NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners approved a bid abstract summary for a concrete overlay project on CSAH 13 between Hanska and 220th Street, near New Ulm on Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp.

Work is scheduled to begin on or before June 7 and take up to 60 working days to complete. Bids were opened Feb. 24. The project will be funded with federal, state aid and Local Option Sales Tax funds.

The county highway department sent paperwork to the low bidder and Minnesota Civil Rights Office and waiting for approval of the low bidder’s DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) application and State Workforce Plan.

After approval, the county highway department will bring the low bid to the board for consideration.

The project engineer’s estimate is $5,927,362.75, according to the bid abstract summary. Bids are Croell Inc. $5,321,133.49; Cedar Valley Corp, LCC $6,129,212.98; Shafer Contracting Co. Inc. $6,217,091.15; Michels Paving Division $6,447,288.62; and PCiRoads, LLC $6,924.290.90.

The highway segment has many pavement cracks creating the need for highway rehabilitation.

The Highway Safety Improvement Program project contributes federal funds to two-foot wider pavement, edge rumbles, safety edge and edge striping.

“This will be similar to the CR 29 (concrete) project and will including local contractors subbing,” said Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens.

In addition, Stevens said the cement highway will feature a better ride and longer-lasting pavement.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• The transfer of surplus funds from the curbside recycling account to the SCORE account, which ended 2020 with a $60,714.48 deficit, motion by Commissioner Dean Simonsen, seconded by Commissioner Tony Berg.

A large reason for the deficit is in increased amount of items collected at county recycling events and rising costs to process the materials.

Brown County Planning & Zoning staff is requesting the transfer of curbside recycling surplus funds to offset the SCORE account deficit. Curbside recycling funds are taxpayer dollars collected for recycling and are high enough to offset the deficit.

Moving into 2022, staff will propose to move the curbside recycling program to the SCORE account from the landfill account. In addition, staff will adjust the 2022 budget to accommodate for price increases.

• Brown County COVID-19 State Business Relief Grant program awards as recommended by Brown County Economic Development Partners (BCEDP), motion by Windschitl, seconded by Veerkamp.

On Jan. 19, commissioners approved $488,336 in grants.

Rob Anderson, BCEDP Executive Director, will accept $7,500 for administration including the award amount to $488,236.94.

Grant recipients included: $30,000 — Enterprise North, Inc., Comfrey Community Healthcare Building, Inc.; $15,936 — New Ulm Best Western Inn Plus and Green Mille; $15,000 — Comfrey Bar & Grille, $10,000 — Rathskeller, Inc. (Turner Hall), State Street Theater Co., George’s Fine Steaks & Spirits, LLC, Perkins of New Ulm, Bingham Hall Bed & Breakfast, Nicklasson Athletic Co. Inc., Orale Authentic Mexican Tacos & More, Springfield Gold Club, Inc., New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce, B&L Bar, Joni’s Restaurant & Catering, Candyman, Inc., The Retz 227, Concordia Lanes, Mowan’s Bar, Sleepy Eye Coffee Co. LLC, Sleepy Eye Chamber of Commerce, Searles Bar & Grill, New Ulm Youth Hockey Assn., New Ulm Figure Skating, Mona Lena Wine Bar, Sleepy Eye Brewing Co., Rodney’s Tavern, Anytime Fitness of Sleepy Eye, Springfield.

$9,000 The Loft Nutrition; $8,000 — Wendinger Travel; $7,500 — Bailey Creek Boutique; $6,500 — Cline-Henderson Corp.; $6,300 Lakes on 1st; $6,000 Nancy Hans-On Therapeutic Massage; $5,000 — Motion Chiropractic, Prairie Wellness, Bookshelves & Coffeecups, ISD 88 Foundation Inc., River Valley Dutchmen Snowmobile Club, Inc., HMH Power LLC, Cutting Edge, Pam’s Lasting Impressions, Lisa Ann’s Healing Hands Massage & Wellness, LLC, Retzlaff’s Our Own Hardware, Antiques Plus, T & M Nails, American Legion Post 132, Guten Tag Haus, LLC, Dain’s Dutchmen, Smiley’s Tavern, American Legion Post 257, Pink Swan Creations, LLC.

$4,000 Sterling Travel Vacations, Ulmer Cafe; $3,000 C-Money, Inc.; Gluth Transport, LLC,A Nu You Massage Therapy; $2,500 — Springfield Lanes and Pro Shop, The Garage; $2,000 — Cutting Edge.

• A resolution requesting a variance in the required distance between diagonal parking stalls and the driving lane for the Sleepy Eye CSAH 35 (1st Avenue) project from Walnut Street to St. Mary’s Street, motion by Simonsen, seconded by Berg.

• The county board meeting packet can be found at co.brown.mn.us.

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