BROWN COUNTY — Brown County Commissioners will establish 2021 salaries for county officials, plus their own salaries and per diem on Tuesday.

The county board meeting begins at 9 a.m., Tuesday in the Law Enforcement Center Training Room. Call 507-233-6600 for Zoom access.

Commissioners will consider setting 2021 salaries for the Brown County highway engineer, human services director, probation director, county sheriff, recorder, auditor-treasurer, county attorney and county administrator.

County officials salaries will consider their responsibilities and duties, experience, qualifications and performance. Salaries for officials in 2020 were highway engineer $122,000; human services director $112,200; probation director $155,317; county sheriff $104,967; county recorder $81,454; auditor-treasurer $100,000; county attorney $120,000; and county administrator $118,052.

Brown County Commissioner 2020 salaries are $26,181 plus $1,000 for the board chairman. Per diem is $75.

Commissioners will also consider:

• Mental health provider agreements for the mental health client assistance program with Sioux Trails Mental Health Center, Eunoia Family Resource Center, Hoffmann Counseling Services and Chris Davis (Prairie Family Counseling, LLC).

• A memorandum of understanding to continue a parent support group funded by opioid grant funds Brown County receives from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

• The 2021 MRCI Extended Employment Contract at $206.62 per month, per client, for community employment, a 2% increase over the 2020 rate.

• Approval of $32,047.95 in detox bill write-offs from 2001 through 2010. There were more out-of-state detox placements in that decade.

• A legal services agreement with the Rinke Noonan Law Firm, St. Cloud for drainage issues with hourly services only. Discounted attorney rates range from $200 to $325/hour.

• Authorizing Brown County Auditor-Treasurer Jean Prochniak to make a $20,000 loan transfer from the revenue fund to County Ditch 58 to cover a deficit that remains after 2021 assessment billings.

It was noted Brown County buffer loan interest to drainage systems over the last three years is $58,648.28. Most landowners paid off their buffer loans with $169,128.46 remaining to be collected.

• Acceptance of a $200 anonymous donation to the Brown County Probation Department to be used for an individual struggling financially.

• Approving a law enforcement center video and door security system. Proposals were Stanley Security Solutions, $450,250; ElectroWatchmen $177,172.16 and UHL $152,650. UHL has done work on county buildings and is recommended by the Information Technology department.

Estimated costs are $134,409.62 to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and $30,240 to the New Ulm Police Dept.

• Extending to June 30, 2021 the allowance of vacation time accrual to exceed the 200-hour limit due to vacation requests denied for employees whose position duties and department staffing needs are directly impacted due to the COVID-19 virus, as approved by the department head and human resources director.

• Exiting the Minnesota Merit System and authorize Brown County Human Resources Director Ruth Schaefer to send a letter of intent to leave the Minnesota Merit Personnel System to the Minnesota Department of Human Resources to start the process.

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