less money in the pocket. Good morning. Uh, join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I really needed this. Okay, good morning. This is a work session, so we won't be taking any action on anything. And we have one big idea uh which is uh our legislative update from our lobbyists from the great session of 2025. So Tony, why don't you come on up? [Music] Uh probably at the podium is better, Tony. Okay. Well, thank you for the opportunity. Uh my name, for the record, is Tony Albbright. I represent Paul Hos and on behalf of Carver County uh at the the legislature and I'm joined today by Courtney Jasper, another one of our teammates and she'll also be covering some of the priorities uh that uh were set forth in 2025 by your by you u for our work endeavors. I'm going to give you just a little brief overview of the session. I know that there is a lot to cover in 2025. A lot of it uh uh we've already uh dealt with in terms of where we are today, but I do want to just update you with some of the the finer points of the end of session as well as the special session and some of the um uh events that uh lead us here uh this morning. U to say that the session started um smoothly uh was was uncharacteristic. We had a tied house, a tied uh Senate and through a number of uh seats filled. We came to a working session uh where we had a tied house and a one seat majority in uh the Senate help led by a majority by the the Democrats. Uh we are were faced at the time with about a $6 billion deficit. uh much of that uh was uh in the 28-29 uh bianium but nonetheless based upon constitution we need to provide for a balanced budget uh to the governor for his signature. Uh a lot of work uh occurred during that time u as the session wore on. Uh at the end of session there were a few uh committee budget bills that were passed and signed into law but a lot of them were left undone. With the end of session, we move moved into the instruction of those conference committees uh to formulate and meet uh as quickly as possible under the working group uh provisions uh to complete their work and prepare for a special session. That special session was held on uh June 9th. uh and the House uh took care of business quite methodically in the space of about uh 14- 15 hours. The Senate took a little longer. Uh they finished at 2:00 a.m. on the following day. Uh with that being said, uh we moved into the interim, which we thought was going to be preparation for the 2026 uh session. And unfortunately on uh June 14th uh tragedy struck this state in a way that was inconceivable and uh in without uh measure uh with the uh assassination of Speaker Emmerita Melissa Hortman as well as her husband Mark and the attempted murder of both Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yevette as well as their daughter. Um, I can uh happily report and uh uh for the sake of the Hoffman's that Senator Hoffman is out of the hospital. He's recovering at home uh and uh he's looking forward to the 2026 session. Uh we also had a number of other uh uh occurrences and I'll just mention them briefly uh for your benefit. Senator Nicole Mitchell uh did stand trial last week uh for uh the indictment against her for a burglary attempt attempted burglary charges. Uh that case was uh given to the jury on Friday of last and they returned a verdict of guilty on both counts. Uh she uh is uh due to be sentenced at some time. I don't know the date right now, but she has also tendered a letter of resignation pursuant to completion of uh I think three or four provisions uh in that and that those are intended to be completed by August 4th of this year. Uh there is a special election that the governor has uh established for the uh seat in 34B which is the Hortman seat. Uh the primary is on August 12th with the election itself on September 16th. I'm sad to report also that yesterday uh Senator Bruce Anderson passed uh and so there will be a need for a Senate uh special election to fulfill um that seat uh with his passing. uh he represented the Buffalo area and some as Commissioner Workman remarked knew him quite well and so uh please keep his family in your prayers. Uh looking ahead uh we also have then the special election for uh the uh Nicole Mitchell seat out in uh uh the Woodbury area. Uh the uh special election provisions uh for that seat uh for both the primary and for the general election have yet uh to be announced by the governor, but we anticipate those uh to uh happen uh soon. U Senator Omar Fata uh won the primary uh for the mayoral ship of Minneapolis. uh if his uh campaign is successful uh for mayor uh on November uh 4th of 2025, there will also be a need for a special election for his seat as well. And so you can see uh a number of new faces that will be resident on 2026 for the uh second year of the bienium uh which starts on February 17th of next year. I'm just going to go briefly. I know the time is pressing us uh into some of the priorities that uh your council and uh your staff put together. Uh and first and foremost, we talked about the unfunded state uh and federal mandates uh with a $6 billion budget deficit. Uh much of that uh in terms of where the legislature put their emphasis was using the tool uh to reach, you know, a balanced budget by shifting those costs to the counties. Uh I can say that you know that happened in almost nearly every area of the state budget uh particularly in transportation and human services. Uh by the efforts of your county uh counties association as well as the individual members I can happily report to you that me much of the the the intrusion on your budgets particularly in the transportation area were fended off. Uh the cost shifts were reduced in the areas of the human services. Uh they were initially proposed for a rate waiver rate exemption. In particular, uh the governor's budget also proposed a 5% residential services cost uh shift. Uh I can say that we have more work to do in the healthc care area because I do believe that those are temporary wins. uh with the policy year coming up, they will attempt to to in order to balance the the outlying years uh uh another run at seeing how they can move those those costs, if you will, uh to the counties themselves. Uh there was an outcome from uh that uh session. uh the human the uh legislature actually uh established a long-term services and supports advisory council uh which is going to be uh looking at cost savings through future reforms particularly in the area of uh health and human services. Um, in addition, if that is not found at the state level, uh, I think, uh, you have been made aware of the fact that there is a cost shift of up to probably $90 million, uh, for the county residential services alone, moving to earn sick and safe as well as the paid family medical leave. We've talked about them on a number of occasions uh, before before you. uh significant we were looking for and and and hoping that there might be some