In recognition of the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and subsequent Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs created a commemorative coin as an expression of appreciation to Minnesota Veterans who served since that fateful day.

As a governmental arm of the State, Brown County recognizes the tremendous efforts and sacrifices that its employees contributed to our Nation’s security during their military service.

Coins were presented by Brown County Board Chairman Anton (Tony) Berg and Brown County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO) Greg Peterson to First District Commissioner Dave Borchert, corrections officers Lucas Emineth, Alex Lux, and Charles Rehbein; probation officer David Munson, CVSOs Greg Peterson and John Schotzko, sheriff’s deputies Justin Robertson and Joseph Shaffer, and emergency manager Shawn Stoermann.

“It’s always nice to do this kind of thing,” said Commissioner Berg.

In recognition of the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and subsequent Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs created a commemorative coin as an expression of appreciation to Minnesota Veterans who served since that fateful day.

Peterson read a detailed message before the presentation:

“Those of us here this morning can certainly recall the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. A normal day at dawn, and an incomprehensible wickedness perpetrated upon us by our morning break at 9:15.

“In fact, the Brown County Board with a different Chairman (Jim) Berg was in session that fateful day when 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the attacks. Five days later, President George Bush would be the first to call this new era the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), a war we still fight today.

“Brown County has a rich heritage of men and women who have served their State and Nation from the Civil War to the GWOT. Our records show that more than 200 from this County have served since 9/11. These citizens selflessly put their desire to serve ahead of the security of staying home.

“Ten of our current County employees have honorably served in the GWOT. Two were on active duty that fateful morning, one at the Pentagon. Eight others stood up and answered America’s call for warriors to keep the fight off of our home soil.”

Other Minnesota GWOT Veterans are invited to register for the free coin by visiting https://bit.ly/GWOTvetcoin. Coins will be distributed by CVSOs.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• Brown County’s 2022 Opioid Epidemic Response Plan, motion by Commissioner Borchert, second by Dean Simonsen. Brown County’s 2022 allocation is $75,100.

One of the approved funding uses is developing new or expanding staff positions to support families affected by addiction.

In discussing on how to support Brown County Human Service’s child protection unit with a intense case increase, the consensus was another family-based worker was needed to do parent education and family support is needed.

Currently, some tasks that could be done by a family-based worker are falling on the child protection worker since staff has more work than they can do. Funding was used to contact with someone to provide a support group for mother’s affected by addiction.

“It is our goal that this would be continued by the new family-based worker,” said Brown County Children’s Social Service Supervisor Denise Kamm. “We’ve lost staff due to the overwhelming amount of work we have. Therapy and treatment have been done on Zoom. We placed five children the other day, it took four workers. We need help and support. This is the best way we can get it.”

• Awarded the County Ditch 63 partial open ditch clean out contract in Linden Township to the low bid of $22,375 from Walters Excavating, motion by Simonsen, second by Berg.

Rickert Excavating bid $24,881. A number of landowners requested to clean out 17,900 feet of ditch. The project is scheduled to be completed by April 1, 2022.

• Awarded the Judicial Ditch 29 partial open ditch clean out contract in Eden and Prairieville Townships to the low bid of $15,535 from Walters Excavating, motion by Jeff Veerkamp, second by Borchert. Simonsen abstained. Rickert Excavating bid $16, 610.50 and Lohrenz Excavating bid $18,283.50.

A number of landowners requested cleaning out 11,950 feet of ditch. The project is scheduled to be completed by April 1, 2022.

• A right-of-way easement from Brown County Rural Electrical Association (REA) for the Brown County landfill, motion by Simonsen, second by Berg.

The landfill is removing an overhead power line and moving north of the tree line near the scale. to remove a serious safety hazard at the location. This will prevent the line from being damaged by trucks, thunderstorms, and ice, which has happened.

• The Wellner-Hagemann Dam Inspection Report, motion by Simonsen, second by Veerkamp. Slumping continues alone the reservoir shore and is monitored.

Trees and vegetation were removed from fencing around the culvert on both sides of the entrance road, around the outlet structure and in the catch basin north of the entrance road by Sentence to Service and the Conservation Corps in late 2020.

Logs continue to wash up on shore. Leafy spurge in the dam area was sprayed by the highway in 2021. More spraying is planned next year.

• Appointing Connie Scharf veteran’s volunteer shuttle driver as of Oct. 26, 2021, motion by Borchert, second by Simonsen. The appointment will not incur any budget increase.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@