NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved an amended notice requesting quotes to rent out county-owned land north of the Brown County Sanitary Landfill Tuesday.

“After talking to people who sell land, I think it’s to our benefit to separate leases, one for tillable (soil), one for grassland,” Commissioner Tony Berg said in his motion to support an amended request. Commissioner Dean Simonsen seconded the motion.

The county purchased 72.77 acres of land just north of the landfill. Part of the property was intended to be used for 2017 leachate spray field development.

The new spray field was developed but the MPCA would not allow it to be used due to elevated constituents in leachate monitoring wells. The land includes 67 acres of ag land, 30 tillable acres and 37 acres of grassland with some tree plantings.

The proposed leachate spray field area is available for haying. It was planted with a grass/hay mix and is established. It has not had leachate applied to it.

The Brown County Planning & Zoning Office recommends the contract be effective for three years. A notice to print the notice twice will be sent to all county newspapers. Quotes must be returned to the Brown County Administrator’s Office by Monday, Feb. 10 so the proposal can be included in a board request.

Commissioners also:

• Unanimously approved a request to purchase 20 Soldiers Rest grave plots from the City of New Ulm for $700 each, for a total purchase of $14,000, motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

Brown County has received $23,654 in federal plot reimbursements since plots were last purchased in 2016. Funds are deposited in a revenue account that holds funds for future plot purchases.

The current plot has 20 full plots. Veteran’s deaths in 2019 rose more than 60% from the previous 12 months. Commissioners approved a $14,000 purchase for the 2020 budget.

Commissioners will also consider approval of:

• Unanimously approved completed drainage ditch repairs including $43,801.67 for slough repair in Section 19, Prairieville Township and $477 for slough repairs in Section 17, Prairieville Township, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

Assistant County Engineer Andrew Lang said 600 tons of riprap was used in the Section 19 project. Brown County is to be reimbursed for 75% of the project costs by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds and 25% from the State of Minnesota.

• Unanimously approved awarding gas and diesel fuel contracts at the New Ulm and Comfrey highway shops to Braun Oil, motion by Commissioner Veerkamp, seconded by Commissioner Berg. Quotes were opened Jan. 6 and brought to the board for consideration. Unleaded gas and diesel are tied together as one bid. Braun Oil bid $165,066.98, United Farmers Coop bid $172,077.60.

• Unanimously approved setting the County Board of Review date for 7 p.m., Monday, June 15, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Simonsen. A continuance would begin at 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 23.

• Unanimously approved tabling until the next meeting for more information, a Brown County Well-Sealing Cost Share program providing 50% of billed costs of sealing unused wells, cost-shares not to exceed $400.

An additional $4,000 of interest is sought to be released from the County Septic Loan Program to help fund the cost of sealing unused wells. Action came on a motion by Commissioner Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Veerkamp.

• Unanimously approved the 2020-2021 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) County Feedlot Program Delegation Agreement Work Plan, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

The biannual agreement between the MPCA and delegated counties gives counties the authority to administer Minnesota Rule 7020 (feedlot rule) at all sites not meeting the large CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) definition. The agreement lays out county work plan goals and minimum annual program requirements.

• Unanimously approved Brown County Board Chairman Dave Borchert to sign an Audit Engagement letter with CliftonLarsonAllen, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Windschitl.

• Unanimously re-elected Commissioner Borchert as 2020 board chair and Commissioner Berg as vice-chair.

fbusch@nujournal.com