modifications uh to the ESST. Uh there are a number of significant administrative and operational burdens that now have been placed on employers which will obviously compound uh staffing challenges. Uh the legislature did adopt uh a number of modifications to the to the law. uh you can now establish reasonable notification policies for unforeseeable uh uh use. You can also uh ask for documentation for two consecutive days uh reduced from 3 days. Uh it also the law new law clarifies that employees may voluntarily trade shifts while using ESST and the employers using projected acrruals must reconcile with actual hours worked on the paid family medical leave. uh not as much modifications. The only change made to the program which takes effect on January 1st of 2026 was that there was a reduction in the annual premium cap from 1.2% to 1.1% uh of taxable wages. I will note uh for those in the room that this is a program that also requires uh a very substantial software program to be established and uh up and running. Uh I understand that that is still in the works and from uh some of the legislators that are more learned on the tech side than I am. Um there may be some worry about whether or not that is ready for implementation in a timely manner. Going on to housing and the initiatives there. We spent a lot of time uh in this legislature past session talking about housing of all types. Obviously your priorities are for providing a broad spectrum of housing whether it be uh affordable uh condominiums for retired to transition people for looking for what is a a demographic particularly in the gring uh population moving out of those homes so young uh family formations can take take on those opportunities in larger homes. Uh there was a request uh made for a greater local control uh for those housing needs. Uh and in the end um there really wasn't much done on the housing front except for that in the cash bonding bill uh a little over $2.4 million was appropriated for local public housing programs. In addition, LAAHA, there was a modification to LAAHA for the benefit of use. That's the local affordable housing aid program uh was modified slightly to require that funds distributed under LAA uh would be used for a qualifying project. When we talk about greenhouse gas emissions and the miles traveled uh we have had talked about that uh on a number of occasions and thanks to Lyndon uh for his work on that program. Uh in years past we did move it from a projectbased uh uh assessment to a portfolio for the state. In addition to that, u we did uh have some success in terms of making uh some difference allowances for investments to qualify as offsets to greenhouse gas emissions. I'll just go through those very briefly. Uh you can now um use offsets such as for ecosystem restoration, aforestation, and as a as a and a definition there. I had to look it up as well again just to make sure. But aforestation is actually the process of putting uh and establishing a forest where there was none and this is actually for uh the uh opportunity for carbon sequestration uh which is a large part of the GHD initiative. You can also uh offset those by wetland conservation, restorative agricultural practices as well as land acquisition that includes easements, restoration and enhancements for outdoor recreation systems and state parks. Want to touch just briefly on the regional park system and how that uh occurred during the course of the session. Uh was very different in terms of how those bonding bills were put together from years past. uh it did not in which in the past have included nonprofit entities and local projects. Uh this bill this year only included state projects and and so in the final bill there was $16 million for the Met Council uh a million dollars for community tree planting. Uh but there was no uh inclusion for resources for the regional park system parks and trails in the legacy fund. Uh, as you reminder, it's a 404020 split between the Department of Revenue, the Met Council, and then the Regional Park and Trail System. Uh, House File 14, uh, made an amendment to, uh, excuse me, I'm going to back up just a second. Um, because one of the provisos that we worked on in the transportation area, which uh, Linda and I will give great credit to him for in the transportation issue, is in in the bonding bill. Uh a couple of years ago, we appro were uh fortunate to have appropriated money for trunk highway 5. Uh but uh there was an understanding that there was an opportunity to expand the usage of that money for a much longer stretch of of that road. We were successful in putting that into uh the bill. And so now uh that uh trunk highway 5 will be extended and thanks to Lyndon for his uh help in putting that language together. it came together quite nicely and and thanks to the uh the leads on on the transportation committee particularly Cosnik and uh uh and others. Uh with that uh just conclude with the Met Council did receive 24 million in fiscal 26 for parks and trails and 27.2 two uh for uh fiscal 27 uh to fund projects approved by locally or excuse me the elected representatives of each of the Metropolitan Parks implementing uh agencies. With that, there are several uh still remaining priorities uh that uh we worked on and we'd like to report on. And with that, I will uh bring up Courtney Jasper to remark on those. Thank you. Great to see you all. Courtney Jasper with Polehos. I've got just a couple left um in the health and human services space. I know an issue that's very important to Carver County and that we you all have spent some time working on is related to the 48 hour rule. Um 48 hour rule as you all know deals with individuals who have been civily committed who have not been necessarily found guilty of a crime but are sitting in your jails while they're awaiting movement to a place where they can be properly treated. that took up a significant amount of time and energy talking about the 48 hour rule in the Health and Human Services Committees in both the House and the Senate. Uh there was a coalition that was uh we called it the county coalition. It was AMC, MAXA, the county attorneys association and the sheriffs. And really that group worked as a block to say, "Hey, we can't leave counties high and dry here. We can't do another 2-year pause on the 48 hour rule where there's no opportunity for lawsuits or really any mechanisms to move folks forward without some sort of increase in capacity and helping counties with the does not meet criteria funding. In the end, um the counties looked at the larger picture of how they were getting hit really hard in the human services area and Heather was a phenomenal advocate at the capital. I just want to point that out, not only because she's in the room, but because she was really really quite effective um in talking to folks and she showed up and she'd sit and pull folks off the floor and not everybody will do that. So, I want to recognize