Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brown County Commissioner Dave Borchert speaks at a workshop with county department heads, MRCI, Enterprise North and Minnesota Department of Transportation leaders at the Elixir building, 2100 N. Broadway Tuesday. Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen is pictured at left. Brown County owns half of the building and plans to purchase the other half of it from Nicollet County within the next 30 days.

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners discussed the Elixir building with department heads and MRCI and Enterprise North leaders at a workshop Tuesday. MRCI and Enterprise North offer disability services.

Located at 2100 North Broadway, the building was owned jointly by the Brown and Nicollet County, The Nicollet County Community Health Board withdrew from a joint powers agreement as of Jan. 1. Brown County plans to purchase the other half of the building from Nicollet County for $400,000 within the next month.

Valued at $855,000, the building is leased to MRCI and Enterprise North. No changes are anticipated with the building purchase.

“We appreciate the services MRCI and Enterprise North provide to the area. We want them to stay in the building,” said Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen.

A large part of the east end of the building is unoccupied.

Heartland Express Transit Manager Pat LaCourse told commissioners in November he’s a step closer to securing an electric bus grant for two Hermann Express buses. Grants with 80/20 or 90/10 matching funds are available to pay much of the costs for buses, infrastructure improvements, chargers, staff training, EMTs, mechanics and transit building solar installation.

LaCourse said electric buses in their current form would work best for New Ulm (Hermann Express) routes.

“The rear part of the Elixir building could be perfect to house two electric buses. To me, it’s a win-win for all of us to help with building upkeep. I see this as a two-phase project. Phase 1 would be putting electric buses in the building. Phase 2 could be moving our business offices into the building,” he said in November.

Electric bus grants and vehicle delivery don’t have a time frame yet, but could happen within the next few years, said LaCourse.

Brown County commissioners agreed.

“I think it would be a good move for Heartland Express. Maybe we can come up with a solution where everybody wins,” said Commissioner Scott Windschitl earlier in January.