Cass County supervisors elect Baier chair, approve policies, appointments and claims

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met for its annual organizational meeting on Jan. 2, 2026, electing Supervisor Steve Baier as permanent chair and Supervisor Mark O’Brien as permanent vice chair and approving routine policies, resolutions and appointments to county and regional committees.

The elections and a slate of administrative actions set leadership and operational rules for the year. Supervisors also set the employee mileage reimbursement rate at $0.72 per mile, established medical examiner fees ($200 for standard calls, $400 for involved calls), approved an investment policy, authorized destruction of nonpermanent records older than 10 years, and adopted three resolutions concerning livestock facility review (Resolution 2026-01), auditor warrant issuance (Resolution 2026-02) and county engineer authority to close secondary roads (Resolution 2026-03).

Supervisor Bernard Pettinger moved and Supervisor Mark O’Brien seconded the motion electing Steve Baier as permanent chair; the board recorded the motion as carried unanimously. Supervisor Stephen Green moved and Supervisor Bernard Pettinger seconded the motion electing Mark O’Brien as permanent vice-chair; that motion also carried unanimously. Supervisors set regular meetings for 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays, with the option to use Zoom for other meetings.

The board approved a lengthy slate of appointments to county boards and commissions, including assignments to the Board of Health, Conservation Board, 911 Service Board, EMA Commission, Housing Commission, the Medical Examiner’s deputies and investigators, the Zoning Commission and the Eminent Domain Compensation Commission. Terms for many positions run through Dec. 31, 2026, with some multi‑year appointments extending to 2029 or 2030; several seats were recorded as vacant.

Supervisor Stephen Green moved to appoint Dennis Vogl as the 2026 Weed Commissioner; that appointment was approved unanimously. The board voted 4–1 to join the National Association of Counties (NACo) for a $450 membership fee; Supervisor Stephen Green cast the lone nay. Supervisors also approved an Iowa Department of Administrative Services lease for 601 Walnut Street, Suite 1, and authorized a letter of support for Cass Health’s grant application for a PET CT machine.

The board approved claims across multiple funds and authorized the auditor to issue checks. Among the payments listed was a $174,231.49 contract payment to Dixon Construction Co. from the Secondary Road Fund. The aggregate total of the claims as listed in the minutes was $275,188.71.

County Engineer Trent Wolken reported no items. Supervisor Mark O’Brien offered a conservation committee report. The meeting adjourned at 9:47 a.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026.