that. But at the end of the day, in the 48 hour rule space that does not meet criteria funding, that two-year pause ended and so July 1st, 2025, those dollars um again are something that the counties are going to be charged for. There was some progress um in the 48 hour rule space. Um there was $75 million set aside in the bonding bill to uh demolish and rebuild the Miller building on the AMRTC the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center site. And so it's going to take a couple of years, but that is going to open up 55 more beds, which I know $75 million for 55 beds doesn't sound like a great investment, but it is really significant. and that is going to help move folks along the system. So, um that's where things landed on the uh 48 hour rule and does not meet criteria space. Um another issue that we were working on in the human services space was uh in the child protection and justice involved youth area. There was a county coalition bill that was all of the metro counties and Mstead County working together on four initiatives related to waiverss related to finding placements for for youth. Um and it had a lot of really good conversations at the end of the day that did not move forward um because of the financial costs. Um there was a lot of support for it. It was a really positive conversation, but it's it's very expensive to build up these facilities. Um and so that's something that is going to continue to be a conversation in the coming years. Um men choices, that was another priority for Carver County. there was a change this year to allow for verbal attestation if there hasn't been any changes made in um or if there isn't um any changes over the year um rather than having to do an assessment. Um unfortunately though with that change they also change the reimbursement structure for min choices to a flat reimbursement rate. So that is more expensive for the counties. So you get a little something here but you get something over there. Um, last thing in the child protection space, um, two two things worth noting. Uh, Minnesota African-American Family Preservation Act. I know that there are a lot of counties that as we're preparing for implementation of that, there are some concerns about what the cost is going to be um, of those investments that are going to be required of counties further down the line to help try to keep families together and give them the resources to stay together. Um, so the individuals who brought forward that bill and passed the bill over the last couple of years, uh, Senator Champion and Representative Agaj actually introduced a bill to recognize we understand that there's going to be a need for additional funding and, um, if we're going to have this program move forward and move forward well, we're going to need to bring money forward. Unfortunately, that bill was introduced pretty late, but it is still at play for next session. So, there may be an opportunity prior to full implementation of the Minnesota African-American Family Preservation Act, it's a bit of a mouthful, to uh to be able to get some additional funding to counties to make sure that that program once launched goes well. Um, one positive note in that in that space is the SSIS program, which um, I know folks are familiar with, which really helps um, our social service workers and case workers to be able to easily pull up data and has been a bit of a dinosaur over the past couple of years. There was $35 million put forward to modernize that program to help social service workers to get the resources needed and to be able to understand the full case that is in front of them. Um, I know that's a lot between Tony and I, but um, happy to take any questions if any of the commissioners have any questions. Um, it was a very unique session as you know. Well, seeing no questions, anybody got a question? It is a mouthful. I'm happy to go. Thanks for being here. Uh, I think we get good value from from both of you, right? Tony, your time at the legislature, you bring a different perspective. So, I think we're getting good value. Um, Tom and I have had the chance to serve on the legislative priorities committee. So, we have more knowledge of of your participation and activity there and respect from both sides of the aisle at the capital in a really hard time. I know that our time is spent um partially on defensive measures. Seems like there's a lot of defense being played this year. Um I'm guess I'm more interested on the offensive side as we look forward to next year and next session and not just next session but the next handful of sessions because I know at the state and the federal level um the the impacts aren't contained nicely within one year um budget for for example and so some of my questions are along those lines. The first one is is I know that um we have contested elections in um Carver County are anticipating that very close margins and then our partners in Scott County as well. I think the two tightest races were in Scott and Carver County. And it's not lost on me how tight it is, and it might flip one way or the other in the next 18 to 36 months. Are there things that we should be thinking about or hearing as a board that you guys hear in the halls of the capital that we can work on in a bipartisan way versus, you know, beating each other up? And I know sometimes it's hard because, you know, you come from a p a political persuasion, but you've done a good job of staying neutral. Where are the areas where we can actually make strides at the capital from your perspective as a lobbyist? that's spending time with our peers across multiple counties. Yeah, I'm happy to I'm happy to start and then can certainly toss it to Tony. Um I think the reality is in in our current legislative makeup, which Tony talked about, you know, contingent contingent contingent, there's opportunities for a couple different special elections here. In order to be successful with anything, we have to be bipartisan. And so we spent a lot of time over the past year on some some difficult issues. you know, these human services issues that that I touched on right towards the end, they're difficult, but they're things that for counties, whether if you're in Rock County or Carver County or Ramsey County, they're a big deal. And so, we spent time talking to bipartisan members. I think from the county perspective, you can expect that as the state continues to look at a deficit in the coming years, there's going to be a lot of opportunities to come forward. And I was talking to Heather before we started. if if you if we have ideas on how to fix some of these things and where cuts might make sense and you know we they they need to hear that and they're asking to hear that and I know that there are some work groups that are starting up um in different spaces where there are going to be opportunities for Carver County to be front and center and to say hey we think that you should do X or we think you