roll the tape. Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the administration operation and budget committee of Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Before I start the agenda, I just want to mention what everybody knows about the occupation of our of our state of ICE agents right now. And it has not gone unnoticed among many of us who have lost a lot of sleep and been taking phone calls and making meetings throughout weekends, evenings, and through the day. This occupies a biggest part of our time right now. It's affecting us. It's affecting all of our community and I just want to let everyone know that we are thinking of them. We are working on it. We are trying to do the best that we can right now. We are trying to keep our community safe. Now, on this agenda later today in the administration's agenda, item 4E will talk about a bar that is being brought forward from colleagues up here and give us another opportunity to express ourselves even further. And I just wanted to let everybody know that this would be a time if people wanted to stick around and to listen to the comments that are going to come from the county board directly. Um, with that, I'm going to start with um the uh item number one, which is the uh budget update. Our the first item on our agenda from the county administration. Last week, the board requested periodic budget updates during the administration, operations, and budget committee. Today is the first in a series with future presentations scheduled for the spring and summer. So, periodically, these will come up. These are all to provide more transparent information to board and the public and the county's finances. The board calendar has the administrator's proposed budget presentation on September 22nd and a series of public meetings which will be held in the fall on the details of the proposed 2027 budget. I'd like to turn things over to administrator Wetland to get us started. Welcome. >> Thank you, Chair Gotel. Commissioners, there is a substantial budget challenges as you're aware that are facing both in 2026 and into 2027. As we're just 13 days into 2026 budget this year, this presentation will include a high-level overview of the 2026 budget, the current federal impacts, and the budget management strategies currently in place. The goal of these presentations is to provide transparency and information to you and to our residents regarding the tracking and monitoring of the county's financial health throughout this year. We remain steadfast in our commitment of service to residents as we ensure that the county acts with stewardship, good stewardship of public resources. I'm asking Joe Matthews, our chief financial officer, who will provide the budget update. Thank you, Mr. Matthews. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, Administrator Wetland. I'm Joe Matthews. I'm the county's chief financial officer. And, uh, as said last week, uh, we were asked to provide an update. And so, today, we're only 13 days into the fiscal year. And so, we're going to do some level setting and then set the stage for what we'll be doing throughout the rest of the year. We can jump to the next slide. What we have here is a representation of our budget for two 2026. We have a $3.15 billion budget. I want to draw particular attention to to two pieces of this pie chart. First of all, our property tax levy you can see is the dark blue. That's about a third of our budget. But in the lower left corner, there's a red, gray, and yellow slice of the pie. That is our state, our federal, and then our federal and state patient care funding. Those are areas that are currently uh have a lot of uncertainty around them and they're a critical component of our budget. Those three pieces combined are larger than our property tax levy when it comes to funding our operations. Go ahead and jump to the next one, please. Our adopted budget, uh this just shows by line of business where all of that funding is utilized. You can see that uh the two largest components are human services and health. Health is largely comprised of Henipin Health which is our insurance company, our Medicaid arm uh delivering Medicaid services to our residents. Human services includes everything from child care, uh child age uh services, adult services, long-term services, social services. So, it's a broad span. The rest of the lines of business, I think, are largely self-explanatory. and more information of that will be available as our budget book is published or if you look on our budget website you can see all the information from last year's budget process is available. Go ahead and go to the next one please. There's three items that we really want to identify as uh stress or challenges for us in the 2026 budget that are going to continue into 2027. And these three items start with health care. I want to identify that we're talking about health care as a large multiaceted topic. The county currently funds $38 million a year of uncompensated care at Henipin Healthcare Systems at the hospital down the street and we know that there will be increased pressure on them as the Medicaid changes and we'll talk about that more specifics later uh roll forward. The county also funds uh healthcare activity through our North Point clinic. We have our public health services and then of course as a large employer we have health care costs for our employees. All of those facets of health care are having challenges right now. All of those are cons continuing to see costs increase. The second item is state and federal cost shifts. We're going to talk in detail about some of the federal shifts that are occurring, [clears throat] but I also want to recognize that our partners at the state level are also being impacted by those federal fiscal changes, and there's a lot of uncertainty around how that will ultimately impact us. And then the third item is the cost of county service delivery. We have a number of mandated services that we provide. Those services take personnel and spaces to deliver the services. And it doesn't matter whether it's social services, law, safety, and justice, public works, our libraries. Costs for all of those people and places continue to increase and we know that that pressure will continue into the future. Next slide, please. We're going to talk about uh the ongoing federal impacts and what we're going to show you is a format that we plan to continue throughout the rest of the year to identify for you and the members of the public uh that are following along what is going to impact our budget directly and then what might also impact some of our uh community members and partners. This is a process that we continue plan to continue through the adoption of the 2027 budget. So all year long you'll be getting updates every other month and if there's questions uh we're happy to respond to those uh from you or from constituents as needed. First item, uh federal impact. There's already been a change as part of HR1. There's $8 million in administrative revenue that was provided to the county to help administer the SNAP program. That's food assistance. This is a reduction in revenue. We've not been relieved of the mandate. as we provide that service, there will just be $8 million less provided to offset those costs, and that's a cost that the county is having to manage within the 2026 budget. And that will be uh an ongoing permanent loss of revenue. There are other items that we know will be coming and we'll add those to this list as they become known and quantified. There are two areas of grants so far that we have had reductions to what we had anticipated. The first one is a FEMA grant for shelter services and programs. We had expected to receive $ 8.5 million. Instead, we uh received $2.7 million less than that amount. And the other one is for targeted violence and terrorism prevention programs. We had expected to receive about 106,000. 67,200 was canceled. That's 2.8 million in federal funding that was planned as part of our activity this year that we are not going to receive. that does not really reflect the risk that we have out there. There are 79 grants that the county has totaling $173 million that are currently uh protected under various legal actions. And so that money is not expected to be lost today. 62 million of that funding is part of our 2026 budget. The remainder is from multi-year grants that may be impacting 2027 or even 2028. 