Cass County promotes 1 of its own to become finance director – InForum

FARGO — Cass County has promoted from within in naming a new finance director, a position that was

vacated

after President Donald Trump banned noncitizens from managing federal elections.

With a unanimous vote, the Cass County Commission named Sarah Heinle to the position Monday, Sept. 22, during a special meeting. The accounting manager who has worked for the county since 2008 started her role as the county finance director the same day.

“I look so forward to this opportunity to continue serving Cass County government and the people of Cass County,” Heinle said during the meeting.

As finance director, Heinle will also

oversee elections in Cass County.

Heinle replaces

Brandy Madrigga,

who resigned as finance director July 31. Madrigga did not give a reason for leaving and declined to comment to The Forum about her resignation.

Trump signed an

executive order

March 25 that instructed the U.S. Attorney General’s Office and Homeland Security to “take all appropriate actions … to prevent all noncitizens from being involved in the administration of any federal elections.”

Madrigga was a Canadian citizen from Winnipeg. Cass County hired her as finance director in 2021.

Though Madrigga helped coordinate election efforts in Cass County,

she could not vote.

She had the appropriate authorization to live and work in North Dakota, County Administrator Robert Wilson told The Forum. WDAY reported that she had a work visa.

Wilson called Madrigga an exceptional leader, adding that the county was looking for a way to keep her while operating “within the confines of the executive order.”

Madrigga faced criticism from

former County Election Administrator Craig Steingaard in October 2024.

The head of elections in Cass County said he resigned weeks before the 2024 general election because of Madrigga.

“With her condescending tone, mean managerial style and overall bad treatment of me as an employee, I will not work for her anymore,” Steingaard wrote in his resignation letter.

The search to replace Madrigga attracted 52 applicants and was narrowed down to four finalists, said county Human Resources Director Tracy Peters.

“We just felt as though Miss Heinle brings a certain amount of expertise,” Peters said. “She was just an excellent candidate.”

Heinle will make $125,998 a year.