BROWN COUNTY — Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz said her department has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is ready to meet the coming challenges of a mass vaccination in the coming months.

“We’re prepared to take the vaccine as soon as it is shipped. With its ultra-cold storage capacity, New Ulm Medical Center will be a distribution hub. It’s complicated and the process changes daily, but we’re ready to vaccinate,” said Moritz. “I’d be pleased with a 50% (vaccine shot) uptake going into May.”

Moritz said the vaccine is not effective immediately. “People need to remember to follow (COVID) guidelines (for masking and social distancing) for a while after getting shots.”

Moritz said Brown County COVID cases surged in November with 1,081 new cases, but have slowed up some with 379 new cases from Dec. 1-14.

“There were 11 new cases yesterday (Monday). Things have improved over the last ten days,” Moritz said.

She said most new cases are for those aged 20-29, then 14-19, and most new cases come from family gatherings or people who don’t know how they got sick.

“We continue to work to prevent the spread to limit the illness so we can keep businesses open and keep children in school,” said Moritz. “We are seeing significant impacts from the rise in cases throughout the county, including healthcare being overwhelmed with hospitalizations and long-term care and congregate living outbreaks.”

Moritz said Brown County Public Health is working to create a public health dashboard with more detailed COVID information including case numbers in each city in the county.

Commissioner Dave Borchert thanked Moritz and public health employees for their work.

“I appreciate your report and the efforts of you and your staff,” said Borchert. “On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank you.”

Borchert said the Brown County Evaluation Center Detox Board recently approved a resolution to pay employees $50 for each of two vaccines they could receive.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• Certifying the 2021 levy at $14,032,782; a 2% ($275,826) increase from the 2020 levy, motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg.

The proposed $14,141,462 levy was 2.79% ($384,506) above the certified 2020 levy. The overall county budget would increased 7.26% in 2021, but total appropriations are 5.1% less than the 2020 budget.

There is a $100,000 contingency line item at this time. With the uncertainty in the 2021 legislative session, the assurance of aid Brown County receives from the State is questionable.

• The sheriff’s office purchasing 15 Axon X26P tasers for $19,793 to replace existing tasers to be taken out of service, deemed surplus, and declared excess property for disposal/sale, motion by Commissioner Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg.

• Authorized an easement and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) application for right of way needed on DNR property for the Bridge 2110 replacement project on CSAH 8/Renville CSAH 3 over the Minnesota River, motion by Commissioner Dean Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Berg.

The existing alignment of Renville CSAH 3 runs through the Nesburg Landing Aquatic Management Area owned by the DNR. The new bridge is proposed to be about 70 feet downstream of the existing bridge.

Road approaches to the new bridge require that new rights of way be purchased. The DNR requires a county board resolution authorizing the easement and application before they will consider the request. The Renville County Board is considering a similar resolution.

Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens said the easement will continue to allow fishing near the bridge.

• A Brown County Emergency Management activity report from Emergency Management Director Shawn Stoermann.

“The year 2020 has presented us many challenges,” said Stoermann. “Working with public health since the beginning of COVID-19, we’ve distributed more than 8,000 cloth masks, more than 6,000 disposable masks, more than 1,000 N-95 masks, 500 gowns, 250 face shields and 165 gallons of hand sanitizer.”

Stoermann said 37 oxygen bags include tanks, regulators, oxygen masks and HEPA filters. Other events included a hazardous material incident at Cobden, Twin Cities civil unrest and a missing child that was found at Wal-Mart Supercenter after an emergency Nixle message was sent.

“Thank you for our efforts and assistance. I’ve gotten positive feedback from police and fire departments,” Commissioner Borchert said to Stoermann.

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