62 million is the number for for this calendar year. If there's a change in those legal protections and as things uh evolve throughout the year, we will be reporting back and keeping all of you informed. Um, but I want to thank our our legal team and those that have have worked to to help secure those so we can have predictability in our funding stream. Next step, these are anticipated cuts. Things on this list are things that we have clarity around and we know when they're going to start hitting. uh an additional $20 million in lost revenue around the SNAP administration is going to come from a change in process around the error rate. Our human services staff can speak to that more, but this is an additional reduction in admin revenues for the SNAP program. So that will mean a $28 million impact compared to before legislation was changed at the federal level. HUD housing security. We're really talking about the HUD uh continuum of care or coming home henipin uh maybe how you know it. $12 million reflects the total amount that money flows through the county. About three or4 million affects the county budget. The remainder is going to affect our cities and our nonprofit partners that we work with to provide housing security for our community. That will impact all corners of Henipin County. The last one is Medicaid. And we don't usually like to put a TBD up there. We like to give you more concrete numbers. Medicaid is complicated. It includes a number of programs including um directed payments at the hospital system that helps offset their uncompensated, undercompensated care. It affects some of our services at North Point. It affects things like our embedded social worker program with law with law enforcement in the county. And those a lot of those revenue streams are braided together, meaning we're using state, local, and federal resources to provide those services. That's how a lot of these systems were designed was that we would leverage resources from all levels and everybody would have some skin in the game. And as that funding changes, we're going to have to work through the details of how those streams have to either be unbraided or how they'll be affected. And so this list will continue to grow as we move forward and we know more about future federal policy. We're going to talk now about some budget strategies. So, we've talked through some of the pressures that we have on our budget, but I want to assure you uh working with county administration, with the leaders of the county, we're going to look at strategies to manage our costs. We're going to be proactive and look at prioritizing our resources, and we're going to do so in a way that protects critical programs and services for our residents and community. We're going to act decisively to reduce expenses whenever possible and we're going to try to minimize the burden to local property taxpayers. All of you have commented uh at the action last week. We heard at the truth and taxation meeting last year and you've heard with constituents throughout the year that we know that the local taxpayers cannot be the go-to source to refill all of these loss funds at the federal or state level. And then lastly, we want to make sure that we're positioning ourselves to respond to emerging issues throughout the year so you as an elected body can continue to make strategic decisions and deliver the services that we need uh to take care of our community. We can go ahead and go to the next slide. As a reminder for the public, the 2026 budget was not without sacrifice. We removed 249 positions from the budget. We did that through attrition. Um, we started the 2026 budget this year with 9,763 FTEES budgeted. 261 of those positions are currently open. As we move forward throughout the year, we are evaluating all positions that are open. We will continue to evaluate all positions as they become open and we will direct resource resources towards our most critical areas and the highest priority needs. Next one. Couple of other strategies that we've used and that we're going to talk about more in the coming year. Last year, we utilized uh unpaid leave. We asked directors to take three days of unpaid leave. We also opened up the opportunity for all employees if they wanted to take unpaid leave to do so. In total over the course of 2025, approximately $2 million of unpaid leave was taken by our employees. We're going to continue to make that available in 2026. and that's something that we've discussed with labor and they've also asked for and we're going to continue uh to try and acrew some savings there. We're also going to be looking at uh reductions in our planned spending for 2026 to prepare us for 2027. That's going to be working with departments. We're going to look for all opportunities to collaborate. We're going to find ways to realign staffing and bring work that's similar together. We're also going to look for ways to find overall efficiencies across the organization. and we do that all the time, but there's an added urgency this year and we're moving quickly to look for those opportunities to do that. And then lastly, opportunities for new revenue. There are some opportunities for us to align our services in a way that allows us to maximize state or federal revenues under the current existing statutes and and programs. There are not unlimited opportunities to do that. And I don't want to mis uh inform the board or suggest that new revenue is going to be easy to come by, but I want you to know that that is something we always look at. I will also point out that um we typically at the county uh have an annual process for reviewing all of our fees and we will continue to do that. But as we look at new revenue opportunities, we're really looking to grow the overall pie if there's an opportunity to do that in a way that takes pressure off of property taxpayers. Next um next steps here. Uh as mentioned, this was really just meant to give you a baseline of where we're at just uh just under two weeks into the year. As we move ahead, per the board action last week, we'll be bringing you specific updates on our year-to- date budget and other financial metrics. We're happy to do that. and we invite you to bring any questions that you have uh from this presentation or those in the future to county administration, myself or others. We will have the executive team uh fully engaged and they are engaged and we'll continue to monitor additional state and federal actions. We know that a lot of things are moving quickly at the federal level. [clears throat] Federal fiscal policy historically has moved quite slowly and deliberately in the past year. What we've observed is a lot of rapid changes, sometimes a complete 180 reversal in course. And so we do have teams set up and we have a very um a very talented group that is watching that on a daily basis and making sure that we're communicating out the most current information to the managers and staff so that they can continue their work as best as possible. Lastly, uh, as we look at reporting back in March, um, we will be able to do that throughout the year and if there are pieces that the board needs in addition to that, please communicate through administrator Wetland and we'll do our best to provide you with whatever information is helpful to you. I'm happy to answer questions, but I'll turn it back to administrator Wetland. >> Chair Gotel, commissioners, again, as Joe indicated, our our plan is to continue to bring this item back. We have some set slides that we will continue updating as we have further information. I would just like to express my appreciation for Joe Matthews, our chief financial officer and our budget and finance teams that have helped us through that and our leaders. Um we are doing the work and we have a lot more work to do um at a time when there's fast changes occurring. >> Think I just want to say thank you for all this. I know it's a moving target, too, because I know we've been looking at things that have been gone to the courts and they've reinstated some things, but we don't know what might work its way up to the Supreme Court and be reversed. So, we have to stay attuned to this, but I wanted to ask if colleagues wanted any further um questions or comments around the budget. I'll go with Commissioner Green first. Um, thank you, Madam Chair, and um, thank you, County Administrator Wentland, and CFO Joe Matthews and the whole OBF team. I I can't say I was like looking forward to hearing all this. Um, but I would so much rather hear it than not hear it. Um, there's nothing like being surprised, ick, um, and what you've outlined is pretty dire. And uh I wanted to zero in on one one sort of focus of of your message and particularly it's on slides 8 n and 10. So I'm somewhat asking this as a question but really I think I know the answer and I just want to ask a question to emphasize the point. Um but you have made sure that in this presentation that you're logging uh decline in revenue from the federal government when you're sure of that decline. So there's a lot that isn't here. you even alluded to 79 grants that are still being you know that we anticipate um some negative uh reports from and then also I want to remark on the fact that um the Medicaid cuts were listed as a TBD and as I understand the Medicaid cuts they are an order of magnitude different from everything else listed in that same chart. So, I guess I haven't asked a question. I've just said I'm really um taking note of your conservatism, which I think is is appropriate because we want to be sure, but also I'm sort of um set putting my own set point. Um and I guess encourage all of us to sort of be in the same place that uh there is not good news. This is not good news and there's not good news coming. Um >> yeah, Madam Chair, [clears throat] Commissioner Green, thank you. You're right. Um the the potential exposure is orders of magnitude larger than what we're listing. We're listing things that are factually known. As Congress goes through its appropriation process and as the legislature in Minnesota convenes, we will see a process that hopefully gives us insight into the long-term direction about where [snorts] federal and state policy is headed. And we know that as the federal government acts, that will have an impact on the state. And how the state chooses to respond will be constrained by their own resources. and in turn we will have to respond to the state's impacts on us. So, you're correct. Um, you know, just to give the numbers again, those 79 grants, that's $173 million, 62 million of which hits us in in 2026, that would be about a 6% increase in the property tax levy if you were to dollar fordollar replace those funds back. And I think we're recognizing that that's probably not going to be practical. And we want to be proactive on the front end to make sure that we have done everything we can do as a county to be tight with our financial management and to make sure that our resources are where we think we need them most. So, as we see those those fairly big bumps in the road in the future, we're as best prepared to respond to that with the footing that we have. