Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau works to count every person in the United States, including everyone living in Minnesota. Planning for the 2020 Census is under way in Cook County and throughout the nation by establishing Complete Count Committees. In 2020 the U.S. Census Bureau will implement new technology to make it easier to respond including the ability... READ MORE >
The recent change in location of motor vehicle services in Grand Marais has brought up similar questions about the location of other public services. Minnesota counties provide many services that support healthy communities including public transportation and infrastructure, public safety, public administration and elections. Minnesotans depend on counties to provide the services that build, maintain and protect their homes, schools... READ MORE >
Starting this week, Cook County will introduce a more efficient and effective tool for managing agendas, meeting materials and minutes. The new platform is iCompass CivicWeb Portal, a cloud-based service that caters to local governments, creating a one-stop-shop for all county meetings, schedules, and materials. Access to the Portal will still be from the county’s main web page. Users can... READ MORE >
Qualified staff are necessary to deliver the vast array of services that citizens depend on and expect from their county. Staff costs (wages and benefits) make up half of the county’s operating budget. In 2016, for the first time in at least 30 years and at the request of several employee groups, the county contracted with Keystone Consulting to conduct... READ MORE >
Each year, the Cook County Board of Commissioners sets the direction and tone for county government through the budgeting process. Each yearly budget allocates resources to provide required services: public safety, transportation, public health, and human services and other general government functions like land services and record services. The budget-setting process involves allocating limited resources among competing service priorities. There... READ MORE >
You will have recently received two notices from Cook County. The first is your 2016 Valuation Notice from the County Assessor’s Office and the second is your 2016 Property Tax Statement from the County Auditor’s Office. People often have questions about the information about their taxes and other information included in these notices. Your 2016 property taxes are based on... READ MORE >
