Chief Deputy Attorney Cayko receives Cass County Excellence Award

Cass County Chief Deputy Attorney Nicole Cayko was presented with the County Excellence Award during the County Board of Commissioners meeting April 2.

This award is given to individuals who provide outstanding services to the county and its citizens by going above and beyond their normal duties.

Cayko was nominated for this award by County Planner Scott Wold, who works in the Environmental Services Department.

It was noted at the board meeting how common it is for zoning violations to go unaddressed in many counties across Minnesota. This is because county attorneys must prioritize and triage all matters that come into their Offices. This often means that serious criminal prosecutions like murder, assault, and burglary can consume finite resources.

Despite this general trend, and the fact that the Cass County Attorney’s Office was short staffed for all of 2023, Cayko made time to meet with the staff in the Environmental Services Department to discuss pending and new violations. She helped to resolve zoning violations by using non-litigious methods such as educating landowners, but also had the knowledge and capacity to take court action when necessary.

Cass County Attorney Ben Lindstrom echoed his appreciation for Cayko’s service. “When she rejoined the County Attorney’s Office in 2020, the legal profession was in the midst of navigating the statewide restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Chief Deputy Attorney Cayko met those challenges head on and took responsibility for much of the civil work that takes place in the Office. She has always sought to do more with less. She has increased not only her own efficiency, but that of the entire Office. And she does so while obtaining positive results. Nicole is truly an asset to Cass County.”