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Lundy. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Also, my appreciation I uh I know we always start the budget on January 1 and it feels like we double started it. Uh so, I want to thank the format. I think this is important for us and also for the public and for staff to see these numbers that it's not just something that we're kind of like slapping together. So I think that's important. The request I had was [clears throat] if um as we do the tax valuations in April um even if let's say we did nothing to the budget the shift that could occur and most likely occur with if commercial properties continue to uh shed value therefore transferring the burden onto taxpayers. Taxpayers may see a 0% tax levy increase which I know isn't going to happen but in theory that doesn't mean that they won't be paying more because of the shift. I would be curious in appropriate time you know that as maybe in the June or whatever the next report just to kind of highlight that because I think that shift will despite anything we may do will move burdens around and so that we know will impact that'll impact the city and also the school. So everybody will get double triple impacted by just the simple shift if it occurs. I believe it will but um you know hopefully not. And then the last thing I just want to thank you for uh on the value of of staff and you know not all FTEs are equal. Uh you know people think of FTES of having a set value but there's a difference between a person who is working uh you know part-time front desk somewhere and someone who is higher paid somewhere else. So you know we talked about that. I think those values do matter as well. uh not that I'm asking for that report but just pointing out that it's easy to cut you know lower bait FTEES but you get less um kind of effect on the overall budget. Uh again thank you >> Commissioner Eden >> thank you Mr. Matthews for the presentation. Um, in in terms of projecting to the future, there are so many things that are uncertain and I I value that what you said about the three, the state and the federal and then the grants that we have to look at and just how that compares in terms of our property tax base. Um, last week the um the president had announced that there was going to be 10 billion that was be withheld in social services and then the court paused that on Friday. On [clears throat] Friday as well, there was an announcement that there was going to be 129 million paused to Henipin County in terms of the USDA. And we don't even still have a breakup of what that's going to look like. Um, so as we do these my I'm I'm trying to you know to the point that you have about the grants um and what we what is uncertain, what is changing. I think with all of these presentations I think it's really important that we um make the the Hipan County residents aware of what we're experiencing and the shifting things that are changing for us. We are mandated to provide a lot of the services we have to by state law, by federal law, and then we have a federal government saying that they are not going to give us the funds to pay for that. Um, and so we have politically charged things that are happening and we are stuck in the middle. And so just with that, I I my thank you for the presentation. My request is that we even if it a judge blocks it, I still think it's important for us to um present to the public what we're up against and what we're facing in real time to try to figure out how we get residents a steady um government that is giving them the services that they need. >> Any comment, Mr. Matthews? >> No, Madam Chair, I would just I would agree. Um you're right and the you know the the trial uh court system moves quickly quicker than maybe people realize um the letter on Friday uh that you mentioned and thank you I forgotten to mention that in my remarks uh we've been seeing this pattern over the last 12 months periodically where a decision is made it gets challenged in court the impacts to our HUD continuum of care uh there was legal action that actually led to that being pulled back by the department um but we know that that's the path that they want to follow and they will pursue that. I should highlight and and your comment reminded me of this, the grants that we have were adopted under previous budget appropriations at the federal government, under previous uh Congress and and uh administration. And so, as this year plays out and the federal appropriation process continues, um we will see what the administration and Congress's priorities are. and they certainly have the ability to modify those priorities through their appropriation process. And that will alter what our legal recourse is when it's a lawful appropriation process versus a uh administrative decision that may or may not uh conflict with congressional action. And so that's just something to be mindful of. That process is inherently different than the letter that you referenced from USDA, for example. >> Commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I appreciate the uh the added clarity of bringing forward some of the these things. And I think my comment I'm I'm going to just do some some quick math to kind of put all of this together. Um because I feel like sometimes it's helpful. Um you had mentioned, Commissioner Green, the um 60 $662 million in in grants that represents about a 6% tax levy if it were to be absorbed by property tax. um $32 million in the anticipated cuts that are named, not counting Medicaid, uh plus the $8 million in SNAP cuts that is already impacting us this year is another 4%. And the anticipated Medicaid cuts can be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. I know we didn't we didn't say that number. We said it was orders of magnitude. Um we are talking hundreds of millions. This is another 15% of tax levy. Um, and I think it's important to be clear that these services and the money that they went to was to end veterans homelessness to feed people. These are the things that we have accomplished over the last few years that we are going to be sliding backwards on. Uh it was in partnership with nonprofit and uh our partner agencies in Minnesota that allowed us to make progress on some really longstanding entrenched social problems that existed in our county that we had made serious tangible progress on that is going to be erased by decisions of the federal government right now. So I sorry I'm just I I want to be as clear as I can because sometimes it gets lost in the budget discussion of like the dollars that that's uh being pulled away and how we're going to manage it. But this is impacting people's lives today. Um and it's really important for people to know that. >> Thank you. Commission Commissioner um Connley, go ahead. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you uh Mr. Matthews for the for the budget update, and I appreciate that we will be receiving these uh regularly uh because time is of the essence. And um I on the very last slide, it talked about like ways that we are going to combat this. The county cost shifts coming from the federal government. The federal government is attacking counties right now. I feel very comfortable saying that. That's exactly what these dollars look like, these losses look like. It's an attack on us to not be able to to do what it is that we are mandated to do. But it means that we have to backfill. And the the levers that we have to backfill are few. One of them being property taxes. We can't property tax levy our way out of this one. So I appreciated the inclusion of the looking at other revenue sources. My colleagues have heard me say that before. with the minimal impact on the person. Um but looking at what other ways can we bring revenue into this county um it is unprecedented but we can't rely on the federal government anymore nor the state. The state is facing its own financial challenges. And so I think that um periodic updates on how we might be thinking about what new revenue could look like for Henipin County to offset um what we will not be receiving from the federal government. I we are in um no way, shape or form going to put this on the backs of property taxpayers. Uh we are going to be looking for new revenue sources and doing everything that we can whether it's litigation that's already in effect etc. So I would just add to that that I would appreciate however we are looking to seek out new revenue sources that we get a briefing or some sort of um one-on-one memos that outline steps that we're taking, new innovative ways to bring new money into this county. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Fernando. Uh >> thank you, Madam Chair. This is the first time we're having to do something like this and so I just want to acknowledge your work and OBF's work and uh administrator Wetland for um implementing this so quickly just being established last week. [gasps] Uh so for the public, this is first and foremost so that you all are getting information publicly and I think that's really really important. Uh the I appreciate that you only listed what was certain as Commissioner Green had mentioned. Um, and I would support or I do support Commissioner Eden's uh what I think is a suggestion around what is at risk. Um, it's not a full kind of forecast, but you've said it verbally. 