Cass County Rural Summit Agenda Announced

Planning is underway for Cass County's upcoming Rural Summit, and the Rural Summit Planning Committee has developed an agenda focused on issues, opportunities and challenges facing rural communities across the county.

The Rural Summit will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 5 to 9:00 p.m. at the Central Cass High School Auditorium in Casselton.

The Planning Committee was established following Cass County's Rural Summit Community Survey, which gathered input from rural residents about topics they would like county leaders to address. The committee reviewed the survey feedback and used the information to help guide the development of this fall's summit agenda.

The agenda will feature a variety of topics affecting rural Cass County, including:

• Dinner and networking, providing attendees an opportunity to connect with other rural residents and community leaders.
• USDA Rural Development Opportunities, featuring Tom Campbell.
• Rural Development Panel, focusing on topics such as rural transformation and rural business development.
• County Road and Bridge Outlook, presented by County Engineer Kyle Litchy, highlighting the future of transportation infrastructure in Cass County.
• Crime and Public Safety Task Force Update, presented by Sheriff Jesse Jahner.
• Economic Development and Education, including discussion of major infrastructure projects and the County's role and oversight responsibilities related to these developments.

The topics included in the agenda reflect several of the themes identified through the community survey, including rural infrastructure, development, essential services, public safety and the future growth of rural communities.

"The goal of the Rural Summit is to bring people together for meaningful conversations about the issues that affect rural Cass County," said Commission Chair Tony Grindberg. "The Planning Committee has worked to create an agenda that reflects the feedback we received through the survey while also addressing some of the opportunities and challenges we know our rural communities are facing."