NEW ULM — District 16B Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) told Brown County Commissioners he thinks there will be a legislative budget surplus next year.

“There may or may not be a surplus, but we think there will be. If so, there are lots funding needs,” Torkelson said.

Due to a St. Paul meeting, Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls) was unable to attend county board meeting, Torkelson said. The 2020 legislative session begins Feb. 11.

“Transportation is big on our minds now,” said Commissioner Scott Windschitl.

“I was very hopeful the federal government would come through with Highway 14 (New Ulm to Nicollet expansion funding),” Torkelson said. “I’ll advocate for it. We’ve made a lot of Highway 14 progress. The New Ulm Gateway project may open this year. The project between Owatonna and Dodge Center is funded to start next year.”

Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz said all Brown County communities are interested in raising the legal tobacco sale age to 21 and restricting tobacco flavors directed at children.

“Any (smoking) product aimed at our children doesn’t belong on our shelves. We have to protect our kids,” Torkelson said.

Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson said Minnesota has no laws that restrict passengers riding in the back of pickup trucks.

“We recently had a fatality. I think there should be restrictions,” Hanson said.

Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens asked if there will be any new transportation funding other than bonding.

“Rumor is the Governor will float a gas tax (hike) again,” Torkelson said.

“We’d like to get more funding for a 2022 bridge (replacing a now closed truss bridge over the Minnesota River between Fort Ridgely and Franklin.) We have $1.2 million in federal funding but it’ll cost a lot more than that.”

Commissioners convened the Truth-In-Taxation public meeting in the 3rd floor district courtroom for the proposed 2020 County Budget and Levy. No public feedback on the proposed county budget was heard.

Market values shown on Truth-In-Taxation notices are final and are not a hearing subject. Values for the 2019 assessment (taxes payable 2020) were discussed and established at the local boards of review and county board of equalization held earlier this year.

In September, commissioners set the 2020 preliminary tax levy at $13,873,499, a 4.63% hike from the 2019 certified levy, based on a draft 2020 county budget of $39,151,145.

The average levy increase over the past five years is 3.25% annually, based on final levy increases.

The 2020 budget includes 36.52%, $14,297.953 for roads and bridges and 26.46%, $10,359.530 for human services.

Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen said significant changes to the 2020 budget are out-of-home placement care, a 13-step wage scale, increased staff wages and health insurance premiums, a new Brown County Sheriff’s Office deputy in October and election year costs including a primary.

County service examples from November 2018 to October 2019 include 990 child support cases, 3,470 average monthly financial and medical assistance cases, 66 children in foster care, 169 child protection reports and 40 adult protection reports investigated, 6,293 Community Service Crew hours by Sentenced to Service in 2018 and 1,120 adult and juvenile offenders on probation in 2018.

For the current draft county budget, $225,000 is the contingency line item, subject to final certification by the county board set to be adopted at the Dec. 17 board meeting. That amount may be equal to or lower but not higher than the proposed preliminary levy.

Proposed property tax statements include taxable market value for taxes payable in 2019 and an estimate of taxes payable in 2020.

Brown County’s 2020 preliminary tax levy was set at a 4.63% increase over 2019.

Brown County’s 2019 per capita levy rates are among the lowest in Minnesota, ranking 73rd out of 87 counties.

Hansen said a significant portion of the County budget is used for programs and services mandated by state or federal government.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• Final acceptance of the CSAH 29 highway project from CSAH 12 to TH 4, motion by Commissioner Tony Berg, seconded by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp. The road was rehabilitated with a concrete overlay with Local Option Sales Tax transportation funds.

The water/cement ratio below a set number resulted in an $81,752.50 incentive. A measured smoothness below a set number measured by an Inertial Profiler resulted in a $127,544.24 incentive.

Disincentives were also calculated for results above the set numbers to a point where the road was not acceptable and corrective action was taken. Studies show that a lower water/cement ratio results in stronger, more durable concrete pavement. Other studies show a smoother ride yields a longer lasting pavement.

• A Wellner Hagemann Dam Inspection Report done by Area II engineering staff, motion by Commissioner Dean Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg. Items to be completed include painting the gate on the outlet structure and spraying leafy spurge in 2020.

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