62 million of 173 million or so um are are at risk but protected because of injunctive relief due to, you know, legal action that we've taken as a county. Uh what that does is it is informative to residents but it is also a demonstration of the leadership choices that we have made and so if residents are in support or dissatisfied with those choices then they're able to communicate to that communicate their perspectives to us in that way. So, um, in in my time on this board, I we have never received financial information in January. And so, I just I can't com I can't commend that enough that we are receiving and you are committed to providing that type of information. Um the uh last thing I'll mention is everyone keeps saying tough decisions are before us and I'm not quite sure how that is going to materialize but for those watching at home we are a seven person legislative body that are kind of free agents in some ways and so by having publicly available information um individual offices and individual residents can you know generate their ideas and feedback so that we can consider um what type of policies might be considered by this body. I know it sounds um maybe a bit odd to kind of name that in this setting, but we are in very very unique times. And uh the order of magnitude piece I just want to emphasize further to we we mathematically cannot property tax out of this. This isn't like we won't or we can't. It's the math does not bear out. And so by having um a budget update and I and I hear a lot of the mandated services piece. So maybe there is a way to fuse when we are when funding is eliminated for a service that we are mandated by law to provide. Maybe there are ways in which we can um be informed um alongside residents quite frankly. Um I I don't know how to engage with the orders and kind of the takebacks. That's a kind of a common uh but that that's in the media. I I appreciate county admin not wanting to publish something that might be reversed, but residents are already experiencing this kind of back and forth through media reports. And so, personally, I would rather have a date on here that says this was accurate by this date and then the public truly gets the information that we have kind of as early as it is possible to be verified. Um, but again, I this is not feedback. This is us attempting to construct a practical and mission- centered path forward um in a time of great uncertainty. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, >> Commissioner Lundy. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh I just wanted u to remind the public and I think you definitely had Mr. Matthews that you know we adopt a budget in December. If the federal or state because we haven't felt that impact decide to make a change in January 2nd, we have no nothing there. There is no backfill. There's nothing because our budget is set once a year. Our levy is set there. And also the fact is that you know commissioner Edson brought up and I just reiterate is mandated services means that they can tell us like there was proposals at the state legislature last year um that you know we used to give you the money to to provide to the residents we're not going to give you that money but you still got to provide it. So those kind of services where we are uh expected or forced to provide have always come with money to do that. And so uh when they make changes and they you know I think the speed of which that the hard part about the federal government is they could just decide next week that this happens and then two weeks later this is the new rule is it doesn't take in account the fact that everybody that has to depend on that doesn't get to make changes and especially if it's a mandated service that just means we have to find the money somewhere else to pay for mandated service which means that you know people ask about why taxes are this or that. Um, this is where it comes from is if if I have to pay someone 10 bucks and someone stops giving me that 10 bucks, I've got to take it from somewhere else. And I'm not talking 10 bucks. I'm talking $10 million. I'm talking 20, 30, 40. So, uh, just want to reiterate that that, you know, we make a budget once a year, changes after that, and when the government uh, you know, whether it's state or federal because we still don't know what's going to happen to the state. um if they make changes I think a lot of times it can go into place July 1st which is again mid year uh in our budget and so those impacts are felt everywhere and um you know there are not many levers to pull to back fill and I appreciate you know you highlighting that we're going to keep working this and I think commissioner Fernando's point about date and everything might be really good because I do think that you know people are looking at stuff and you're like well we said this and then oh yeah that was the January now we're talking March So, I think that we're going to see a lot more changes coming. So, thank you. >> And I just want to reiterate there's a lot of moving targets and and what might be true today is not going to be true tomorrow. And we we just don't know because things are moving so quick and so fast. And I want to even put a finer point on this whole budget thing about restricted about mandates because a lot of the funds that come down from state and federal are restricted funds. So, it doesn't mean that if we get cut in one place, we can just take from someplace else because we can't. It is restricted by law and already before all these cuts have have started and some have already started and sometimes we've been asked to participate more with state kinds of funds. Your county tax dollars are paying for some of the things that should have been paid for by state and federal and we know it but we didn't have enough to cover it and we've told them and they they didn't step up to the plate. So that's just and they're not in a place to now. Let's just face it. They are not. We know that because they're in a deficit too. So I just wanted to put a finer point on that. And the other thing is as I wanted to note that this is unprecedented too for you to hear that um two years of budgeting is actually taking place right now because we know things are the runway is two years and so we're doing it that way. We have always had long-term planning for things down five to 10 uh years down but it was never presented out into the public be because it really didn't need to be right. um we we never had even I mean I can't remember the last time we had a lovey as high as we've had this time and so it's it's just not been in our DNA to be to need to do that and so these are unprecedented times and I just want to say how impactful that is as we move through this time so thank you to my colleagues appreciate it a lot appreciate your comments any final words Miss Wetland Madam Chair commissioners no thank you for the opportunity to present this and thank you Mr. Matthews too. Appreciate you and your staff. Okay, we will move on the agenda. The next item is item two, which is the minutes from the previous meeting of December 2nd, 2025. May I have a motion to get this before us? >> Second. >> Any corrections, changes, discussion on this? All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> I. Motion carries. Um the next item, item three A through 3 I on today's agenda are applications for appointments to several community advisory boards. The county uh board accepts applications from mid- November through the end of December for various roles and nine groups where vacancies exist. Applicants are invited to call in and leave a recorded statement to share their experience and qualifications. These statements will assist commissioners in making appointments during the next couple of board meetings. Um and so these statements will be played in the order they're listed. So you you have your cheat sheet here if you want to get this ready and get ready as they start to play. Um, so the single applicant for 3D and a human resources board also applied for the county's capital budgeting task force. Just making that clear in their statement. You'll see that in your bigger books. Um, and so we'll um before we start the the playback on this, I just wanted to let everybody know it's already a long day and there's 70 minutes, 70 minutes of this. We will take a break at the end of this and then continue with the agenda. So, a long day. Um, first of all, just let me begin with thanking everybody who applied. My understanding is there might be one really rough recorded uh message that we really can't hear from a resident. And so, if we're able to contact that resident again and ask them to re-record because I know we'll have some more to play because it's a few places where we'll go out and probably mark it again for some vacancies. So, I just wanted to say that. So, is everybody ready? All right. I'll ask the staff then to start playing the uh interviews. Thank you. >> So, my name is Ricardo Warner. I'm applying for appointment to the Mini Creek Water District Board. I'm seeking this role because water resources are not abstract to me. They are part of my everyday life. I live between a lake and a wetland and I have been a Minnesota resident for 11 years. I have three boys who attend schools in the area and I currently serve as a member of the MCW community advisory