NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved a $15,000 funding commitment using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for high-quality LiDAR (3D) mapping Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Dean Simonsen, seconded by Dave Borchert to partner with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Minnesota River East Acquisition Area (MREAA) counties.

The mapping would include Brown County.

If a $15,000 grant is not funded, Brown County is released from the commitment as a grant funding partner. The company 3DGeo will submit grant requests with partners. Counties in the MREAA have offered $15,000 as a county match.

The current LiDAR data is more than 10 years old. When it was collected, there was les than one elevation point per square meter. New data would be collected at a minimum of eight points per square meter.

“There are a lot of constituents that can benefit from this,” Simonsen said.

Commissioners also:

• Unanimously approved a resolution supporting a bus purchase for the Heartland Express fleet, motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Dave Borchert.

The bus would be a 2023 or 2024 (depending on when it is built) Ford E450 Startrans Senator II from North Central Bus Sales. The State of Minnesota will cover 90% of the $119,623 purchase price. Brown County would be responsible for 10% ($11,962) which would come from transit reserve funds.

Other vendors were sought. A Glaval coach from Hogland Bus Sales was $7,000 less costly but was not a model Brown County Transit was comfortable with and the floor plan would not allow needed extra room.

• By a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Simonsen dissenting, approved wetland credit proposal to purchase 0.16 acres of wetland credits for $7,668.80 to replace disturbed portions of a wetland from Brian Domeier of Shirley’s Park & Country Retreat, rural New Ulm.

Shirley’s Park & Country Retreat is a recreational vehicle campground on the south shore of Clear Lake that provides full-service hookups for nightly and seasonal guests.

During site construction, the applicant (Brian Domeier) inadvertently impacted two areas. One area is a hay meadow, the other existing plant community includes fescue (narrow-leaved grasses and rye grass).

During a long discussion, Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson said a map showed a gravel turnaround inside a wetlands. He advised the board not to assume the role of LGU (local government unit) because there could be legal ramifications.

Domeier encouraged the board to take the LGU role but called the whole issue “a very faulty process.”

Commissioner Scott Windschitl said he had mixed feelings on the issue and added “life has hiccups.”

By a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Windschitl and Simonsen dissenting, approved assuming the role a local governmental unit from the Brown County environmental specialist for the wetland credit proposal.

By a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp dissenting, delegated LGU authority back to the Brown County environmental specialist after the wetland credit proposal takes place.

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