Hennepin County — Transcript
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Henipin County Board Leadership Elections and Organizational Structure
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Ordinance Amendments
Enhanced 2026 Budget Monitoring and Transparency
Henipin County Regional Railroad Authority Leadership and Structure
Votes (10)
Election of Chair, Henipin County Board of Commissioners
Dissent: None
Moved by Angela Connley [Approximate] · Seconded by Heather Edelen [Approximate]
The item involved nominations for the board chair. Irene Fernando was nominated and re-elected for her fourth consecutive year, expressing gratitude and commitment to serving the community through collaboration and equitable solutions, especially given the challenges local governments face.
Election of Vice Chair, Henipin County Board of Commissioners
Dissent: None
Moved by Kevin Anderson [Approximate] · Seconded by Jeff Lundy [Approximate]
Following the chair election, nominations were taken for vice chair. Commissioner Debbie Goautell was nominated and elected, expressing thanks to Chair Fernando and her colleagues for their partnership and support, acknowledging the difficult years ahead.
Approval of 2026 Henipin County Board Organizational Structure
Dissent: None
Moved by Heather Edelen [Approximate] · Seconded by Jeff Lundy [Approximate]
The board considered and approved its comprehensive organizational structure for 2026, which notably separates actions related to the county board from those of the hospital board. No further detailed discussion was recorded before the vote.
Establish Public Hearing for Comment on Staffing Requirement Section 5 Subsection 1 of Ordinance 9 Emergency Medical Services (14E)
Dissent: None
Moved by Debbie Goautell [Approximate] · Seconded by Heather Edelen [Approximate]
Kristen Melstrom from Public Health explained the necessity of immediately approving a public hearing for proposed changes to Ordinance 9's staffing requirements. Commissioner Connley inquired about communicating the public hearing details to affected EMS providers, to which Melstrom confirmed county communications channels and direct messaging to partners would be utilized.
Direct Periodical Updates Related to 2026 Budget during Henipin County Committee Meetings (14F)
Dissent: None
Moved by Irene Fernando/Chair, District 2 Commissioner [Approximate] · Seconded by Debbie Goautell/Vice Chair, District 5 Commissioner [Approximate]
Chair Fernando introduced a resolution for regular budget updates, aiming for greater transparency and proactive policy discussions with residents. Commissioners Goautell, Green, Connley, Lundy, Edelen, and Anderson expressed strong support, highlighting federal and state fiscal uncertainties, the need for early identification of potential cuts, and challenges to consider controversial solutions like consolidation or re-evaluating non-mandated spending to avoid property tax increases.
Election of Chair, Henipin County Regional Rail Road Authority
Dissent: None
Moved by Kevin Anderson [Approximate] · Seconded by Heather Edelen [Approximate]
Commissioner Marian Green was nominated and elected as Chair of the Henipin County Regional Rail Road Authority. She highlighted significant progress in 2025, including Green Line rail car testing and advances in the Blue Line Extension project with the FTA.
Election of Vice Chair, Henipin County Regional Rail Road Authority
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown Commissioner [Approximate] · Seconded by Unknown Commissioner [Approximate]
Commissioner Jeff Lundy was nominated and elected as Vice Chair of the Railroad Authority. He expressed optimism for the coming year, specifically identifying it as a crucial period for the Blue Line project, reaching a 'decision point'.
Election of Secretary and Treasurer, Henipin County Regional Rail Road Authority
Dissent: None
Moved by Marian Green/District 3 Commissioner [Approximate] · Seconded by Unknown Commissioner [Approximate]
Commissioner Heather Edelen was nominated by Chair Green and elected as Secretary and Treasurer for the Railroad Authority. No further discussion was noted.
Election of Intergovernmental Relations Lead, Henipin County Regional Rail Road Authority
Dissent: None
Moved by Kevin Anderson [Approximate] · Seconded by Unknown Commissioner [Approximate]
Commissioner Marian Green was nominated by Commissioner Anderson and elected as the Intergovernmental Relations Lead for the Railroad Authority. No significant discussion was recorded.
Approval of 2026 Henipin County Regional Railroad Authority Board of Commissioners Organizational Structure and Committee Appointments
Dissent: None
Moved by Marian Green/District 3 Commissioner [Approximate] · Seconded by Debbie Goautell/Vice Chair, District 5 Commissioner [Approximate]
The Railroad Authority considered and approved its 2026 organizational structure and committee appointments. The Chair noted that the document largely mirrored the previous year's structure, with one committee having disbanded. Commissioner Connley confirmed the inclusion of the Midtown Corridor Bridges working group.
Notable Quotes (10)
I'm humbled and honored at the opportunity to serve in this role for another year. And I'm grateful for the continued partnership, trust, and most importantly, the collaboration and feedback. Together, we've delivered results by uplifting shared humanity and implementing imaginative solutions in the face of truly unprecedented times.
I really appreciate the partnership that I have with each one of you and the work that you have done to help support some of the things that I'd like to see move forward. and I look forward to helping support you as you want to move different things forward too through the coming years. We do have some hard years hard times coming in the next years here and we're all going to have to work together and be a cohesive team and a front together and I look forward to working with you.
this bar was extended. There was an extension last de last last fall to extend the decision on this ordinance to March 31st. And as we looked at the meeting schedule, we realized that um in order to meet the deadlines with a 10-day notice, we would need to get an immediate approval for a public hearing today so that this could be heard at the February 5th committee meeting and then go through one more bar cycle for your decision on the final ordinance 9 staffing section.
how will we message out that the public hearing is happening especially for like our EMS providers who are directly imp who would be impacted by this change.
um that during the actual committee meeting, so not waiting until the end of the year, not waiting for a memo or needing to kind of ask one-on-one that we recorded and then the public can attend. Um there's public comment on committee dates and so we know that there is a lot of change coming and we will need to be teeing up different kind of policy decision-m for this body.
Right now, what we know is between the federal government and we know that the state has a deficit, too. There will be cuts and things and they're moving targets... And so having those kinds of things and letting folks know is really important.
I do intend to bring forwards things that are going to be controversial, but at the end of this rainbow is more property tax increases. So, we know what that's like. Um, we know that everyone's getting pinched. Uh, we know that everyone's got a deficit and so that I think that just being upfront with that and challenging when we go to town halls and groups and challenging them to say some things are going to have to go. You cannot continue to fund things without more money.
I'm planning on bringing forward something to ask for regular updates on um like any spending that we're asked to provide. What is the like where is the legislative mandate that goes along with it or where is the financial um like what's the financial benefit to the organization behind it?
We had big milestones on the green line in our partnership with the Met Council. Uh that line is now testing rail uh rail cars on the tracks. Uh and the blue line extension moves forward a pace with um some good milestones met with the regional FTA.
Um, I'll just say this is the year of the blue line. This is the year we get to decision point. So, um, I'm looking forward. This is going to be a good year.
Ordinances & Resolutions (7)
Emergency medical services ordinance.
Specific section regarding staffing requirements for emergency medical services.
Board Action Request for immediate approval of a public hearing related to Ordinance 9.
Resolution to direct periodical updates related to the 2026 budget during committee meetings.
Document outlining the 2026 Henipin County Regional Railroad Authority Board of Commissioners organizational structure and committee appointments.
Regional rail project undergoing rail car testing.
Regional rail project making progress with the regional FTA.