committee. I am also a master water steward through freshwater.org where I have gained firsthand experience supporting water quality initiatives and engaging with residents and stakeholders. Seeing how water quality, habitat health, and storm water management affect families and communities motivates me to contribute more to service on the board. I strongly support the district's collaborative science-based approach to watershed management. Addressing water quality, flooding, and climate resilience requires thoughtful governance and long-term planning. I am motivated to help ensure these decisions are made transparently and in the public interest. Professionally, I bring more than 20 years of experience in financial planning, analysis, and sponsor project management within missiondriven organizations. I have managed complex multi-year projects funded by public agencies and foundations, ensuring fiscal accountability, compliance, and alignment between project goals and available resources. In my current role as a senior financial consultant, I work closely with leaders to ensure financial and project information is clear, transparent, and useful for decision making. In addition, I serve as treasurer of Minnesota Youth Racquit where I support governance, financial oversight, and organizational sustainability. This volunteer role reinforces the importance of stewardship, transparency, and trust when managing resources on behalf of the public. If appointed, I will bring a community centered, collaborative, and practical perspective to the board. I am particularly interested in supporting water quality protection, flood mitigation, climate adaptation, and responsible public investment while listening carefully to residents, local governments, and partners throughout the watershed. Thank you for the opportunity to be considered. I would be honored to serve the Minhaka Creek wershed district and help protect these vital water resources for current and future generations. Dear Madame Chair and Commissioner, my name is Jessica Loftess. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today as part of my application to continue serving on the Minhaha Creek Watershed District Board of Managers. I've submitted my resume and a resolution of recommendation from the city of Deep Haven and I'm grateful for their continued support. I've served on the board for the past eight years and currently serve as treasurer and chair of the operations committee. In these roles, I have focused on responsible stewardship of public dollars and organizational leadership. We've maintained a flat 0% levy increase for seven of the last eight years while still advancing impactful water resource projects. Balancing fiscal discipline with missiondriven work has been central to my approach on the board. In recent years, I've had the privilege of working alongside my fellow managers and the district's exceptional staff to deliver meaningful projects, including Art and Park and Edina, the Six Mile Marsh Hallstead bay restoration and environmental improvements at Washington Lake in Victoria. We've also adopted climate and DEI frameworks to guide our projects and decision making. Looking ahead, I'm energized by what's next. The upcoming 2027 water management plan will address climate change, flood mitigation, and water quality protection. We are also collaborating with the city of Minneapolis on improvements along Minhaha Parkway and will continue to improve water resources at the Blake site. I believe these efforts reflect the district's critical regional role. Briefly about me, I grew up in the Twin Cities and have lived in the watershed for more than 18 years. First on Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, and now in Deep Haven, where I live with my husband and our three daughters. I hold degrees in business and public administration, spent over 15 years in city management, and now work as a part-time consultant supporting cities through interim services and strategic planning. In closing, I remain deeply committed to the mission of the Minihaha Creek Wershed District and I believe my background will allow me to continue adding value to the board. Thank you for your consideration and for the important work that WU does for Henipin County. With your support, I would be honored to continue serving our community. Thank you, >> madam chairman and commissioners. My name is Dick Miller. Uh thank you for considering my reappointment to the Minia Creek Watershed District. I want to make three simple points. First, the mission of the district is straightforward but important to prevent prevent flooding and improve water quality. It is worth noting the district is not an advisory board. It's significant unit of government with authority levy taxes, wire and condemn property and issue debt. This responsibility requires board members with experience in public policy finance and intergovernment uh coordination. Second, I'm committed to science-based decisions. For the past 15 years, I've been working to ensure the district is guided by good data, clear analysis, and a long range view of both the natural and built environment. This minimizes controversy, strengthens trust with communities, and produce durable outcomes. Thirdly, everything we accomplish is root in in partnerships with our cities, the counties, state agencies, and community organizations. These relationships are the foundation of our success and they allow us to tackle issues that are not single jurisdiction can solve alone. The result of this approach to our missions are tangible. In the upper watershed, we are treating the largest tributaries of Lake Minnetonka, improving water quality at its source. In St. St. Louis Park. We built a two-m long greenway that treats hundreds of acres of storm water, expands access to nature, and has shown measurable improvements downstream in Lake Ayawa in Dina. The Ardan Park project was recognized as Minnesota watershed project of the year and was featured in US Army Corps of Engineer design with natural catalyst. The project was profiled along with some of the most notable water and public space restorations in the world from Seattle to Taiwan. In Minneapolis, our new cooperative agreement with the city and the park board is aligning improvements to the water quality that reduces flooding and restores the urban stretch in Minneapolis Creek. The level of crossjurisdiction coordination would not have been possible a decade ago. Looking ahead, my background as staff assistant to two Minnesota governors, three terms in Minneapolis City Council, serving as chairman of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, and more than 30 years in public finance has given me a practical perspective that continues to serve the district well. We've accomplished a great deal together with the support of the county. I'm proud of this work and excited about what we can do in the years ahead. Thank you for your consideration. >> Good afternoon. By way of introduction, my name is Janet Schaefer and I'm very interested in joining the board of managers for the Minhaha Creek wershed district. I currently serve on the MCWD citizens advisory board and was elected by my peers to participate on its executive committee. Through this experience, I feel I have developed a clear understanding of the district's mission and strategic priorities as well as its commitment to advance its vision of a balanced urban ecology. Professionally, I bring more than three decades of leadership experience in a serviceoriented environment in the corporate sector. as senior vice president um at GLO Alter Global which is a globally recognized provider of workforce mobility and relocation services. I was responsible for strategic planning, team member engagement, financial oversight and client services for large corporations in a highly reg regulated and operationally complex field. This work required navigating budgets, contract management, visa and immigration along with the everchanging domestic and global tax considerations. We coordinated the logistics across multiple jurisdictions and cultures and uh provided cultural training with a strong lens on DEI. In addition, I uh have had the privilege to serve in public and private leadership roles, including as chair of the worldwide ERC's organizations board of trustees, which is a 501c3 charitable organization, and I serve for two terms as the mayor of the city of Long Lake. I feel these experiences deepened my understanding of board level decisionmaking, municipal governance and uh financial stewardship with the importance of partnerships. I was raised on the shores of Long Lake and am exceptionally passionate about the watershed and our environment. I would be so honored to serve on the board of managers and I bring and hope to bring my experience to the work of the watershed of Minihaha Creek. Thank you so much for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day. name is Wak and I am applying for at large positions on the capital budgeting task force, the county extension committee with the University of Minnesota extension and the human resources board. I am an audit and finance professional with extensive experience in public sector oversight, financial governance and accountability for publicly funded programs. I am a certified public accountant in my home country Yemen and previously served as an audit manager and a state auditor at the Supreme Audit Institution where I audited government entities and publicly funded programs including capital and infrastructure projects. In