NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners will consider a proposal at its meeting on Jan. 18 from GEI Consultants Inc. for assistance in the development of the 2021 annual report and continued 2022 environmental monitoring at the county landfill as required by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the commissioner’s room at the Brown County Courthouse.

The $36,600 proposal includes demonstration research project work to design a wetland filter system for leachate in 2022. It does not include an environmental assessment worksheet and potential permit modifications that would come before the board in separate proposals.

Additional work includes the 2020-2025 industrial stormwater permit and updating the stormwater pollution prevention plan. Documents on required gas emissions and leachate reporting must be prepared along with closure, post closure and financial assurance analysis.

Commissioners will also:

* Hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. for a marketplace apartment complex tax abatement in Sleepy Eye and consider a resolution approving tax abatements for construction of a 72-unit apartment project.

* Convene a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. for Brown County fee schedule revisions and consider adoption of a 2022 fee schedule resolution.

* Consider setting the county board of review for 7 p.m., June 13, 2022. A continuance date is 1 p.m., June 22, 2022.

* Consider accepting $9,000 in private donations for initial repairs to the Lake Hanska County Park log cabin. The cost to restore the entire cabin is estimated at or above $75,000.

* Consider a resolution setting 2023 minimum salaries for elected county officials. Brown County policy would use results from the 2021 class and compensation study representing market rate entry average for positions.

* A resolution to sell county-owned property for the purpose of estate recovery. A resolution brought by Brown County Fraud Investigator/Collections Officer Preston Cowing who worked with Shari Fischer of Fischer Law Office authorizes the minimum sale cost of $106,380 cash only. A public notice would be published for bids.

* Hear from Springfield City Manager Joe Stremcha about whether or not Brown County is interested in participating in their housing development initiative program. The City of Springfield recently had a three-year window of 50% abatement from the city with zero applications. Springfield is interested in increasing the incentive to build new homes. The program abates taxes for five years