NEW ULM — With four of five board members present, Brown County commissioners tabled a request to include a deputy sergeant position in the draft 2026 budget Tuesday.

Brown County Sheriff Jason Seidl said the sheriff’s office is understaffed with 10 patrol deputies and one deputy sergeant, investigator, chief deputy, and a sheriff.

Seidl said the Brown County Sheriff’s Office has historically been understaffed compared to other counties. In addition, the sheriff’s office backs up local police departments in the county, while those police departments are backup for county calls. He said deputies respond to medicals, enforce traffic laws, respond to accidents, domestics/assaults, mental hea;th calls, transport inmates plus other services.

“It’s always nice to have additional staff to deal with situations. Sometimes there is a request for officers. You can’t make an officer for the department overnight. There’s a process,” said Seidl. “This (request) is for a deputy sergeant supervisory position so we’d have two supervisors over the deputies.”

A deputy comparison for a survey group of 15 counties showed Brown County with a 2020 census of 25,912, 14 licensed deputies and 9,642 calls for service. The survey group showed Lyon County with a population of 25,269 with 18 licensed deputies and 5,121 calls for service. Le Sueur County had a 28,674 census, 20 licensed deputies and 6,423 calls for service. Redwood County had a 15,425 census with 17 licensed deputies and 9,226 calls for service.

“I thought we resolved this last year when we added one (full-time position) last year,” said Commissioner Dave Borchert. “We can’t continue to do this every year, especially this year with our budget. I just talked to other county commissioners that are doing hiring freezes even for vacant positions. Right now it’s a very stressful financial situation with federal and state reimbursement.”

Seidl said the initial additional deputy request was for two more deputies in 2024.

“We got one more and I said I’d come back in 2025 for one more,” he said.

Commissioner Tony Berg said he supported adding a deputy last year when the City of Comfrey asked for service, which is why he supported hiring another deputy last year.

“I look at total number of peace officers in the county. You look at total number of county deputies. When you look at it that way, it evens out more. I’m not going to support this today,” he said.

Commissioner Brian Braun said he supported Seidl’s position for more deputies.

“I see we are short compared to other counties,” he said.

Commissioner Scott Windschitl said it was a hard decision to make.

Seidl said a board option could be tabling the decision until all five commissioners were present. Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp was not at the meeting.

Commissioner Braun said he felt “it would be wise” to have Commissioner Veerkamp’s input before a decision was made. Commissioner Windschitl agreed, saying it may affect his service area (the Comfrey area) the most.

Tabling the issue came on a motion by Commissioner Berg, seconded by Braun. Commissioner Borchert cast the only dissenting vote.