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Commissioners OK Tax Court appraisal fees

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved paying a St. Paul firm $11,000 in fees for Tax Court ready appraisals at Beacon Promotions, 2121 Bridge St. S. Tuesday.

Brown County Assessor Anne Grunert requested appraisal proposals from Dahlen, Dwyer, Foley & Tinker, Inc. to develop an opinion of market value after the property owner petitioned the County for a reduction in assessed valuation.

Certified General Real Property Appraiser Dwight W. Dahlen proposed a preliminary opinion of value for the property, prior to completing the formal appraisal to facilitate settlement discussions with the Petitioner’s attorney, according to a March 19, 2018 letter to Grunert.

In addition, Dahlen will make a formal property inspection of the 44,000 and 10,800 square foot buildings before doing valuations. Additional litigation services will be billed at $300/hour.

The action came on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg.

Commissioners also unanimously approved:

• A lender agreement between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Brown County AgBMP Loan Program; add the Brown County Drainage Authority as an authorized lender for AgBMP loans to assist landowners with payment of buffers and other drainage improvements, understanding loans will be secured by special landowner assessments, motion by Commissioner Dean Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Windschitl.

Landowners have a maximum $200,000 loan limit. Each ditch system could act as landowner for easement purchases, buffer strip seeding, and future improvements. Loans can last up to ten years with a 3 percent maximum interest rate.

In addition, principal collections are in a revolving account payable to the loan program. The interest stays with the county to cover program administration. To qualify for loans, projects must protect or improve water quality.

• Sentencing to Service (STS) contracts for July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021. Contracts increase 3.5 percent in each of the two years, motion by Commissioner Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Dave Borchert.

• Presentation of the annual Public Health Partnership Award to the Heart of New Ulm (HONU). The community-driven initiative aims to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of all New Ulm area residents with education, available resources, initiatives and partnerships that enable people of all ages to take responsibility for their own health in a supportive environment.

Since 2009, heart disease risk factors have improved among audits age 40-79 in New Ulm–opposite of what is being seen in the country. The data-driven approach addresses community needs, instead of trying to implement a one-size-fits-all program.

“I was fortunate enough to be here when this program started ten years ago,” said Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz. “It’s been a good partnership for us.”

• Consolidation of Lateral 11A of County Ditch (CD) 5, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen. A landowner meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17 in the Sleepy Eye Extension Office.

• Redetermination of benefits (ROB) for CD 12 and establish a $147,000 landowner assessment, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen.

• ROB for CD 13 and establish a $376,000 landowner assessment, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

• Three CD 30 and 48 partial abandonment petitions filed by Joseph Schwartz, Joseph Steffl and Daryl Schwartz, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen. The resolution included a stipulation that the old tile lines are found to be capped, or the cost to do so will be paid by the petitioners. Parcels were abandoned due to private tiling completed on them.

“I’m at the end of the line. I wanted to get in this tile line really bad. Our old tile works but it’s too small,” said landowner Dennis Sellner. “If they want out, it won’t make a big difference. Their water goes the other way.”

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.

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