NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved a mezzanine roof replacement quote for the Brown County Historical Society (BCHS) Museum Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Dean Simonsen to accept Sandmann Roofing Systems’ $22,500 flat roof quote for mezzanine roof replacement. The BCHS approved appropriating $10,000 to the quote May 10. The quote is preferred since it has a 10-year watertight warranty, which the BCHS board feels is worth the slightly higher price.

Gag Sheet Metal Inc. bid $21,650 with a 20-year manufacturer’s standard warranty. Laraway Roofing bid $21,142 for the project with a 15-year contractor’s labor and material warranty.

“It’s an expensive, old building, but I think it needs to be done. I think it’s a reasonable request and the companies are local,” said Windschitl.

“If we don’t do this, we could face huge costs,” said Commissioner Tony Berg.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• Declaring Saturday, June 19, 2021 as Paul W. Wojahn Day in Brown County, motion by Commissioner Dave Borchert, seconded by Windschitl.

“He’s been a rock of the community,” said Brown County Veterans Service Officer Greg Peterson. “He climbed over the side of a ship and stormed beaches in World War II. He’s got more energy than people 40 years younger than he is. He’s done a lot. He was the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) clothing packer.”

Drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps Aug. 20, 1942, he made World War II combat beach landings on New Guinea, New Britain and Lalau Islands. He was also in the battle of Peleliu and Ryukyu, Okinawa.

Coming home in late December 1945, he farmed briefly and operated a tracked excavator. A Minnesota Conservation Officer for 25 years, he enforced hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational vehicles, state parks, and wild rice harvesting. In addition, he taught youth and adult gun safety classes.

In retirement, he drove veterans to health appointments in Minneapolis and St. Cloud, helped build the Brown County Veterans Memorial, was local Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter Commander and volunteered to collect donations.

Wojahn’s birthday party is set for 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 19 at Finstad’s Oak Haven Campground, 58167 428th Lane, New Ulm.

Peterson said the New Ulm Battery and Marine Corps. League plan to attend the event.

• A FY 2022-23 remote electronic alcohol monitoring grant agreement between Brown County and the State of Minnesota Department of Corrections, motion by Commissioner Borchert, seconded by Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp.

Brown County will receive up to $13,000 for daily monitoring and installation costs for DWI offenders in FY 2022 and 2023.

• Authorizing the purchase of a Motorola APX 600 portable radio and two Motorola APX 4000 models with accessories to replace emergency management portable radios, motion by Commissioner Borchert, seconded by Simonsen.

Three existing portable radios will be taken out of service, deemed surplus and transferred to the Brown County Public Health Dept. and to Heartland Express.

The purchase would come from emergency management account funds and will be applied towards a matching grant.

• Authorizing Brown County Emergency Management to place a county-wide order of 800mHz radios for New Ulm, Springfield, and Comfrey, motion by Borchert, seconded by Berg.

As of May 26, 2021, the radio draft quote is $350,815.63. The estimated programming/reprogramming cost is not expected to exceed $10,000.

In consultation with Alpha Wireless, a reduced programming/reprogramming rate was determined.

Overall, 101 portable radios and six mobile radios, plus chargers, lapel mics and spare batteries were placed on the order. Almost all old radios would be repurposed to other county or city agencies.

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