NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners will consider a Joint Powers Agreement with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for the Township Nitrate-Nitrogen Testing Program Dec. 19.

The program is an opportunity for rural residents in Leavenworth, Mulligan and Stark Townships that live in higher vulnerability ares (based on geomorphology) to have their well water tested at no charge. It is estimated that 336 households will have test kits available plus 34 more kits if needed.

Brown County will not be financially responsible for any expenses other than staff time to answer landowner questions on the program. Testing would begin after Jan. 1.

The program would help the Brown County Planning & Zoning Office Water Plan meet goals in the Brown County Comprehensive Local Water Management Plan by encouraging private well protection from contamination sources.

Minnesota completed a revision of the Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan (NFMP) which is the state’s response strategy to nitrates in groundwater resulting from agricultural inputs. One of the goals of the plan is to minimize or mitigate the pollution source from nitrogen fertilizer.

About 20 percent of community water suppliers and six percent of private wells across the state have elevated nitrate or nitrate-nitrogen levels in their water supplies. However, walk-in nitrate clinics suggest there could be anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of wells above the nitrate-nitrogen standard in some counties.

Commissioners will also consider:

• The 2018 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Plan. A total of $52,132 was allocated to Brown County in 2018, based on the number of launches and watercraft trailer spaces. There are no required match funds.

• Adopting the 2018 County Budget and Levy. The proposed $13,146,002 levy is 3.9 percent ($493,449) above the 2017 certified levy. Commissioners may reduce the levy by corresponding expensive line item reductions and/or applying additional reserves to buy-down the levy increase.

• The United Way of Brown County Area grant/funding request of $5,000 for the Children’s Special Needs Camping Project and the Letter of Assurances from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2020.

If approved, the United Way grant plus additional social services funding, will provide Human Services the financial support needed to match more than 60 youth each year with positive, summer resident and day camp experiences. This would continue a tradition of more than 40 years of connecting at-risk and special-needs kids to camps.

The meeting begins in the courthouse commissioner’s room at 9 a.m., Dec. 19.