BROWN COUNTY — Brown County commissioners will consider adopting the proposed 2020 budget and levy on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The board meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the courthouse second-floor commissioner’s room.

The proposed $13,873,499 levy is 4.63% ($613,782) above the certified 2019 levy and must be certified to the Brown County Auditor/Treasurer by Dec. 30, 2019. The proposed county budget is $39,151,145. The adopted 2019 county budget is $37,349,957.

Commissioners will also consider:

• A Joint Powers Agreement with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Brown County Sheriff’s Office regarding the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

• A county application for a voting equipment election grant of up to $160,000; authorized by the Minnesota Legislature in 2019. The request only authorizes a grant funding application.

Auditor-Treasurer Jean Prochniak is requesting $36,880 to provide AutoMark replacement in all precincts, 11 additional poll pads and a DS200 (precinct-based ballot scanner) for Milford Township.

Prochniak said Stately Township is the only precinct that opted to use mail balloting for 2020 and the polling place locations did not change any equipment consolidations.

• Creating a steering committee for the future for the George’s Ballroom property. Committee members would include Brown County, the City of New Ulm, Brown County Historical Society and community to evaluate possibilities of the building and report back to the county board and city council.

At the Nov. 26 county board meeting, it was discussed to create a steering committee since the building sale is being withheld for up to six months upon the City of New Ulm request.

People who have expressed interest in serving on the committee include but are not limited to the county administrator, auditor-treasurer, a New Ulm city representative, Kathleen Backer, Aaron Lambrecht, Eric Bode, Terry Sveine, and John Vorwerk.

• Authorizing Brown County Probation Director Les Schultz to sign an electronic monitoring contract with Satellite Tracking of People, LLC. With the new truancy program, a sanction will include electronic monitoring of adolescents who have been court-ordered to attend school.