should do Y because they the state's looking to solutions um and the human service I've just got my human services hat on right now at the end a session when they had that workg group and they rolled out here's our final bill. Best of luck. Um the thing that they kept saying is counties, we're helping you out now, but we need your help in the future. And so they put together that working group to try to figure out a way to cut costs in the future. And they're saying we don't know the solutions and the counties are on the front line. And so we're really going to have that opportunity to be thoughtful and collaborative and to come forward to the legislature with a solution. and whatever we come forward with, if we'd like it to pass, we're going to need Democrats and Republicans to raise their hand and say, "I support this." I don't know, Tony, if you have more specifics. Uh, and I think, you know, Courtney really uh was spot on in terms of assessment. And I'm going to I'm going to pull back a little bit to the 40,000 foot mark and just give you kind of a the to your point, Commissioner, uh the overarching theme that I think is, you know, the state is is really looking for um the confidence in their election system and and and and that being said, there's a lot of uh you know, misinformation out there in terms of the accuracy and what went on, that type of thing. But putting that aside, I think what you know um what this state is looking for in future elections is uh authenticity. Authenticity from uh their their candidates. We are so bipolar right now or excuse me we are so polarized right now. Some of us are bipolar might be bipolar. We could be bipolar. Um but the polarization of both the parties and then I heard some uh current candidates yesterday talk about uh waxing um quite quite well I thought in terms of that people are looking for transparency and authenticity uh in the election results but also in their candidates that that come forward. Uh I think that uh the circumstances particularly as I'm familiar with in Scott County uh with the election results from uh 54A down there uh certainly there were some errors made. I think that the the the correction on those certainly uh makes for a better outcome in future but time will tell. Uh but I do think that uh in in what Courtney was talking about, we are in unlike any other territory in terms of a very very evenly split electorate and a very very uh evenly split uh con legislature and it's not going away anytime soon. And so uh these members are going to have to figure out how to be and take risks quite honestly in terms of to uh find uh uh common ground on some really really large issues. Um we face uh a declining uh uh capability in our health system. We find a declining ability for our education system to support a robust uh you know outcome for our students. We talk about a transportation system on a regular basis in terms of the services not only for you know road miles traveled with you being able to drive but also for those that are you know shutins and and looking for mass transit and transit opportunities to get around. Um there are some really really large issues that I think uh membership in to your point uh commissioner in subsequent biania are needing to uh find the courage to reach across the aisle. I know that's you know a bit uh you know old old in terms of trite but really to find some uh better solutions for some really large issues and it's complicated based upon what just happened on July 4th with the big beautiful bill which is now the big beautiful law and how that impacts counties how that impacts cities so I think we've u we've got a lot of work to do and your advocacy as commissioner groups uh whether it be AMC and others or an individ iduals meeting with your legislators is imperative to get that message across and educate them and really empower them to do um to for us all to do better. Good. Um couple more points and I want to pile on that one because I don't know we put a value amount in the first thing that you updated us on is the effectiveness. Commissioner Workman was one of the leads of that when it came to I think it's 5 to67 million relief on our budget from what the initial walls bill was to be had and shift to the county at least for this year. That doesn't mean it's not going to come back. Um but that's important. I think the one thing that we talked about regular Ednauseium was more beds and so on a per bed basis that's expensive but in noa county took that on and and I think um uh lawmaker in Scott County helped lead the charge for the funding and and to get that done and an NOA is a great place for it. It's a lot different than having people go to other states and not be close to friends and family when they're going through some challenges. other hot topics that have seemed to taken on um more of a bipartisan characteristic, maybe not the funding mechanisms, but the spirit of it is is housing and mental health. And so mental health doesn't go away, but if we pick our shots, if you will, we can move upstream and do more things. I think beds is is part of that calculus. Um and also the investment to be had as it relates to housing. I know that this has been a football and it's not going away. Um, I know that there's bills that were even our local lawmakers authored or signed on and then backed off on and it's it's a hot topic. When I have conversations and and I was out of state having conversations too in state, it seems to be a hot topic that nestles down at least for people that I talk to in Carver County. How do we deliver a $300,000 affordable product with with minimal or no subsidy? And I think there's a path to do that. I think even at a county level, there's a path to do that by zoning, by loosening different things, by looking at having a substitive conversation. Is there a way for us to be in the room having conversations with the lawmakers that can make that happen or is the sausage being made and it's it's all political versus like let's get to a pragmatic solution? We've passed it along too long. That's that that is the the the answer to that one, you know, is is um in the ether so to say. But I will say uh commissioner that um after two years of of really uh trying to come to some type of and I wouldn't say compromise but reconciliation of differences around uh removal of local control and handing it over or relegating it to state agencies or state uh regulations. I think that the the advocates on all side are starting to really realize in a true sense that over the interim and we are working on this uh that u the components of a better housing strategy are there. It's just a matter of u both sides you know meeting closer in the middle. um for the first time I think they recognize that uh everyone needs to work um on it sooner rather than just after the first of the year and we can't work on it in vacuums aside from ourselves and we can't be the uh you know if you're