BROWN COUNTY — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved appointment of a Community-Based /Coordinator (CBC) program study ad hoc committee Tuesday.

Approved on a motion by Commissioner Tony Berg, seconded by Commissioner Dave Borchert, the resolution included Commissioners Borchert and Dean Simonsen, Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen, Brown County Human Services Director Tom Henderson and Deputy Brown County Attorney Jill Jensen on the ad hoc committee.

Henderson said the committee will study findings found and report back to the commissioners with recommendations and alternatives in the coming weeks.

The CBC program began Nov. 13, 2018 when a full-time employee began employment. It was a copy of the Blue Earth County Yellow Line Project and an experiment to see if smaller counties could fully utilize a full-time employee for such a program.

The Yellow Line Project is designed to provide an early response to individuals with acute or chronic mental or chemical health problems who become involved with law enforcement and are not a risk to the community.

The project enhances resources and tools available to law enforcement so residents get the right services at the right time and have strong incentives to participate in those services.

The hope is to maintain a high level of personal accountability while encouraging healthy choices to reduce future costs and consequences.

The underlying goal is to streamline decision-making between law enforcement, human services and community-based care providers so the most cost-effective services are provided and less incarcerations are needed.

Other project goals are increasing service options and solutions, health care and treatment access and aiding working relationships between law enforcement and human services.

Goals are to reduce unnecessary incarceration, systemic costs and jail population.

Commissioners unanimously approved a 2020 non-union, 13-step salary range schedule with a two percent cost of living allowance for non union salaried and hourly employees and a 32 percent range from entry level to maximum salary, effective Jan. 3, 2020. The action came on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen.

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The Brown County Board of Review and Equalization meets at 7 p.m., Monday, June 17 in the commissioner’s room. If necessary, the board will continue at 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 25.

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