_1707000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6530833/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-board-of-equalization-moves-appeals-to-pending-status-and-approves-city-valuations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530833-828d29fae68ce560651c77a7ccdc7e59/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151372&Signature=JeLO~YS0oTyErwdTh57bjFh7ZJ8uN8GKYiusAW6PlMl4LnMvTee2vmY1rfS0vLb3yMtXAv9fdG35VEBZgdCjh-QelxuNKgq893MhzCh9QBU1sTdethwXVS6v461aEgJyh1OT6OQlp6wvXPswKbXODlebSIGh1SeipIuC~OadymSN4r58Qpd6VP3fzViPogXjDY2XF3se9FTSjSUCvybakHdv8bLR7lACExT4dSuH6wfSOa52k4tQaHtP8q7BB4Q0kH7HSLyFh9bB9IwTL3enaS2LKB0mPbJJLnU9VgLeaeNfQuFkH6nf~rPKuBbFaUIr4oKnhbw8Lz6xOaqejrM~PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cass County, KS","date","2025-06-03T10:15:50Z","article","The Cass County Board of Commissioners on June 2 convened as the county board of equalization, heard public appeals and actions, and took three formal votes: placing appeals presented at the meeting into pending status for further review; approving the assessed values prepared for the City of Arthur and City of Castleton (both cities had not forwarded completed equalization roles); and approving all other valuations as presented.

Director of Equalization Matt (last name not specified in record) opened the county’s annual equalization meeting with an overview and statistics for the assessing year, saying total taxable value countywide rose about 3.2% to $1,311,386,000 and rural county values rose about 4.8% to $237,500,000. He explained that the board’s June meeting is primarily fact‑finding and that determinations on appeals would be finalized at a follow‑up meeting scheduled in two weeks.

The county heard appeals from property‑tax consultants and property owners. Property Tax Resources representatives presented appeals for multiple Fargo office and industrial properties, citing declining net operating income, above‑market vacancy and lease rollover exposure and asking for income‑approach consideration instead of mass‑appraisal comparables. Representatives for Walmart raised concerns about mass appraisal for very large supercenters and provided a third‑party appraisal estimate near $65 per square foot for one store, asking the assessor to continue dialogue on a compromise valuation.

Multiple individual property owners also spoke. One Fargo condo owner, Dana Woodruff, asked the board to adjust a proposed 27% year‑over‑year increase for her unit and described sales‑data sparsity in small condo buildings that can create large statistical variance. A Horace homeowner, Connor McGovern, appealed a 2025 valuation he called a “vast overestimate” compared with loan underwriter determinations; the assessor’s office said they would follow up and attempt to schedule a property view to provide a recommendation at the next meeting. A townships‑area property owner, Howard Rasmussen, raised concerns about acreage and building classifications on his tax record and asked the county assessor to re‑examine deed and acreage notes.

Matt summarized adjustments submitted by cities before the county meeting and noted two cities (Arthur and Castleton) had not submitted approved local equalization roles; staff proposed approving the county’s assessed values for those cities because their local boards had not finalized roles. The board then took the three motions by roll call: move appeals presented today into pending status; approve the values of City of Arthur and City of Castleton as assessed; and approve all other valuations as presented. Each motion passed on recorded roll calls.

Matt reminded the public that any parcel not appealed at the local level before reaching the county cannot be appealed to the state; he said the county would provide a written recommendation and formal decisions at the follow‑up meeting.

The process: appeals presented were placed in pending status for deeper review; county staff will coordinate with city and township assessors and with property owners and consultants to prepare final recommendations for the commissioners at the next scheduled equalization meeting, after which valuations will be formally approved or adjusted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commission Meeting 6/2","oneSentenceSummary","After a multi‑hour county board of equalization session, commissioners moved appealed parcels into pending status for further review, approved City of Arthur and City of Castleton valuations, and approved all other valuations presented; several property owners spoke during the public‑hearing phase.","taxTitle","Cass County, North Dakota","taxId",2734,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6530837,"Cass County commissioners adopt 2.4% preliminary COLA for 2026 budgeting",191,1485000,1676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516&start=1485&end=1676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516/thumbnail_1485000.jpg","/articles/6530837/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-commissioners-adopt-24-preliminary-COLA-for-2026-budgeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530837-43661b79b72bb2ea28b779171f4702fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151372&Signature=Kq2Ir6oWfHBBF8a73JrILAIX-IB9zJi5Ed7LW26hfSuq7Jq3AeKTe7zve3j~ptca0kIgiTvMuv8UoiukKZU05KnyOfXfOuVAUslZLn2K6SMwjB4gfTNlt831A1GUL6ZXxalCP4tpK5Mr41eT-Z7VYinwGarKF9qtqyVBY7A2N7Jabl9xajCOeTGTzIKJlk6dNssBRQRAHhRw-uSDelTWbYq9cEr-AMipKUFOF5OKNUqTyh58qd14osaCMDpFMuI~exXWIbP6FYrHp7AU2nAnzUUyHn~r8zDnt0rjsDauTrTI2ga9tyPdBX-~dHKPuI6ffm-WVLyzugbXbSkHx4WXlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cass County commissioners on June 2 accepted a department‑heads recommendation to use a 2.4% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) as the starting point for budget planning for 2026.

