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BROWN COUNTY -- Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved purchasing six WatchGuard VISTA HD body cameras for Brown County Jail staff Tuesday.
Buying six WatchGuard VISTA HD body cameras with warranty, software and licensing for $6,060 came on a motion by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp, seconded by Commissioner Dean Simonsen.
Cameras to be worn by the jail administrator, programmer and correction officers, are the same body cameras that deputies wear. The item was part of the 2020 jail budget.
Commissioners also unanimously approved:
• Awarding the St. Mary's Street N.E. project in Sleepy Eye to the appropriate bidder, contingent on Sleepy Eye City Council approval, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Veerkamp; and approved an LRIP grant agreement.
The new project includes a railroad crossing planned to relieve traffic on 1st Avenue North crossing which is the easternmost rail crossing in Sleepy Eye.
The 2017 Minnesota Legislature approved funding for the Local Road Improvement Program. Brown County is sponsoring to apply for and administer program funds, since Sleepy Eye has a population under 5,000.
The City of Sleepy Eye was awarded $750,000 in LRIP funds. That is the only portion of funds required for the project. The City secured other state funding to go with local funds and LRIP funds to complete the project.
Bids were opened Feb. 25 for the project scheduled to begin on or before May 18 and be complete by Aug. 31, 2021.
Mathiowetz Construction's base bid of $3,184,093.28 is 13.6% over the $2,803,917.25 engineer's estimate. Mathiowetz Construction's total base and two alternate bids was $3,831,091.31 -- 10.61% over the engineer's estimate of $3,463,626.85.
• Awarded surface rehabilitation projects on State Highway 7, 8, 10, 20, 21, 22 and Cottonwood County State Highway 11 to Knife River Corp., motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Veerkamp
Knife River Corp. – North Central's low bid of $7,933,820.45 is nearly 1% over the $7,857,750.45 engineer's estimate and was recommended by the Brown County Highway Dept. Other bids were $7,952,475.63 from Central Specialties Inc., and $8,406,806.80 from Duininck Inc.
Bids were opened Feb. 26. Projects are scheduled to begin on or before June 1 and take up to 80 working days to complete.
Projects include State Highway 7, from Highway 15 to State Highway 31 in Evan, 5.370 miles; State Highway 8 from State Highway 30 to State Highway 10, 3.809 miles; State Highway 8 from Highway 68 to State Highway 29 1.955 miles; State Highway 10 from south county line to State Highway 20 $6.414 miles; State Highway 20 from State Highway 6 to State Highway 8 5.041 miles; State Highway 21 from west county line to State Highway 3 4.995 miles; Cottonwood Co. State Highway 11 from Highway 71 to Brown County State Highway 21 1.004 miles; and State Highway 22 from State Highway 8 to Highway 4 3.770 miles.
Cottonwood County will pay for its project.
The project will be funded with regular state aid funds, wheelage taxes, local option sales taxes and local funds in the current 10-year program.
• Signed the 2019 Federal Boating Safety Supplement Equipment grant agreement for dive rescue equipment totalling $8,081, motion by Commissioner Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Windschitl.
There is a 25% county cost share agreement that would be paid for from the sheriff's office boat and water safety contingency fund that has a $37,247.34 balance at the end of January 2020. The total Brown County cost is $1,715.53.
• Convened a closed session to discuss litigation with MCIT, a joint powers entity of Minnesota counties and associated public entities that pool resources to provide property, casualty and workers' compensation coverage to members.
Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.