Staff photo by Fritz Busch Lake Hanska as it appeared Wednesday from the Lake Hanska County Park beach. On Tuesday the Brown County Board approved contributing $1,700 toward the purchase of a $3,700 aerator drive replacement.

NEW ULM — The Brown County Board unanimously approved a one-time $1,700 contribution toward the purchase of an aerator drive replacement for Lake Hanska on Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Dave Borchert of New Ulm seconded by Jeff Veerkamp of Comfrey to pay part of the $3,700 cost incurred by the Lake Hanska Area Association.

The board declined to enter into an ongoing agreement with the Lake Hanska Area Association for future maintenance costs.

Lake Hanska has an aerator owned and maintained by Brown County, located near Lake Hanska County Park and an aerator owned and maintained by the Lake Hanska Area Association.

The Lake Hanska Area Association has limited funds and asked Brown County to contribute to the bill to ARC Electric, rural Hanska, to replace a 20 horsepower inverter drive, set up and start up near Godahl Point.

“The lake is a huge county resource. I’ve never seen the lake so low except during a drawdown,” said Anne Grunert, who said she represented the Lake Hanska Area Association.

The request asked the board to consider entering into an ongoing agreement with the Lake Hanska Area Association for future maintenance costs, regarding the aerator.

The board did not act on that request.

“I’m always cautious of future commitments, but the lake is a resource. A lot of people enjoy lakes. If you don’t have good fishing, it affects people on the lake,” said Borchert.

“I worry about setting a precedent, but it (the lake) is an asset,” said commissioner Tony Berg of rural New Ulm.

Commissioner Scott Windschitl of New Ulm said the lake benefits Brown County and (Lake Hanska) dredging that was done benefits the tax base.

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