Department said to

be historically

understaffed

By Fritz Busch

Staff Writer

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners will consider a request for three additional deputy positions for 2024 on Tuesday, June 27.

The additional positions include one deputy sergeant position and two deputy positions through minimal restructuring. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has 12 full-time, licensed patrol staff serving 25,912 residents.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Office is understaffed compared to comparable counties, while providing 24-hour coverage, according to the request that includes a comparison chart.

Three comparable counties with the fewest deputies are Watonwan County (population 11,253) with 9.5 full-time deputies, Cottonwood County (population 11,517) with 10 full-time deputies.

Brown County Sheriff’s Office deputies backup county police departments who also backup the Sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s office deputies respond to medical calls, crashes, domestics/assaults, enforce traffic laws, transport inmates and respond to mental health calls for service, among other calls for service.

The sheriff’s office received $430,066 in one-time funding from the State to be used for Public Safety Aid for Counties and requests that some of that funding be used to fund the positions.

In addition, the sheriff’s office applied for a new fiscal year 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant to fund the three new positions in 2024. The new additional deputy positions would be requested with or without COPS grant funding, according to the request.

Brown County needs more foster homes, according to a human services licensing programs update. Human services had to use private agencies for eight children since January 2022 due to lack of foster care homes.

Sleepy Eye and Springfield children are relocated to New Ulm or out of the community or the county needs to find alternative school transportation. Six children now need transportation to remain in their home school district.

A shortage of infant/toddler care remains in Brown County, according to the report.

The Brown County Highway Department recommends commissioners approve M.R. Paving & Excavating Inc.’s $1,126,405.02 low bid to mill and overlay surface rehabilitation with ADA improvements for 1.32 miles of CSAH 26 (10th South, Summit & Park Road from TH15 (Broadway) to Flandrau State Park.

OMG Midwest Inc. dba Minnesota Paving & Materials bid $1,304.540.25 for the project. The engineer’s estimate is $1,248,998.40.

The project will be funded with County Regular State Aid funds and State Park Road Account funds. The project is scheduled to begin on or before Aug. 7 and take up to 40 working days to complete.