BROWN COUNTY — After brief discussion Tuesday, Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved a 3.75% 2020 county levy hike Tuesday.

A bit lower than the maximum levy allowed, action came on a motion by Commissioner Tony Berg, seconded by Commissioner Dean Simonsen to certify a $13,194,398 2020 County Budget, a $497,239 increase from 2019.

The hike includes a $108,457 contingency fund (for unforeseen costs). The fund could be increased to $163,457 with a $55,000 General Capital Improvement Fund transfer for a wage scale shift earlier approved.

The proposed $13,873,499 2020 levy was 4.63% ($613,782). The proposed 2020 county budget was $39,151,145. The adopted 2019 county budget was $37,349,957.

Levy increases over the last five years averaged 3.1% annually.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• 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), motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp.

• A county application for a voting equipment election grant of up to $160,000, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

Auditor-Treasurer Jean Prochniak requested $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.

• In her annual report, Prochniak listed the top Brown County taxpayers according to net taxes payable.

Wal-Mart Stores paid $369,128; Menard’s $284,364; Harvest Land Cooperative $265,706; Northern States Power $236,498; Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing $236,498; River Region Cooperative $234,974; Kraft Inc. $219,424; Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern $218,854; AMPI $158,844; and Inland American NU Atlas, LLC $130,528.

• Created a steering committee for the future for the George’s Ballroom property, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg. Commissioners Dave Borchert and Scott Windschitl will served on the committee.

Other committee members would include Brown County, the City of New Ulm, Brown County Historical Society and the 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.

• Authorized Brown County Probation Director Les Schultz to sign an electronic monitoring contract with Satellite Tracking of People, LLC, motion by Commissioner Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

With the new truancy program, a sanction will include electronic monitoring of adolescents who have been court-ordered to attend school and in some cases put on electronic monitoring by the Court will sometimes be used.

The company has a State contract through Sept. 30, 2021 and the lowest prices of $2.95/day for GPS and $3.90/day for Sober Track. Nicollet County is using the company as a provider.

• Recognize Public Health Advisory Committee member service for six years of service to Sharon Pieschel, Lois Schieffert and Jim Lilleodden and to New Ulm Area Catholic School student representative Ethan Mixdorf, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen.

• Planning Commission recommendations include proposed zoning ordinance revision including removing language about a 5-year waiting period for building, moving seasonal produce stands to an allowed use and removing them from a Conditional Use in the A-1 Zone.

In addition, removing language about no side yard required for farmsteads, removing bluff setback exemptions, updating maximum gross area for R-1 Zone assessory buildings, changing private garages to accessory buildings throughout and removing language about no accessory building without a primary structure, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen.

• An final plat application by Mark Bastian on 9.46 acres of property owned by Mark Bastian and Stanley W. Bastian Revocable Trust in Section 8, Cottonwood Township, all in the A-1 Zone, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Windschitl.

fbusch@nujournal.com