HONU to receive Public Health Partnership Award
Presentation at April 2 county board meeting
NEW ULM — The Heart of New Ulm will receive the annual Public Health Partnership Award at the Tuesday, April 2 Brown County Board of Commissioners meeting.
A committee of three members of the Brown County Public Health Advisory Committee made the selection from nominees using the approved scoring tool. Selection criteria is based on leadership, public health contributions, collaboration, advocacy and being respected by peers as a positive role model for others.
Leadership is defined as demonstrated abilities through work and service. Public health contributions are fined as originality and innovation in creating solutions to public health problems, contributing to advancing improvements in community health status through work and service.
Collaboration is defined as promoting cooperation among individuals, organizations and agencies.
Advocacy is being involved in preventing disease and disability, promoting health and healthy behaviors, and/or protecting the health and safety of county citizens.
In a March 3 letter to Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz, New Ulm Medical Center Community Programs Coordinator Jen Maurer wrote that research showed that over six years, New Ulm residens are doing better in controlling blood pressure, LDL and total cholesterol and triglycerides than other Minnesota communities.
Since 2009, heart disease risk factors improved among 40 to 79-year-old New Ulm residents, the opposite of what is being seen in the country overall.
“Heart of New Ulm’s data-driven approach addresses community needs, instead of trying to implement a one-size-fits-all program,” Maurer wrote.
“Community members continuing the hard work started through the research project ensure a solid future for the project and a clear vision for a healthy, vibrant New Ulm,” Maurer wrote.
In 2017, the Heart of New Ulm (HONU) Leadership Team, with more than 80 volunteers on 12 action teams representing 35 organizations, helped guide the project.
Commissioners will also consider:
• An amendment to the AgBMP contract approving a lender agreement to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Brown County AgBMP loan program; and add the Brown County Drainage Authority as an authorized lender for AgBMP loans to assisted landowners with buffer and other drainage improvement payements with the understanding that loans will be secured by landowner special assessments. Landowner maximum loan limits are $200,000.
• 2019-2021 Sentence to Service contracts with a 3.5 percent rate increase in each of the two years.
• Consolidation of Lateral 11A of County Ditch (CD) 5. A landowner meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17 at the Sleepy Eye Extension Office.
• A 10:30 a.m. public hearing for redetermination of benefits and establish a $147,000 assessment for CD 12 landowners.
• A 10:45 a.m. public hearing for redetermination of benefits and establish a $369,000 assessment for CD 13 landowners.
• An 11 a.m. public hearing for partial abandonment of CD 30 & 48 filed by Joseph Schwartz, Joseph Steffl and Daryl Schwartz.
The board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the courthouse commissioner’s room.
• Commissioners will hold a special meeting at 1:15 p.m., Wednesday, April 10 to interview county administrator job finalists. Interviews may continue on April 11 if needed.
• The public is invited to meet county administrator finalists from noon to 1 p.m., April 10 in the Joint Law Enforcement Center lower level training room.
fbusch@nujournal.com