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Cass County approves second reading of 2026 budget; plans new CASA position and raises for 911 and community corrections
Summary
At a meeting to adopt the second reading of the 2026 county budget, participants approved several partner and district budgets, agreed to fund a new full‑time CASA position next year, and signaled planned starting‑salary increases to $47,000 for 911 and $40,000 for community corrections to be implemented via a salary ordinance.
Cass County officials moved forward with the second reading adoption of the county's 2026 budget and approved several partner and district budgets during a meeting that closed with an adjournment vote.
Speaker 1, who opened the meeting, said the county will finish the current year with the CASA line zeroed out in the circuit court budget and that commissioners plan to create and fund a new full‑time CASA position at the start of the next year. "We are under the assumption that we're just gonna ride out this year the way it is," Speaker 1 said, adding that the position will be funded after the budget cycle.
The meeting also addressed pay levels for public‑safety staff. Speaker 1 announced that the county plans to raise minimum starting salaries to $47,000 for 911 positions and $40,000 for community corrections, and said those increases will be implemented when the salary ordinance is considered rather than as part of today's budget vote.
On a specific budget detail, Speaker 2 raised a discrepancy in the Superior Court 2 training line on page 24: the line had been increased to 55 for next year after being 15 this year. Speaker 2 said the group had agreed at the prior hearing to revert the line to 15 unless someone objected; the body voted to add the adjusted line as moved by Derek and confirmed by voice vote.
The meeting recorded separate approvals by voice vote for binding budgets and partner agencies: Cass County Fire District 1 (motion moved by Dean, seconded by Tracy), Casco Valley Solid Waste Management District (motion moved by Cheryl), and the Logosport and Cass County Airport Authority budgets (motion moved by Dean, seconded by Tracy). In each case the chair called for "all those in favor" and the motion carried.
The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was moved by Dean and seconded by Derek.
The county did not record roll‑call tallies in the transcript; approvals were carried by voice vote. Several community and staff names appear in the record (for example, Bridget, Molly, Ron and Laura were mentioned in passing) but did not make motions or formal statements on the record. The county indicated it will address the CASA position and the salary ordinance at upcoming proceedings.