if you're the commissions if you're the counties or the the municipal municipalities uh you can't always say no there are things to your point uh that I think cities and counties particularly cities uh are would be happy to embrace, but there are still some issues that just don't make sense based upon the practicality of what they're asking a city to do. uh but yet that's where the uh uh education and the mentorship if you will of these uh members both in the House and Senate to appreciate the perspective that a city comes from in terms of zoning in terms of the planning in in terms of the responsibility and obligations to a long range plan that that the Met Council is working on. And so there are a number of of factors that come into this. Do I think it's going to be an a oneanddone? No, these are coalitions that will u continually work towards a betterment uh of this over years to come. Uh and but there are some foundational elements I think that were at least relationships that were established over the last two years that we can build upon. Um and I'll come back to the earliest point advocacy on the part of uh cities uh individually members or uh as groups with their elected membership uh to the legislature is imperative uh to have them not change their mind but just appreciate what is at stake in terms of local planning and control which is at the heart of making sure that cities are viable and and thriving in in the years to come. Two last things. Um, and they're more comments than anything else. As we look at next year, what our priorities will be, will we reaffirm the ones we already have? Will we adjust? Will we add and subtract? Um, but it came up in workforce commissioner Anderson, myself, and director Goodwin were together and the question popped up is what are we willing to subsidize to deliver services for our county? And we're proud that we have elevated levels of service here, but these become really difficult decisions as we're talking about budget this year, next year, the year after, and the year after that. And so in that regard, the DMV is something that the state doesn't require us to do, but we heavily subsidize it. When I came in, I think we were at a break even proposition years. Previously, we were making money. This year, it looks like a significant loss, and that's not even including capital expenditures. So, I offer that as we're talking about the shifts. This is one of those shifts. Um, even with the change of the funding, and I see you nodding, so you get it. Um, and it's a popular service, no doubt about it. We serve about 75 70% of the people that come through our DMVs are not residents of Carver County. So, we're double subsidizing this. And so, those are hard conversations for sure when they're beloved service, but it's another shift that the government makes. And they even updated our reimbursements that haven't kept kept pace with the costs that we have associated. And the last one when it comes to, you know, I said when I started is offensively, um, it's concerning, but there's also relief to be had when we talk about 2050 comp planning. Um, I was with Met Council about a month ago and I said if we had added 3,500 households to the eastern part of the county, would that tip us over from a sewer capacity standpoint? And the answer was yes or close there, too. This is this is a thing. It's not just one community that's just announced they're going to build 200 houses. It's seven areas throughout the county that I think that there's an opportunity, Tony, to lean on your expertise, yours as well at the capital to say, how can we instead of onesie twoosie and wait 15 years for for for money to be had there. How can we use a 2050 count planning to to talk about these real issues, especially in a growth county? We're the fastest growing county in the state, but some of those pinch points are real that we can do something about in the short term. So, thanks for being here again. I think we're getting great value out of you guys. Appreciate your comments, Commissioner. All right, Commissioner Anderson. So, thank you um uh for being here and thank you for for all the work that you're doing. I um I I kind of want to go I want to look forward to next year. And I think uh one of the things I've learned in in my now six months on the board is the importance of um our relationships with our legislators and and this is a was a good time for me to join the board as as the um everybody's really fond of shifting costs onto the county. So I'm I'm enjoying that. Um, I thought non-funded mandates just existed in the schoolboard world. Now I know they're everywhere. Um, can you give us a to-do list on how we as elected officials can spend our time um before the next session to kind of try and um educate ourselves, educate our community, build relationships with uh legislators? What would you recommend? You know, I I I I will draw from experience in terms of when I was in the legislature and I think some of the most meaningful conversations I had uh were quite literally and I know it's clichéish to say, but you know, sitting down over a cup of coffee and and really have some vague idea in terms of an agenda, but find out quite honestly what they're going to be working on. That speaks to what Commissioner Udman uh was relevant to in terms of are we going to be defense or how can we play offense. Uh but to your point of the relationships are imperative. Absolutely. And and I know that you know there may be differences upon uh amongst anyone in terms of how to get to the end goal. Um but you know laying that aside you know we we are um an elected representative uh state uh whether you agree with with anyone on housing or transportation uh making them known. So the relationships themselves I would also say you know AMC and some of the other associations uh provide forums uh that you know you already attend. I think that's another good venue uh to to engage uh with not only your elected representatives to the legislature but also to uh the point that Commissioner Udman uh made about the Met Council in terms of their impact uh in terms of inflow outflow uh infrastructure what have you. There are a number of transportation uh uh subgroups sub uh whether that be uh through mass transit which is also the M council but I also say healthcare as we've talked about and and Heather is intimately involved. There are a number of task forces that are going to be coming online in the next uh several weeks. Uh engage with them as well and we can provide those uh opportunities to you uh to let you know when they're coming up. But these these topics are not going away and and and they are going to be impacting you to your point about unfunded mandates. Uh it's much easier for a legislator to decide something on behalf of others if they don't have a personal uh relationship with that person or the leadership of that entity. Um and know that there's going to be a call or an