County finance staff said the long‑standing practice is to begin the budget process with the April‑to‑April Consumer Price Index figure for the region; this year that figure is 2.4%. Commissioners noted the board’s June decision serves as a placeholder in the budget model and does not lock the final COLA when the board adopts the budget in the fall.

County staff told the board department heads used the regional April‑to‑April CPI as the origin of the recommendation; the board discussed the item briefly and the motion to adopt 2.4% as the preliminary figure moved, was seconded and passed by roll call.

Officials said budget hearings in July and subsequent adjustments will determine the final COLA and other budget items before formal adoption later in the year.","County department heads recommended using the April‑to‑April CPI figure of 2.4% as the baseline for the 2026 cost‑of‑living adjustment; commissioners adopted the 2.4% placeholder to guide the budget process.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6530842,"Cass County reappoints Christy Ross as coroner for five‑year term",193,1149000,1342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516&start=1149&end=1342","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516/thumbnail_1149000.jpg","/articles/6530842/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-reappoints-Christy-Ross-as-coroner-for-fiveyear-term","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530842-7b48eb99927b1f68c2b910a7fba7f261/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151372&Signature=ZhFNjvAn0fauBOTZCXLrCIhg6LppghYKjDtkVj9vtLcM9EgzsPwzWkgmbWQHVBqyIoB5tROkFmWsIcR-Lkhhjj7Ozinryf3NFixPClhS-hEMVOMnFrzfmZvRp3Usj4YSqr6lcfznctPBPHcV9WHPUnU1M1IDHILHv2vwaWruJe7stj5AtIQC3o6SfzZCKnYYoFIL39eHbM3XDgHMRwoUVCdkyea-1b85Ojb3nyZddUcv-MYLSxShaSg3vh03RZDPdIRrRPZ6Bb8A7QNjeYuYvTtuqa-UzJG26nhGGRbM21f92T08rxIPPglLOCytGopCiOromlelzu8sPau2b0cS6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cass County Board of Commissioners reappointed Christy Ross to a five‑year term as county coroner effective June 2, 2025.

The reappointment was introduced by county staff noting state statute requires coroners be appointed every five years and that Ross, first appointed Nov. 1, 2020, had “done an exemplary job,” worked with public‑safety partners and managed the office’s budget responsibly. County staff recommended bringing the reappointment forward early rather than waiting until the term’s final days.

Commissioner Michael moved to reappoint Christy Ross; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. Commissioners spoke in support after the motion passed: Ross told the board she sees her role as “to speak for those who are no longer with us that can't speak for themselves” and said the office works to be fiscally responsible and to support families during difficult times. Other commissioners praised Ross’s leadership and staff.

Ross’s new five‑year term begins June 2, 2025. County staff noted the board retains authority to remove or change the appointment during the term if circumstances warrant.","Christy Ross was reappointed as Cass County coroner to a five‑year term effective June 2, 2025; the board cited her performance and community coordination in the motion and vote.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6530847,"Cass County commissioners approve first phase of state’s attorney digital evidence system",954,194000,1148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516&start=194&end=1148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3636423-966560aa0351a4a039f7909a107b3516/thumbnail_194000.jpg","/articles/6530847/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-commissioners-approve-first-phase-of-states-attorney-digital-evidence-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530847-07860ed7b6566d8b57a9a612d20ad94c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151372&Signature=ML1pls~Jm8zUwc5fV-5RrkC-0efYkS92JO1uW0xkL7rdga5yFuUUF5XimTy0mIRnXXCZZ8v2lJqx2JNC201Cq9TWaw186LkuNbQyPF3xyOqXDvv-d7ITo5Xs4yyFYUZOuQs54B5Mjjpr7kStVyd9RATb-x--SxGvn6vewlfToiUwi9ep9z4~9E-LT-fIILzwhK5xGuFOAyAgjNoLMjGFJGrq3sjjK3ZuntaSMbuNhOZNfHGmMS69Khxm7sqY5IJC9EmOdFuOHgHo7i~4-oD~5hYQKkoKt-NM8muw--~gWSrkqzAnwora~e9o1WSpg7iNR8lnVMCJHzP82a2tw2-kZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cass County Board of Commissioners on June 2 authorized the first phase of a three‑phase digital modernization plan for the state's attorney’s office, approving purchase and implementation of Axon Justice for digital evidence management.

