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Commission Minutes—June 6, 2022 5573 <br />Attorney Robert Manly from Vogel Law Firm was present as representation for Tevye, LLC, the <br />Schatz's, and Invertase. LLC; and thanked the Commission and Mr. Fracassi for their due diligence <br />in moving the appeals into a pending status and investigating the value further. He said the basis of <br />the appeal and supporting information was supplied by his colleague, Tami Norgard before the <br />meeting. <br />One applicant from the City of Casselton provided information on an appeal reserving their right to <br />appeal before the Board after the agenda information was sent out. The application was from a <br />property located at 2050 Governors Drive in Casselton. Mr. Fracassi said a hotel, restaurant, and <br />campground are located on the property. He said the applicant supplied income information in their <br />appeal. <br />There were no additional appeals from cities. <br />City of Briarwood <br />Mr. Fracassi said the Briarwood City Council discussed a reduction in property values due to flood <br />risk; however, they took no formal action. <br />Equalization of Townships <br />There were no appellants from Townships that provided written documentation reserving their right <br />to appeal before the Board. <br />There were no additional appeals from townships. <br />MOTION, passed <br />Mr. Breitling moved and Mr. Kapitan seconded to move all appeals presented <br />today into a pending status. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. <br />MOTION, passed <br />Mr. Kapitan moved and Mr. Breitling seconded to approve all other non- <br />pending status valuations. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. <br />The Cass County Board of Equalization will reconvene on June 20, 2022 at 3:30 PM in the <br />Commission Room of the Cass County Courthouse. <br />8. COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, 8.5% approved for budget purposes <br />Robert Wilson, County Administrator was present and said the Department Heads discussed a cost <br />of living adjustment (COLA) recommendation for 2022 at their meeting on May 25th. The County has <br />consistently used the Midwest regional consumer price index (CPI) when recommending a COLA for <br />the period of April to April, and from April 2021 to April 2022, the CPI was 8.5%. Mr. Wilson said <br />after discussion and consideration, the Department Heads recommended the Board use this figure <br />for budgeting purposes. <br />Mr. Wilson said last year the April 2020 to April 2021 figure was 5.1% which was much higher than it <br />had been for the past twenty plus years. He said last year the Commission voted on June 7th to <br />direct the Finance Office to calculate the cost of a 2% and 4% COLA. He said the Commission then <br />voted on July 6th to direct the Finance Office to build in a 5.1% COLA for the 2022 budget with the <br />understanding the Commission may still adjust the COLA during budget hearings. The Commission <br />ultimately kept the 5.1% COLA for 2022. <br />Mr. Steen said the Board needs to decide on a COLA figure for budgeting purposes today, although <br />it does not have to be a final decision. Mr. Wilson said the Finance Office is in the process of <br />implementing a new accounting system and the new system cannot automatically calculate the