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Commissioners to consider lower gun permit fee for vets

NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners will consider amending the sheriff’s office fee to issue permits to carry guns for veterans, National Guard, Reservists or active duty U.S. Armed Forces members, to $25 on Tuesday.

The board meeting begins in the Brown County Law Enforcement Center training room at 9 a.m. April 6. Meetings will continue there until further notice. Zoom access is available by calling Brown County Administraiton at 507-233-6600.

Current permit to carry fees are $100 for new permits, $75 for renewals prior to 90 days of expiration, $85 for up to 30 days of expiration and $10 for duplicate permits, including address changes.

The fee reduction is considered a way for the sheriff’s office to honor and recognize the men and women who have served in the U.S. military.

Forms of proof of military service include a Minnesota driver’s license with veteran endorsement, an active U.S. military identification card, a military DD-214 with honorable discharge or national guard or reserve military member who has honorably completed their first full term of service as reflected on a copy of their DD-214 or NGB form 22.

Commissioners will also consider:

• The purchase of a $1,518 LENE TactiTrack 32 GPS tracker for the sheriff’s office. The cost of a CoverTrack Stealth 5 tracking device is $1,710.

• The purchase of a $4,375 Centurion Scout alarm system for the sheriff’s office.

• The purchase of maintenance striping for 38 miles of county roads to be seal coated this summer plus 95 miles of county road striping needed to be redone due to fading and wear.

The Brown County Highway Dept. recommends the low quote of $76,884 from AAA Striping Service. Other quotes are $78,672 from Sir Lines-A-Lot LLC, and $79,390 from Traffic Marking Services.

• Approval and signing of an $18,600 NRBG Septic Sewage Treatment System grant agreement from the State of Minnesota, acting through the Board of Water and Soil Resources board and Brown County. Activities include administrative assistance, install inspections, and training.

• Setting a public hearing for 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 27 to begin the process to appoint the office of auditor-treasurer (AT).

Brown County expects to have an AT office vacancy this year due to a retirement. The process to move from elected to appointed takes a few months.

With 2018 legislation allowing the county board to make the decision to move from an elected to appointed position, the time to receive public testimony seems appropriate.

County commissioners can only approve the change with an 80% (4/5) supermajority vote in favor of it. A public petition with 10% of eligible voters signing a petition within 30 days would rescind the resolution and stop the proposed change.

At any time after three years, the public can initiate a reverse referendum to return the office to an elected position.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nu

journal.com).

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