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Cass County council approves incubator kitchen grant, new EMA fund and multiple appropriations
Summary
Council members approved a $500,000 grant for an incubator kitchen, created a new nonreverting EMA fund to hold donations for a shared training tower, and approved several appropriations and contracts including document management, park lighting and fiber retainage.
At its Oct. 17 meeting, the Cass County council approved a package of economic and operational measures, including a $500,000 award to the Cass County Community Foundation for an incubator kitchen, creation of a new Emergency Management Agency (EMA) nonreverting fund, and multiple appropriations and contractual payments.
Resolution 2025-06: incubator kitchen Speaker 1 brought back Resolution 2025-06 for second reading, proposing $500,000 to support an incubator kitchen administered by the Cass County Community Foundation. Speaker 2 moved to approve the resolution with the addition of an economic development agreement; Tracy seconded and the council approved the motion.
Ordinance 2025-10: EMA nonreverting fund The council agreed to create a new nonreverting fund for EMA to accept donations and donor-directed gifts intended for a shared training tower. Speaker 3 explained that the Logansport Fire Department and the county fire association are leading the project, that the county received a $30,000 grant from the Cass County Community Foundation, and that the fund would keep training donations separate from existing hazmat nonreverting funds. The council voted to suspend rules and pass the ordinance on first reading by voice vote.
Appropriations and contracts The council approved an additional $100,000 for document management and copying to organize courthouse records; a $220,000 contractual payment to finish lighting at Aberdeen Park/Hyde Park; and a larger economic-development contractual payment related to a Cedar contract and a 2020 fiber‑ring project (the record shows $2,200,000 allocated to cover outstanding claims and retainage, with staff noting delay days and that final retained amounts will be reconciled). The council also approved a workmen's compensation transfer, an additional appropriation to purchase two highway dump trucks now available for pickup (with '26 appropriations expected to be unused), a $50,000 contractual services line to finance a countywide ADA facility assessment (last done in 2012), and a dispatch console upgrade with the city set to reimburse half the cost.
Ambulance fund reimbursement and other business Council members approved restoring $296,659 to a department account after an ambulance purchase was paid from an internal departmental fund because advertising was missed. The council received updates on a Baker Tilly study and on GO bond bids (accepted; staff working through contract and earnest money received), and then adjourned to reconvene after a short break.
Votes on these items were recorded by voice; the meeting transcript records motions, seconds and unanimous or majority ‘aye’ responses for the items above. The meeting included minimal public comment.