interaction with them in terms of help me understand what's going on here. And so I would say, you know, the planning going into 2026, uh, is going to be really incumbent upon engaging with current electeds, uh, current Met Council, current healthc care initiatives, uh, education, uh, you have a very robust educational system in Carver County, align with them as well and and say, how can we partner between the city uh, county and the educational uh, school boards to say what's what's top of mind for us and how do we you know engage with the principal association with the schoolboard association with you know the education uh establishment the the the agencies themselves and and and and and be front-facing about it and and find out what are you thinking about how does it impact us and then provide them with articulation in terms of how it would impact you but also here are some uh better solutions or some solutions that we've come to the table with. And I think often times it's not just about saying no and hearing them. It's what can we provide to you in support of solutions that would work better for our cities. And then maybe Courtney has some observations as well. Yes. Just the only thing that I would add to that is it's much better to make the relationships with folks and to talk to them prior to the session. I know that you have a fabulous legislative breakfast towards the end of the year. Don't wait until then to engage with them. If there's I I know you all know your delegation members, but if there's a member that you don't know as well um that you want to connect with, we're a resource to you. And so we're super happy to, you know, I can call up Lucy room and say, "Let's go grab let's go grab coffee and I'll bring Commissioner Anderson and we'll talk about we'll just connect talk about life, connect on like our summers, you know, make that relationship ahead of time. Um, and make any asks you can sooner rather than later so there's more time to build a coalition, bring people together, and move your move your priorities forward. But do not hesitate to call us, email us. you know, we're happy to help facilitate any any meetings or conversations that you need. So, I'm sure that's enough for you. Well, no, that that helps. Um, one thing that that you mentioned was um kind of combining with school districts. So, I I was a former executive board member of AMSD and and also on MSBA boards, both both of which, you know, do some lobbying. um has um AMC, MCIT or um any of our um cover our county statewide lobbying efforts ever combined with um school districts. So, for example, um health um school-based mental health services is a discretionary fund. I would argue um that that's very much an upstream activity. Um you know, for the the money we put into mental health services helps us upstream and and for every dollar we spend upstream, we save $10 downstream. So, has there been opportunities to um lobby arm in arm with some of those other organizations? Um has that happened? I know that uh this the school district b or the schools uh public school lobbying efforts have combined on certain areas. Um but just wondering if that's an opportunity for us there there are certainly opportunities to to work with those groups. I know that AMC in the past and MAXA in the past have partnered with their, you know, their local, you know, education Minnesota and AMSD and um the school boards association. And if that is something that in the future Carver County wants to be a part of those conversations, like super happy to help connect, those are those are folks that we work with. Then we could also maybe at some point in this in this interim time and this time that we have to get together with folks and to build those coalitions and to build additional relationships. That may be something we want to consider doing is setting up a meeting with MAXA or you know the social services association or AMC just to say you know here are some of the things that we're interested in. Are you working on those? Is there an opportunity for us to support it or for us to be a county that's leading on an issue? You know that's certainly something that we could do. Yeah, I would be um you know happy you know as a former board member for um many of those organizations, I still have strong relationships in those areas. So would be happy to set up conversations with MSBA or AMSD um with with ours because I think I I think that there's uh a lot of um shared interests in in that area. Uh, I also wanted to see um and and you're right, Heather Goodwin is phenomenal in general and not just because she's in the room um but she's also started me on better understanding um some of the legislation that's coming down the road that could have a potential 4 to7 million impact to Carver County residents. Um, so as far as what's happening with with some of those bills, if you could share some of those task force key members to um on those to develop relationships with that, that would be helpful. Absolutely. Be happy to do that. Um, some of those work groups are still getting formed, but as as those come together, certainly happy to to share that information with you to help connect um if there are members you're interested in connecting with and if there's opportunities and openings can watch for those as well. All right. Thank you. so much. Are not my enemies enemies, my friends? Yes. Yes. Thank you, JP. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And yeah, thank you for all your help and your input and you know, the influence and all the lobbyist work is just so beneficial for us. and you had talked about our topics, our priorities and how can we continue to be reactive and adaptive and definitely by using our staff. We have Lynden and all the great work that he's done and then Heather has continued to do phenomenal work. Just a a couple of comments. Can you talk briefly about the open meeting law changes that took place uh just for the group and then the help that we'll need with our priorities setting for 26 if uh I know Commissioner Udman talked about that and as we prepare for 26 and we put our legislative priorities together. [Music] Let me let me just address uh I'm I'm I'm not uh fully versed into the open ch changes the open meeting law. Uh but we will definitely provide that to you um in a follow on. Uh I I do think um as Mr. Heamy has expressed and you're collecting those priorities uh from your departments right now. I do think as Courtney shared um earlier rather than later in terms of preparation and and also uh conveying those to your elected representation in St. Paul uh but also to uh Commissioner Anderson's perspective, sharing those with uh the school boards, sharing those with uh the other groups met council and saying this is where we're going. um so that there are no surprises but also they say you know there may be some you know harmony that you can play uh with your own uh uh priorities but