that role, I reviewed capital plans, assess financial sustainability and evaluated governance risk and internal controls. For the past eight years, I have worked in the nonprofit and humanitarian sector, including nearly three years in the United States, supporting programs funded primarily by federal and state dollars and five years in Egypt working on programs funded by the US Department of State. Although these programs were not capital intensive, they operated under strict public accountability, compliance and reporting requirements which strengthen my understanding of responsible stewardship of public resources and fair consistent application of rules. I'm seeking appointment to the capital budgeting task force because I believe that sound capital planning requires careful analysis, transparency and long-term thinking. My audit background allows me to review detailed materials, understand financial and operational risks, and contribute independent well reasoned input to support recommendation on the annual capital budget and 5-year capital improvement program. I'm also seeking the appointment to the county extension committee because I value the role of education, community engagement, and volunteer-driven programs in strengthen communities. Through my nonprofit work, I have seen how extension type programs focused on economic and human development, youth engagement, and community leadership can make a meaningful impact when they are aligned with local needs and supported by strong governments. In addition, I'm seeking the appointment to human resources board because I strongly believe in the importance of fair, transparent and well-governed personal systems. My backgrounds in audit in audit compliance and investigations positioned me well to contribute to the port responsibilities related to establishing rules for the classified service and conducting investigation in accordance with the applicable laws. and human resources roles. >> Hello, my name is Rustin and I'm applying for a position on the Henipin County Capital Budget Task Force. I have held varied roles in my career, both hands-on and leading businesses, which should help me contribute positively in the capital budget task force. My wife and I have lived in Henipin County for the past 26 years. First 12 were in South Minneapolis, a great neighborhood there. And then the past 14 have been in Eden Curry where our two children recently graduate from high school. With the kids now in college, I'm looking for ways to to continue contributing to the community. Um, as noted earlier, have had a held various roles throughout my career, all of which provide unique perspectives and insights towards capital budgeting. Uh early on I was a process engineer where I had to optimize and improve existing processes and operations leading different projects to do that. I've also been a project engineer where it was all about expanding capacity or adding new capabilities. I've had ownership of product portfolio roadmaps where we've had to decide where to make investments and where to stop making investments. Beyond that, I've led small privately held businesses, one a union shop and one a non-union shop. I've also uh held leadership roles in large multinational corporations. So provides a unique perspective with both large and small businesses, a union and non-UN business. In addition, I was a church council member for four years as well as leading two youth sports organizations which in itself brings a lot of unique perspectives. Uh these roles have all required capital investment decisions. uh they've all required detailed justification uh financial justification ROI as well as uh importantly taking into account the needs of various stakeholders. I believe this broad multifunctional experience will bring valuable insights and positive contributions to the Henipin County Capital Budget Task Force. Again, my name is Rustin and I thank you for the consideration. >> Good morning. Uh my name is Greg Stik. I'm applying for the Henipin County Capital Budget Task Force. Uh I've been on the task force uh two terms, eight years now. Uh I've enjoyed learning about the county's infrastructure and uh physical assets that they have. Um with my background in local government finance and dealing with capital planning on a daily basis, I think my candidacy is uh a good uh selection for the committee. uh give another perspective from the terms of uh capital planning as it relates to local governments. Uh I've enjoyed my time uh on the task force the last eight years. Uh a number of challenging projects in the near future that I'd love to continue to participate in and be a part of the conversation. some impactful uh projects including uh the hospital etc that are coming up that uh really keenly interested in seeing how that proceeds going forward. So please accept my uh application uh and consideration for the Henipin County Capital Budget Task Force and I appreciate all the commissioner's time. Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Carol Bosber and I'm applying for a position on the capital budgeting task force. I was asked for this interview to answer two questions. Number one, why am I interested in being on the task force? And number two, how am I qualified? Answering number one, why am I interested? I believe that every citizen has an obligation to participate in their communities in ways that best align with their background, interest, and skill set. My motivation for seeking appointment comes from a commitment to public service and a desire to contribute positively to community development and governance. Question number two, how am I qualified? I have extensive experience in public sector leadership. I have served on the Brooklyn Park Planning Commission, the budget advisory commission, as well as commissions and committees focused on infrastructure, policy, and long range development. In these roles, I provided governance, oversight, and strategic [clears throat] guidance at the community level. Professionally, I bring more than 20 years of executive experience in supply chain management, forecasting, purchasing, planning, allocation, and global sourcing across complex retail and wholesale environments. This background has equipped me with expertise needed to address challenges and to drive results. My ability to balance short and long-term goals allows me to adapt and pivot when circumstances do not go as expected. This flexibility is crucial for effective decision-making and strategic planning. As a trusted adviser on business process transformation, I have documented workflows, eliminated redundancies, and integrated systems to streamline operations. My approach focuses on efficiency and continuous improvement. I'm also experienced in working collaboratively in group settings, skilled at expressing my views, and most importantly at listening and understanding the perspectives of others. This collaborative approach ensures that the best ideas and processes emerge for the benefit of the community. Thank you for your time today and I hope to hear from you soon. This is Silver and I'm applying for the advisory board position for county extension committee. Commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to apply for an advisory board position for the county extension committee. in my previous work for Henchman County as the public health director and for Metropolitan Mosquito Control District as well as my adjunct position at the University of Minnesota in the department of entomology and my many years on the technical advisory board for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. Through these, I've had numerous interactions with the great work of U of M extension. This has ranged from consulting on nutrition and food safety as part of environmental health work to utilizing the ripple effect mapping tool to general education on gardening. I believe my training and background firmly support the extension's focus on science-based knowledge and training. I have familiarity with many of the programs and would enjoy learning about the other programs. There is great value in the extension's dedication to community leadership and I would like to see that built upon and expanded making use of the fine resources of the U of M. Having attained retirement, I look forward to being able to contribute in different ways to Henipin County. Thank you for consideration of my application. >> Good day. This is Chris Vanderlight reapplying for a seat on the board of the Henipin County Extension Committee. Uh thank you for your trust in me to grant me a first term that is now just about to expire and I'm applying for a second term. My background is coming from an animal agricultural position and just my affinity for extension as I joined the Henipin County Extension Committee. uh to [clears throat] see the widening extension to the urban needs also in um food security and education programs was very interesting to see and great rewarding for the the county of Hannipin. I'm impressed with how the programs are tailored to the urban needs and an example of that is particularly the 4 programs that really took this to pet husbandry as well uh from the other classical animal husbandry fields. I like to continue to guide the teams by encouragement and recognition during the meetings as well as asking guiding questions to help the groups with the together with the board to have a goal of more strategic view in addition to the excellent tactical work that they're doing today. Uh there just needs to be a little bit more uh view