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County board OKs signs for memorial

NEW ULM — The Brown County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase and placement of highway signs to direct visitors to an Air Force memorial site near Comfrey.

Greg Peterson and Stanley Schotzko presented the request to the board. In February 1963, a B-47 bomber from Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, suffered a catastrophic engine failure and crashed 3 miles north and three quarters of a mile west of Comfrey in Bashaw Township. All four crew members were killed. The crash left a impact crater 25 feet deep that remains on the site today.

In the summer of 2013, the community of Comfrey raised funds and built a memorial in town and had a 50th anniversary dedication program by the children, friends, and USAF classmates of the four lost crewmen.

The crash site is located west of Brown County Highway 16 on land owned by Floyd Bowman. Bowman has donated the land as a perpetual memorial site for the public. A US Flag flies at the center of the site, and visitors are already allowed access. However, locating the site is difficult as there is no official signage directing visitors.

The Brown County Veterans Council offered to pay $1,500 for three 48” by 36″ signs as designed by the Brown County Highway Department.

In other news, the commissioners reviewed the assessed benefits for a private ditch system feeding into a county outlet. During a public hearing for the redetermination of benefits for County Ditch (CD) 73 and County Ditch 73 outlet, Eugene and Terry Wellmann presented an alternative method for assessing the private ditch system using the outlet.

County viewer Chris Christianson said the proposal from the Wellmanns is similar the method the county uses to assess a regular county system.

Terry Wellmann explained that as the system is set up the land owners on the northern end of the private watershed near the 73 outlet own 23 percent of the total watershed but pay 40 percent of the total assessed benefit.

“We don’t feel that is fair and equitable,” Wellmann said. In addition, the property owners in the northern section are more likely to see water pooling due to elevation. “We’re paying the most and seeing crop damage, yield loss and repairs,” Wellmann said.

Christianson said this was a change from how the county normally assessed, but admitted it could be a better solution in this situation and he would be comfortable with the change if the commissioners recommended it.

The commissioners expressed an interest in adopting the Wellmanns’ assessment recommendation, but decided to table a decision to allow all affected property owners a chance to speak at a public hearing. The next follow-up public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. during the Tuesday, June 27, Brown County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The board approved the consolidation of CD 25 and redetermination of benefits (ROB) for the system. The proposal is to combine CD 25 and CD 25 outlet based on the recommendation of engineers and viewers.

County Auditor Jean Prochniak said these documents will eventually be made available on the county website for inspection.

The board authorized the repayment of state aid bond funds. Commissioners approved the sale of $4,875,000 in State Aid Bonds to improve several county state aid highways.

The board approved a $2,500 grant request for Lutheran Social Services Financial Counseling Service. This is an annual request. The counseling service has been around for 30 years. The purpose of the service is to provide community education and individual budget counseling.

Consumer Counseling Credit Manager Julie Zachariason said her office talks with folks from all walks of life and no one is immune from a financial crisis. The benefit to Brown County is that placing individuals on debt management plan puts money back into the community and prevents foreclosures. The county loses property taxes in the event of a foreclosure.

The commissioners also approved an application for Minnesota Housing and Finance Agency Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program with Minnesota Valley Action Council (MVAC) counties.

In 20 months, 82 families have been screened by the program in Brown County. The program is designed to find housing solutions for those without permanent homes or in risk of losing a home.

“It’s actually kind of surprising how much of the population, by definition, is homeless,” Commissioner David Borchert said. As a member of New Ulm Police Department and the Homeless Response Team, Borchert is familiar with a rise in the homeless population and supports the program. Borchert said families with no permanent shelter often find themselves in vulnerable situations resulting in crimes.

South Country Health Alliance (SCHA) CEO Leota Lind and CFO Scott Schulman delivered the semi-annual report for the program. Schulman said SCHA’s audit for 2016 found no misstatements and no audit adjustments.

Revenue for 2016 was $242 million. Program expenses totaled $223.9 million. Schulman said medical costs grew significantly in 2016. Depending on the category, medical costs were up nine to 13 percent.

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