The clerk will note that we have full attendance of the board. Uh first item is to approve the minutes of both December 3rd, January 7th statutory and organizational board meetings. Is there a motion to approve those meetings? >> So moved. >> Motion by Commissioner Gomesh. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Breaststead. Any corrections on those meeting minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. Those opposed and that passes. Um I don't have any chairs remarks for you today other than the work of the regional rail authority is minimal and uh the work of Northstar in the regional rail authority is of course winding down. Uh but with that today's resolution is the regional rail authorities's proposed budget and tax levy for the year 2026 that is before you. Um, I'll have D give a quick explanation of that budget and levy. D, >> thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, commissioners, D. Goodman, um, executive director for regional rail, uh, NOA County. Um, so this budget actually closely resembles last year where it's just a little bit different. Um, and the only different part really is the use of reserves to pay the debt service payment. Um, we have one or two years left of the debt service payment. We should be done in February of 2027. Um and at that point um we can make some decisions. So um those will be preparing some what are next steps for regional rail. What does it look like for the future regional rail? Um but as we go through the budget you can see um last year it was 1.813. This year it is 1.815. Um and most of that if you turn um actually you don't have the additional data but most of that is just due to the debt service payment um changing every year just a little bit with the interest um on it. Um the good news is we do have a projected balance. Um this year we're currently sitting on 4.8 million. Um my recommendation and I did talk to um Chair Schulty today um is that we leave that sitting there. um we wait until we're done paying off our debt service and then make some decisions on what we want to do with that project um budget. Um we no longer are putting in um reserves or money into it from the transit tax um that um we've quit doing that because we're not paying for operating for Northstar anymore. Um but um so we will see that dwindle down a little bit faster than what we saw before. Um the good news for Northstar, um it is kind of sad actually I have to say. Um for me, um when I first came to the county 24 years ago, um regional rail was voiced upon me and I had to figure out what it was and Northstar and all the payments and how it went. Um so it's kind of sad. Um but also, um I I think we created some great relationships with other counties through the whole 20-year process, um through CTI and everything like that. Um but for Northstar as of right now we do have um quarterly meetings with Met Council and they are saying that Northstar will be suspended as of January of 2026. Um and that is when the buses start. When you look at the number of buses that are coming through it's it's it's a large amount. Um Northstar has about 40 trips um a week and um the buses have 349 trips a week. So I believe that it will service some of our needs. It might take a little bit longer, but it will service some of our needs a little bit more um with um people being able to get home, get home at lunch. If you have a sick child, you can jump on the bus. You also can Uber. Back 20 years ago, we didn't have that. So, the train was it. Um but a lot of change, but the budget is very simple. Um and really the only the only reason it's fluctuating a little bit is because of the debt service payment. >> Is there a motion to approve? So move >> motion by Commissioner Gamash, second by Commissioner Jeepson. Uh I will comment if it wasn't obvious that we're sort of going to be paying for a dead horse. uh the debt service that's referred to as capital costs for buying the train. Anoka County paid a great deal or a great percentage of the actual capital costs of the train and the train will be decommissioned as of January and we have another year of debt service to pay on that. So it's this is the prover proverbial dead horse we're going to pay for for one more year unfortunately. But it is a U commitment we made and we always stand behind our commitments. We have a motion in a second. Is there any further discussion? >> Seeing none, this is a roll call vote. >> Commissioner Ba >> I. >> Commissioner Reinert >> I. >> Commissioner Gomesh. >> I. >> Commissioner Schulty. >> I. >> Commissioner Jeepson. >> Hi. >> I. >> Commissioner Meisner. >> I. >> Commissioner Hinrich. >> Hi. And that passes unanimously. Is there anything else to come before the regional rail authority? Seeing none, we are journed. >> Thank you.