over the long-term ability to maintain and field new programs. really appreciate your support in this and also want to put in one last plug for the unencumbered funds that are usually granted to the committee. Would like to see that these funds would be granted again this year. I know the budgets are tight. However, these additional these unencumbered funds specifically go directly to programs and new IDs that serve Henipin County residents and they do not typically go to uh setup for programs that are just for the extension committee help. So this is really funds that really go directly to the country country residents and that would be really helpful. Thank you so much for considering me. I'm looking forward to a positive answer. Thanks again Chris Vanderlight. >> Hello, my name is Megan Amami Summons and I'm to serve on the adult mental health local advisory council for Henipin County. I'm interested in serving on this board because my work in the mental health field has consistently focused on supporting individuals with serious mental illness while navigating county and community based systems. I'm drawn to the council role in advising the county board and administration on policies, programs, and serving and services that directly impact access, coordination, and quality of care. I've had the privilege of working one-on-one with individuals across different waiverss, age groups, and in close collaborations with families, direct support professionals, school teams, and community providers. My experience includes working with licensed community- based services, which has given me a strong understanding of how adult mental health services function at the local level and how interconnected these systems are. Through this work, I've seen where services are effective and where gaps remain, particularly during transitions in care, changes in staffing or breakdowns in communication across systems. I've seen health service planning, funding structure, and county level decisions directly affect continuing of care and outcome for individuals living with serious mental illness. What has drawn me to this board is the opportunity to contribute to identify unmet unmet mental health needs and support um and supporting informed recommendations for services planning and improvement. I'm especially interested in the council's role in monitoring coordinations between team settings, community- based services, and in help ensure that recommendations are grounded in both lived experiences and particular provider insights. I bring a collaborative um and prepared and thoughtful approach to this work. I value listening to consumers, families, reviewing information carefully and participating in discussion that leads to clear actionable recommendations. I take seriously the responsibility of advising, informing and reporting within the local mental health system. I would be committed to consistent participation, meaningful engagement, and I would be honored to contribute my experience and my expertise towards um making the adult mental health service in Henipin County even stronger. Thank you for your input and consider and considering this. Good evening. My name is Benjamin AR. I am applying for the library board for Henipin County. I am a I have a master's degree in library uh services. Um and I have spent most of my life um in the Henipin County Library System. um volunteer. I've been volunteering there since I was able to and borrowing books. I've developed a lot within the system and I am extremely passionate about it. And through my degree, I have expertise in library policym organization um and systems management. I have uh a stellar attention to detail, a strong commitment to accuracy and robust organizational skills, and I am extremely eager to see our libraries thrive. Uh I have spent the past year attending library board meetings uh and committee library and board and committee meetings and I feel that I have a good feeling for how the board runs and how I can contribute to it. Um thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a very nice day. Hello, my name is Anthony Albbright and I'm honored to share with you why I'm seeking a position on the Henipin County Library Board and what I believe it can contribute. Libraries have shaped every stage of my life. I grew up relying on public libraries as places of safety, imagination, and possibility. I am an educator, writer, and veteran. And I' I've seen firsthand how essential libraries can be, not just as repositories as books, but as community anchors that support learning, belonging, and opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds. Serving on this board would allow me to give back to an institution that has continually shaped my own growth and the well-being of my communities that I care about. Professionally, I bring over a decade of experience in education, literacy, and community engagement. I hold a PhD in rhetoric, writing, and culture, and I've taught writing, literature, and communication at multiple colleges and universities. I've also worked extensively with diverse learners, adult students, multilingual students, indigenous communities, veterans, and K12 students across Twin Cities. These experiences have taught me how to listen deeply, collaborate effectively, and advocate for equitable access to learning resources. As a writer and editor, I understand the power of stories to build empathy and strengthen communities. I serve as a media editor of the Journal of Veteran Studies, and my creative and academic work often centers on themes of resilience, cultural memory, and inclusion. Libraries are one of the few public spaces where all of these values converge, where people can explore identity, history, and imagination freely and safely. I also bring a strong background in service and organizational leadership. I've served on hiring committees, organized conferences, facilitated writing workshops for tribal college students, and volunteered across a wide range of community programs. I'm comfortable working collaboratively, navigating complex conversations, and supporting long-term planning. I believe in the importance of thoughtful stewardship, ensuring the public resources are used responsibly, transparently, and in in ways that reflect the needs of the communities. What excites me most about serving on the Henkin County Library Board is the opportunity to support a system that is both innovative and deeply rooted in public good. Our libraries are evolving, expanding digital access, supporting work source workforce development, offering creative spaces, and serving as vital hubs for youth, families, and lifelong learners. I want to help ensure that these services remain strong and accessible and uh responsive to diverse communities of Henry County. Ultimately, I'm applying because I believe in the transformative power of libraries. I believe in their role as engines of equity, imagination, and civic life. And I believe my experience as an educator, writer, veteran, and community member positions me to contribute meaningfully to the board's work. Thank you for considering my application. I would be honored to serve. >> Hello, my name is Michael Gonzalez and I am an applicant for the Henipin County's Library Community Advisory Board. As I noted in my application, I'd also be open to other boards if the commissioners believe there would be a better fit. I've been a resident of Minnesota for nearly 20 years, previously living in New York City, Chicago, and Iowa. I currently live in Bloomington. I originally moved to Minnesota after being recruited to work at Target corporate headquarters where I worked for seven years. I then worked at Lifetime Corporate in Chanhassen for six years and I'm currently the director of customer experience at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis where I've worked for about four years. My career is in user experience design which means my job is to make products and services more useful and easier to understand. I also help organizations decide which products to offer, how to design them, and how to market them. Most importantly, my job is to represent and serve the needs of the customers using those products. In my day-to-day, I have responsibility for hiring and developing the 10 team members who currently report to me. I manage a multi-million dollar budget, including the creation of annual plans, evaluating vendors and contracts, and reporting progress to key stakeholders, working in highly regulated industries like healthcare and financial services. I also have experience balancing organizational goals, customer needs, and legal requirements to still get things done. While I did not complete my degree, I attended the master's program in library and information sciences at Pratt Institute in New York City. and to have a general familiarity and appreciation of librarianship as a discipline. On a personal note, my mother was an elementary school teacher and my wife a homeschooling mom of our four mostly grown children. That means books and libraries have been a key part of my life and family. I strongly believe that the free access to the shared culture and information contained in a library is a vital component of a well functioning society. I'm interested in this position because I am interested in the health and vitality of our library system. finding ways to bring more people into the services provided and believe my collection of experience would be a way to give back and serve the advisory board and my community. Again, my name is Michael Gonzalez applying