Brown County commissioners reviewed a risk-assessment walk-through of county properties that flagged several minor corrections and a few costlier recommendations.

The assessor’s report, performed in October, identified routine items — fire extinguisher tagging, removing obstructions near electrical panels, and signage — and recommended follow-up on a small number of higher-cost items such as thermal imaging of electrical panels and lightning protection for some buildings. Commissioner (Speaker 6) said the majority of the report suggested "very minor" fixes that are inexpensive, but cautioned that thermal imaging and lightning protection could be costly and should be evaluated with the county’s insurer before the county commits funds.

Commissioners asked staff to schedule a meeting with Patrick Smith (the risk assessor named during discussion) to review each recommendation, verify whether insurance premium rebates apply, and identify which items qualify for lower-cost corrective action. "Before we do that, I would like to look at the electrical panels that are within the county, before we spend thousands of dollars having thermal imaging done on them," Commissioner (Speaker 6) said. Staff agreed to inventory panels and to consult the insurer about potential premium reductions and required standards before hiring contractors.

The board instructed department heads to address the low-cost, immediate fixes and to bring back more-detailed cost estimates and insurance guidance for the larger items.