NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved appointing New Ulm attorney Paul Gunderson as a full-time assistant county attorney Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Dave Borchert, seconded by Jeff Veerkamp.

Gunderson was interviewed for the assistant county attorney position and was recommended for the appointment. He previously served Brown County in a legal capacity and the staff is pleased to have him back on staff.

“Outstanding. We couldn’t have found anybody as qualified as Paul,” said Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson. “He was a former assistant county attorney for us. We really missed him when he was gone.”

Commissioners also unanimously approved:

• Proclaiming Saturday, Nov. 20 Concord Singers Day, motion by Scott Windschitl, seconded by Tony Berg.

“They’ve been New Ulm’s ambassadors for 90 years and have traveled across the United States and Germany,” said Berg. “They always bring good music, a lot of fun, and gemutlichkeit (warmth, friendliness, good cheer).”

“Dick Seeboth (former Brown County commissioner) has been with them for 43 years. Congrats,” said Windschitl.

• Appointing Arlington Police Chief Paul Konechne as a full-time Brown County Sheriff’s Office investigator, motion by Windschitl, seconded by Veerkamp.

Following application and an interview, the sheriff, chief deputy sheriff, county administrator and human resources director recommended the appointment due to related experience.

“I’ve worked with him in the past. With the labor shortage, I think we’re very fortunate,” said Commissioner/New Ulm Police Chief Dave Borchert.

• Authorizing Brown County Probation Director Les Schultz to sign a $25,000 Families First Collaborative grant to pay for an assistant truancy officer position in support of the Stop Truancy Program, motion by Dean Simonsen, seconded by Borchert.

This may be a greater need than before, with COVID and in-home learning, more students need help returning to school and staying in school if they fall behind, according to an Oct. 28, 2021 letter from Barbara Bertrand of the Families First Children’s Collaborative to Schultz.

• Findings and order in the preliminary hearing for Brown County Ditch (CD) 44 proposed improvements, motion by Simonsen, seconded by Berg. The ditch provides land drainage in portions of sections 16, 17, 20, and 21 in Albin Township.

“All options are very expensive. It would be nice to have other options,” Simonsen said. “This information will be useful even if nothing is done.”

• Moving the KC Road 15 feet to the east of the original, straight alignement for the CSAH 13 (Boundary Street) project planned in 2022, motion by Veerkamp, seconded by Borchert.

The original straight alignment option and several offset options have been discussed by the highway committee. The group recommended the option that moves the road 15 feet east of the original, straight alignment.

• A landfill topics presentation from GEI Consultants, Inc. President Michael Ruetten including an update on landfill air permit submittal.

Ruetten said Brown County could avoid newly required federal landfill air permit application by reducing the landfill size, which would also reduce the landfill’s useful life from 50 to about 35 years.

“You should decide what you want to do by Thanksgiving,” said Ruetten.

Commissioners did not voice interest in reducing landfill size.

Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen asked Ruetten if Brown County’s $14,500 air permit application fee could be refunded.

“The fee is gone, even if you withdraw it or it is denied,” Ruetten said.

Commissioner Simonsen asked if federal assistance was available. “It seems we have no help,” he said.

Ruetten said the federal government is working on landfill research projects in Minnesota and Green Bay, Wi. but neither of those projects received grants recently.

Simonsen thanked Ruetten for the work he has done with the county landfill. Ruetten is retiring but will continue to work part-time.

• A memorandum of agreement between Brown County and Law Enforcement Labor Services, Local No. 98-Dispatcher Unit, pertaining to 12-hour shifts for full-time dispatchers, motion by Windschitl, seconded by Berg.

• Authorizing Brown County and Court Administrator Carol Weikle to enter into a legal services contract with CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection and/or services) attorneys Michael Mountain and Elizabeth Weinandt from Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2022, motion by Borchert, seconded by Berg.

Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson said the contract increased to $2,500 a month but was not increased annually in recent years.

“I thought the request was appropriate. Our CHIPS cases are up,” Hanson said.

• Amended Brown County Heartland Express bus purchase resolutions originally signed July 13 and Oct. 26, 2021 to buy two Startrans Senator II buses at $89,111 each from North Central Bus Sales, motion by Windschitl, seconded by Simonsen.

Heartland Express Transit Manger Pat LaCourse said El Dorado, which was earlier contracted to build the buses, is no longer making the buses that were ordered at $86,485 each.

Commissioner Windschitl questioned why a lower cost bus option was not considered. LaCourse said the lower cost buses had inferior driver sight lines and bus drivers preferred the Startrans buses.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@

nujournal.com).