NEW ULM — By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, Brown County commissioners approved adding two full-time deputy positions for 2024 and will consider adding a third deputy this fall.

Commissioners Scott Windschitl, Brian Braun and Jeff Veerkamp voted in favor of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office request. Commissioners Dave Borchert and Tony Berg cast dissenting votes. Action came on a motion by Windschitl, seconded by Braun.

The vote came after the original request to add three deputy positions in 2024 failed 4-1 with Commissioner Veerkamp voting in favor of it.

Commissioners will discuss adding a third deputy position this fall after learning the status of a COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant.

“I don’t feel needs are satisfied to hire that many more deputies. I’d prefer scheduling options. I think three additional deputies is a major budget challenge,” said Commissioner Borchert, who is also the New Ulm Police Chief.

“I can’t support hiring three more [deputies] is a 25% increase all at once,” said Commissioner Berg.

“I don’t know how you can put a price on public safety. I know you guys work with a budget, but how can you explain to a constituent that you don’t have enough money to protect them?” said Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson.

“If that argument is right, then we’ve been below an acceptable public safety level for the history of the county,” said Commissioner Borchert.

“Yes, I think that’s right,” said Hanson.

Sheriff Jason Seidl said he preferred to have deputies in separate vehicles than riding together, so they can respond quicker to multiple calls.

“It would be nice if we had our own backup,” said Seidl. He said he was willing to give up his current squad (vehicle) and drive a 2008 Ford Explorer.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has 12 full-time, licensed patrol staff serving 25,912 residents.

Seidl said his 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.

Commissioners unanimously approved:

• The continued collection of local transit sales and use taxes, motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Commissioner Windschitl. Taxes are used to help fund county road, bridge and transit projects.

• Awarding the CSAH 26 (10th South, Summit & Park Road) from TH 15 (Broadway) to Flandrau State Park project to M. R. Paving & Excavating, Inc. The 1.32 road segment mill and overlay project with ADA pedestrian ramps at intersections will be done for a $1,126,405.02 low bid, 9.82% under the $1,248,998.40 engineer’s estimate.

• Recognizing the Brown County Assessor’s Office Team of Angie Gauert, Cindy Marti, Diane Rolloff, Jim Heil and John Thompson II for Tyler operating system conversion in 2022 and spring 2023.