NEW ULM – Brown County Highway Department Engineer Wayne Stevens told Brown County commissioners Tuesday that funding for a roundabout at the intersection of Trunk Highway 4 and County Road 9, north of Sleepy Eye, has been approved.

A March 11 memo to Stevens from State Traffic Safety Engineer Brad Estochen read that the project has been selected to receive HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) funding.

The project, which is scheduled for fiscal year 2019, was awarded $750,000. Stevens said the HSIP funding is half the estimated project cost and most of the rest of the $1.5 estimated project cost will be paid for with federal funding.

Stevens added that Brown County may incur some minimal costs for the project that could begin as early as 2018.

Ditch abandonment

Commissioners tabled for more information, a petition for partial abandonment of County Ditch 3 requested by Anthony and Joyce G. Hoffmann.

Minnesota law provides that an owner of benefited property may petition the Drainage Authority to abandon any part of the drainage system that is not of public benefit and utility and does not serve a substantial useful purpose to property remaining in the system.

The Hoffmanns requested that about 1,320 feet r of open ditch in Section 13 that lie on their property be abandoned because it meets the law’s requirements.

Commissioners approved:

A resolution Finding of Fact and Order regarding Redetermination of benefits for County Ditch 1.

Under Minnesota Ditch Law, the Ditch Authority wold acquire the one rod grass strip at $8,329 per tillable acre and a 100-foot construction right of way easement at $412 per acre, effective on March 1, 2017, as part of the redetermination.

The auditor/treasurer would be directed to take all necessary actions to implement the redetermination of benefits and apply assessment and interest terms in accordance with existing policy.

A 30-day appeal period begins after the order is signed and filed auditor’s office.

Public hearing notices will be mailed to affected landowners. Proceedings costs are billed to the petitioner.

Awarding the CSAH 24 surface rehabilitation project to low bidder Central Specialties Inc’s $772,243.66 low bid, 5.65 percent under estimate.

Funded primarily with local and wheel age tax funds, the project is scheduled to begin on or before July 18 and take up to 25 working days to complete.

Approved Sandmann Roofing Systems to install a new architectural, standing seam roof on the Omsrud-Torgrimson cabin at Lake Hanska County Park for $24,900. Sandmann will provide a contractor’s warranty in lieu of the manufacturer’s warranty.

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).