The Cass County Board of Supervisors met in a regular session this (Wednesday) morning. Prior to the start of the session, 5th District Supervisor Frank Waters, from Cumberland, announced he would be running for re-election in advance of the June 7th Primary. If re-elected, it would be Waters’ third term in office.

In other business, the Board accepted bids for two bridge replacement projects. A State bid-letting was set 17th of January on two bridges, #347 and #20. Cass County Engineer Charles Marker said there were two bids for the bridge #347 project, located in the northeast part of the County, on the Cass-Audubon County line, near the “Tree in the Road.” Both bids, from Gus Construction, in Casey, and Murphy Construction, in Anita, came in over the Engineer’s estimate of almost $321, 594. Even the low bid was 34% higher than the engineer’s estimate.

Marker says he’s crunched the numbers, and doesn’t understand why the bids for both projects came in much higher than estimated. Marker recommended, and the Bridge #347 contract was awarded, to Gus Construction, of Anita, for slightly more than $433, 033. That was about $2,000 less than the bid from Murphy’s. 80-percent of the cost is paid by the County’s Highway Bridge Fund, and 20-percent from the Road Use Tax or Property Tax, all of which is included in Marker’s Budget. Marker said there was only one bid – from Gus Construction – for the Bridge #20 triple concrete box culvert construction project, located about two-miles south of Cumberland. Their bid was just under $559, 700.

Prior to accepting bids for the bridge projects, the Cass County Supervisors received bids for two dump truck bodies that will be mounted on two new truck chassis. Marker recommended and the Board approved a bid of $57, 841 from Henderson Truck Equipment, from Manchester. The bid includes the truck boxes, reversible snow plow, tailgate sand-spreader and front mount blade wing.

And, the Supervisors approved a Resolution adopting an Indigent Disposition (Burial and Cremation) Policy, which pays benefits to a funeral home for funeral or cremation services, for any eligible Cass County resident, up to a maximum of $1,500, including the mandatory Medical Examiner certification fee. Determination of eligibility for Disposition Services will be made by the Cass County General Assistance or Veteran’s Affairs Offices.

The family or friends of a deceased person who applies for burial or cremation service, are responsible for the purchase of a cemetery space or lot, and interment. As an option, cremains may also be returned to the family or friends making an application for disposition.