The board voted to authorize phase one—digital evidence management software—after a presentation explaining that current processes for handling digital evidence are inconsistent and time‑consuming. The county plans to pay initial year‑one costs from the asset‑forfeiture fund, officials said, and to return to the board for approval of later phases.

County presenter Bobby described the problem: “Having a methodology to ingest all of this data, classify it, organize it, and be able to distribute it safely, securely, and orderly is a critical function that is currently missing in our state's attorney's office.” He said digital evidence comes in many formats and that staff now manually copy and burn discs or prepare flash drives, a process he called error prone and staff intensive.

The plan the board approved covers three phases. Phase 1 is purchase and implementation of Axon Justice to centralize ingestion, indexing and secure distribution of digital footage. Phase 2 is digital case management for briefs and memos; staff said Phase 2 would follow Phase 1 and require a separate approval. Phase 3 is record‑retention policy alignment and bulk document scanning.

Officials provided cost estimates. Year‑one costs for Axon Justice were given as $47,250 (including a $20,000 initial implementation/project management fee and $27,250 prorated licensing for the remainder of the calendar year). The presenter said a 10‑year locked pricing scenario from Axon totals about $785,000; the county’s estimated 2026 annual cost for Axon was reported at $66,490 and would adjust with a built‑in inflation estimate thereafter. A separate digital case‑management vendor (identified in the packet as “Prosecutor by Carpel”) was quoted at about $140,815 total with roughly $42,000 one‑time implementation and an ongoing annual cost near $100,000; staff later cited an annual figure near $98,000 while they confirm final pricing.

Commissioner Flacco asked whether the two products could be uncoupled in future procurement; staff responded they are independent products that integrate but could be migrated with data‑migration planning. Commissioners discussed funding: staff proposed using the asset‑forfeiture fund for initial startup, noting the balance was about $425,000 and typically collects about $30,000–$60,000 annually. Presenters warned that relying solely on the forfeiture fund would not be sustainable long term and discussed shifting to a mix of funding in subsequent years.

Staff estimated operational efficiencies from the program, projecting support‑staff time savings of 25–35% as a key performance indicator and a conservative long‑term budget savings estimate of roughly $50,000 annually from reduced copier/printing/file storage and temporary employee costs, though they said growth in caseloads could offset some savings. Alyssa Hoff (legal assistant) and Jason Van Horn (assistant state attorney) participated in vendor demos and testing, staff said.

Commissioner Breitling moved to authorize phase one; Commissioner Capitan seconded. The motion passed on a recorded roll call with all commissioners voting aye.

County staff and commissioners emphasized the board approved only phase one at this time; staff will return with final quotes and a separate request for the digital case‑management purchase and for record‑retention implementation.

Votes at the meeting and next steps: the board approved the phase‑one authorization and directed staff to finalize vendor quotes and return to the board for Phase 2 approval. The county will report implementation progress and budget impacts at subsequent meetings.

The board’s approval means the county will begin contract negotiations and implementation planning. Staff said scanning of paper records and secure on‑site scanning for criminal justice information may require third‑party services and raised one‑time costs that depend on the retention policy the board later adopts.","The Cass County Board of Commissioners authorized purchase of Axon Justice and funded year‑one implementation costs from the asset‑forfeiture fund to create a centralized digital evidence management system; the board authorized only phase one and will review subsequent phases later.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cass County board of equalization moves appeals to pending status and approves city valuations

Cass County commissioners adopt 2.4% preliminary COLA for 2026 budgeting

Cass County reappoints Christy Ross as coroner for five‑year term

Cass County commissioners approve first phase of state’s attorney digital evidence system