sooner rather than later u on your priorities I think um the the breadth of your priorities uh is important in terms of what your primary objectives are and when those that you can support. there are a lot of other groups that are also carrying that water and we if you provide those to us as soon we can identify where those priorities align with other groups and we can find some synergies and coalitions that we can help build on your behalf as well. So that would be beneficial in terms of moving your priorities forward and one of those Tony's um is district 10 which Carver County is part of that AMC group and I know Lyndon's been pulled into this. were starting to have meetings already about the transportation piece to get ready for that special session. So there again, we talked at that board about going on the offensive. And if I recall the numbers right, if it's at 17% now that the counties are getting, do we go ahead and raise that number to 25% or 35% push back on the state to give counties more? That was just one of the tactics that we talked about from the offensive. I know that that allocation model is is is a difficult one in terms of having conversations around particularly with regard to the other stakeholders to that that party. This second year of the bianium is the the policy side of the year. So it is a non-budgetary. Um there could be the possibility for a supplemental budget based upon the revenues that we see coming in on a monthly basis. Um but those comments and that conversation will continue to be had uh for the sake of what counties believe is u a fairer share or a more equitable share u between all parties. Um we're engaged in that um and we're certainly happy to bring those comments that you shared to them as well. Well, and to that um transportation issue, which was a remarkable uh uh scheme to pull back $93 million, I think it was 93 at the 17%. Um, I guess the news this week or weekend that uh the feds are pulling back or taking a much harder look at the transit funding for Northern Express, which I think the legislature kind of used bunch of that anyway, and the Blue Line and other things. Um, so it might be a good year to go on the offensive since maybe the Met Council won't need so much money. I But if I know them and some of the communities along these light rail quarters, they they would gladly raise a Henipin County tax even higher to pay for it on their own or or whatever else. Uh but um that was a that was a legislator legislator not too far away from here down in Scott County who um remarkably wanted to use that money for the mech council. And u so um I think we have an AMC I have an AMC transportation meeting coming up right away in early August um where they're going to be talking about all that. So, um, anybody else got a got a question? Um, I I did I did want to say one thing. Um, Lyndon, you're phenomenal, too. And thank you so much for all the work you do at the legislature. What about Freshman? He's the only one. Freshman's phenomenal. Law enforcement, he's even better. Good. There's always Colin's wonderful. Arc, you're great. We uh we talk we talk very well and highly of all of you good folks when you're not in the room. So um but I do want to thank you guys, Courtney and Tony. Um um it really was a remarkable um certainly the Hortman uh situation. I saved the front page of the newspaper. Um I think it was the one big word. um now I don't even remember the word but unfathomable or um and uh but we do uh for the taxpayers keeping track at home. We do have some headwinds and rough waves ahead which is why we talk about lobbying and relationships and how we gonna do this. Um, you know, I I think mostly we could all say, "Hey, there there isn't a real bad idea out there. Um, they passed many of them in 2023, but you have to have money to do these things. And if you're not going to have the money for it, which we found out they didn't, and you do attempt to try to transfer those rather large costs to the taxpayers of Carver County and every other county, uh then then then I just explained why we have lobbyists that work on the board and our taxpayers behalf to make sure that these schemes and good ideas are properly paid for uh as they forward think about how they're going to accomplish everything from housing and transportation and human services. So, um I know it wasn't that long ago. We haven't had um much lobbying as of not that long ago. And I remember prior boards wondered why why the gosh darn do we have to have pay for a lobbyist because it wasn't explainable. And um my answer was well we we can just not have everybody else can have a lobbyist but maybe we shouldn't. It's the way the game is played unfortunately. Um I think uh Paul Hos is having a 50% off sale next year. Excellent. Glad to hear it. But I'm I'm not familiar with that. Uh but uh but I I always feel like a little bit like and I am a lobbyist and so I do sometimes feel like I have to kind of explain uh the way things are and uh they they've gotten not better. Um uh you would the the old uh the old idea that very closely won elections and really tight uh or not at all tight majorities uh bred a little bit of caution in the legislator and the legislators and that hasn't been what it is. It's grab and go now because by golly we may never be in the majority again. And so Katie bar the door. It's just sort of an odd um season. Um bunch of seasons on on uh uh you know the gentleman I spoke about the legislator down and did he win by 14? Was it officially votes? That is correct. You know, normally a person like that would have, you know, have a little bit of caution, keep your head down, something, you know, politic, it's politics, you know. Nope. Uh, it's it's go for the gold. And, uh, I think our lobbyists said, you know, they they had a bunch of trophies from 2023 and and great reluctance to take them off the shelf and maybe uh break them. But um but at the end of the day, this board uh I know uh unanimously supports a good value and low property taxes and a quality of life. And so somewhere in there um we need the legislature to pay attention uh to us and our taxpayers. So we appreciate everything you do. I could have asked you guys questions all day. How much pot can I have? Two pounds. Two pounds. Not Not high enough. So I can save you. Oh no. If I could, Mr. Chairman, the count Minnesota County's Attorneys Association hires Paul Hos as well. We work with Nancy Hos very closely. I think they our director uh Judge Small. He spends all his time down at the capital. And so what we do a lot of is it's a lot of education with our legislators about unintended consequences, about how things operate, how they work. And so we meet every month for for a board. We don't meet during the summer, but we're really busy and we have a lot of committee work that we talk about laws and and really it's the relationships as you mentioned. And it's it's it's a lot of sharing what we