The Cass County Council voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-11, the county's 2026 salary ordinance, on first reading during its Nov. 21 meeting.

Council members discussed specific line items before the vote, including adjustments to EMS pay where the director and assistant director supplements were reallocated within the salary tables. A staff update noted the base salary was adjusted from $27,000 to $27,050, and the part-time pay scale was changed from $10–$16 to $12–$17; the ordinance also incorporates a 3% raise into relevant lines.

Presiding Officer led the procedural steps to suspend the formal reading. After a motion to suspend was made and seconded, Derek moved to adopt the ordinance on first reading and Cheryl seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.

The council treated the measure as a routine annual salary ordinance, clarifying that some transportation and other line items had been removed from the salary tables earlier in drafting. The ordinance was described as consistent with items already accounted for in the county budget process.

The ordinance passed on first reading; council discussion indicated staff will continue standard procedures for publishing and implementation and that future clarifications (if any) would be handled in subsequent readings or administrative adjustments.