do that sometimes is not understood. And that's not a criticism because I wouldn't expect that they know the intricacies, but some of their decisions can have a profound effect upon what we do on a day-to-day basis in the public safety. And so that's what we guard. We we try to enhance our public safety at the county attorneys association, work with them to come up with some compromises. Candidly, the county attorneys association had a lot more influence and I think respect from the legislature in the past. our voice is not as strong and we've been ignored sometimes and that's frustrating for us at least talk to us and try to help us uh help you as well. So we continue to work with that but their firm does a great job and Nancy Hos does a great job with us and works really hard at that. And then another comment is I think what Commissioner Fay was referencing the open meeting law uh Tony was the the changes for allowing public officials to participate in meetings remotely from any location. And so we've utilized that already. I think that's been really beneficial to allow full participation because other board members, you know, they have and I think that's the only thing. So, um, and we went through that process with administrator Hemsy and with the commissioners and and so they don't have to notify the public of their location. I think that's also a good change because that could be a target. Yes. For elected officials and I would imagine maybe that's something that was built into that. Well, and I think just to maybe augment that com comment, uh if you look at the website at the secretary of state's office or on the legislative uh Minnesota legislaturator's website, uh immediately after the events of June 14th, the all addresses for all elected officials were taken down uh to protect and also for uh the elections going forward, Secretary of State, I'm sure, is working on uh making sure the integrity of the election system is is still in place, but to protect uh the privacy as well as the wellbeing of those that are uh willing to step up and uh act in that capacity. So the outcomes of June 14th to your very point uh are really going to be front and center in terms of how do you provide that privacy but also the transparency, excuse me, and the availability to candidates as well as the electeds. And I would add that for the people that are watching as well that there still is transparency with this change in the law to allow our commissioners to participate remotely. So there are checks and balances to ensure we have a roll call vote for example, everybody has to be heard, seen, things like that and and you have to announce that some members may be participating remotely. So I know this board has always wanted to be transparent as well, but this has been a really I think a good change about the open meeting law because you'll recall during COVID how many times could you do it? Maybe three, you know, three times they had limitations per year. Now it's it's more open so it allows everybody to participate. So thanks for allowing me to make a few comments Mr. Chairman. You bet. Mr. Hemsey, if I could, Mr. Mr. Chair, board members, thank you uh both to Tony, your team. You got a great team. You look at this as a sporting analogy. We've talked a little bit about playing defense. That was the name of the game, right? It almost feels like we were protecting what was already existing. Uh in particular with transportation, for example. I looked at that as a raid on what we had a change in a formula and coming in from various angles the Met Council and others which was very pretty disturbing quite frankly how it came in very very very non-transparent right but good job thank you for for playing that but but I think you know the sobering reality if we look at the long-term let's call it a scorecard keeping on that same analogy so we look at not only 26 but to 27 and 28 eight. I think we're in trouble uh if we don't change this game because I'm looking at the score sheet here. Heather put put this together. You've seen it. $5.6 million added to our base in 27. $5.6 million. That's that's 7.5% on our levy. That's a fundamental to me that's a fundamental shift in any any time in the history that I I can remember that that I can look out that far and say right now what's in current law. We're not going to blame this all on on uh Courtney and Tony because half not half of this but maybe a third of this is federal right with SNAP the SNAP uh benefit changes and how we have to take care of that in particular. But I've never seen that before. Tony, you probably haven't. None of us, Tom, that have been here long term. I've never been able to say in current law, we see a seven and a half% shift to our base tax. So, so I think as we talk about strategy 100%, we need relationships, but I think our I think our legislators get this and they're trying. So, I'm hoping the composition of the legislature quite frankly changes a little bit because these these shifts have now become reality. the African-American Family Act alone, that's over $3 million. One one piece, right? So, sorry to sober everybody up here. It's good to celebrate, right? But I think I think we got some real work to do. And uh we I I think we really need to strategize. And uh part of the reason I'm talking about this, we got to send this message out. Th this to me is not it's not the way the property six system was built to function. sort of from a philosophical basis. It wasn't meant to to take a benefit like SNAP and actually actually pay for that benefit that we've never done that before, Heather. Right. Uh you know, we're administer we administrate, but now we're paying for these things. That that to me is fundamentally flawed. That comes out of the federal government, right? but some similar tones with the uh with the state and uh I think across the state there's going to be some rebelling because of that and because people people understand their property taxes right they get them in the mail and they know where where these folks sit. So, so again, uh, sobering reality, you know, we I I think we can look at, you know, this long term and, uh, I think we have to plan long term more so than we ever have and, you know, continue. It's not only defense, it's kind of like, well, you changes now, you got to undo it, right? Uh, this is not going to work without these dramatic shifts. So, uh, so stay tuned, Tony. Thank you. U I think we should get the legislative committee together a little quicker sooner rather than later talk about this and do some reaching out but but again thanks you know again back to the let's celebrate a little bit thank you I think what was the transportation shift that was uh multiple millions would been lost by us right so thank you Mr. chair for the opportunity. Thank you. Any final words from anybody? If not, I am going to adjourn this meeting. Thank you. Thank you. Let me get a team photo with everybody.