for the uh library um advisory board. Thank you for your consideration. >> My name is Aaron Kamus and I'm seeking a position on the Henipin County Library Board. One of my earliest memories is looking at picture books in the fireside conversation pit that used to be in the Rockford Road Library. And as a kid, I must have biked hundreds of times to the old Champlain Library, the tiny one that used to be near the Inoga Champlain Bridge. These days, I call the Plymouth Library home, and more than ever, I appreciate the value of the Henipin County Library system. In addition to participating in book club and other activities, I also volunteer at the Plymouth Library. And my time there has helped me see how people from all corners of our community use and rely on all the different things that our libraries make available. Whether it's resources and programming for specific constituencies or innovative approaches like the self-service OIO location, I've been inspired by the ways the system seeks to serve its patrons. after two careers uh as a project management fellow at Boston Scientific and director of process and projects at Animal Humane Society plus some time on smaller advisory boards. I would love the opportunity to bring my skills and experience to the library board. I have a deep familiarity with project management, process improvement, strategic planning, and budget oversight, plus a great deal of experience in collaborative decisionmaking. All of which I believe would bring value to the library board's policy planning and oversight role. I'm particularly interested in the idea of contributing to ongoing planning for major system goals and the evolution of tools and technologies to support the work that our libraries do. For example, the RFID tag that every circulating item currently carries has uh I believe inventory and material handling potential well beyond its current use. nearer term. I'm also fascinated by the different ways our library system expands its offerings beyond its physical collection. Uh the newly added craft and hobby resource is an example of that and am interested in the work to support more of that sort of thing going forward. Uh to wrap up, I'd like to thank you for your consideration and for your time today. I hope you find my interest and qualifications suitable for a position on the library board. Goodbye. >> My name is Kim Kang. I'm applying for the library board position. I'm a resident of Orno, Minnesota. Um, I have extensive community service with nonprofits as a board member, including leadership roles. Consequently, I have extensive experience in budgeting, long-term planning, policy, and program evaluation. In addition, I've had the privilege of working with diverse communities for the betterment of all, primarily in the disability community. I've also participated in public service in my community as a member of the Orno planning commission from 2006 to 2011. I was chair of that commission from 2009 to 2011 as well as a member of the Metropolitan Advisory Committee on Land Use and Transportation from 2011 to 2013. And for several years, I've donated to the Friends of Henipin County and attended the annual pen pal series. I also have an amm am a a avid reader that checks out quite a few books from Hampton County Library. Um, I believe the Hamilton County Libraries play a key role as a community service resource that continues to evolve to serve a variety of needs as well as an institution to provide equal access to our history, appreciation of a variety of cultures and ideas and generally provide for well-rounded engaged citizenry. I seek this appointment because I believe I share the underlying values that Henipin County Libraries embraces and I hope to share my knowledge and experience to benefit a resource I treasure. Thank you very much for this opportunity to uh interview for this position. >> Hi, my name is Jessica Craft and I am applying to be reappointed to the Henipin County Library Board. For the past two years, I have served as the president of this board. In this role, I have helped facilitate all of our public meetings as well as uh stood during our executive meetings to help um shape the agenda for these meetings. One particular point that's really important each meeting is what we call a staff dialogue. And this is an opportunity to educate the board and public about a facet of our library systems. This could be how we keep statistics or library programming. And it provides uh an avenue for which the library board members to comment or ask questions and ultimately help shape future policy or make improvements to how our libraries are run. I feel that during all of these opportunities, I take the time to ask thoughtful questions and provide comments. I've also in my time on the the board in my first term, I have worked to um make more connections and transparency between different uh other departments within um the Henipin County that uh have bearing on our libraries. For instance, I suggested and is now part of our regular uh monthly meetings. The director gives a report from capital planning about um what's going on with our facilities where we're getting where when we have opportunities to celebrate renovations or new buildings. I've also advocated for a stronger connection with our youth council. uh currently they just give one presentation at the end of the year and there's um really great opportunities. These kids have amazing ideas that we would love to incorporate in the work that we are doing with the the policy. So starting at our uh meetings, the director will also give a summary of the types of activities that they're engaging with and as appropriate we can pull them in and have uh further discussions. And then professionally, I am an architect and my one of my areas of focus is on public library design. So I really have a bead on what's going on within the metro area in terms of trends, changes in um uh ways that things are done and I can bring those ideas forward to Henipin County and share kind of what's working well or what isn't. And then ultimately the reason I want to stay on the Henipin Library Board is that libraries for my family have always been a really welcoming and inclusive space whether that's through their programming uh through their displays or through the types of collections that are available. And I want to continue to advocate to keep our libraries as an inclusive welcoming space for everybody in our community. Hello, my name is Ashley Cone and I am reapplying for a position on the Henipin County Library Board. First off, thank you for appointing me three years ago. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve Henipin County residents as a library board member. I want to continue to serve on the board because I have a passion for and a deep commitment to information, equitable access, and libraries. My 16 years experience as a school librarian, nearly two decades participation in professional library organizations and previous term make me an ideal candidate for the library board. During these past three years, I have deeply enjoyed and engaged with board activities. I am a member of the policy committee, budget and long-term planning committee, and previously served as a member of the executive committee. I am the current chair of the budget and long-term planning committee and previously served as the chair of the policy committee. Henipin County has one of the best library systems in the country, which is crucial during these times when intellectual freedom, access to information, and first amendment rights are under attack. Every person deserves a strong library system to support their information and reading needs as well as a free communal space that fosters connection, curiosity, and community. Strong library systems also have strong library boards. My continued participation as a Henipin County Library Board member will support those goals. I believe Henipin County has a li has a great library system and that it can continue to grow and get even better. I want to continue to be a part of making that happen. I look forward to the opportunity to again serve Henipin County residents as a member of the Henipin County Library Board. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. My name is Rebecca Lohan and I'm applying for a position on the Henipin County Library Board. Today, as Democratic institutions are being challenged, I believe that libraries are more important than ever in maintaining free and open access to information and in offering a safe space to anyone seeking knowledge and community. Although we live in a time when many institutions are losing Americans trust, libraries are an exception. I would like to contribute as a member of the library board to maintaining that trust and to maintaining Henipin County Libraryies commitment to upholding democratic traditions, including free access to a broad spectrum of ideas. My qualifications for this position are the following. I teach history at Metropolitan State University. Our students reflect the adult population of the metropolitan area in their social and cultural backgrounds. My goals as their teacher are aligned with those of the Henipin County Library System, sharing with them a broad range of ideas and opinions, creating a safe and inclusive space for them to explore these ideas, and supporting them in achieving their objectives and gaining the information that they seek. I have a PhD in history and have considerable experience doing research in libraries, including archival collections. I would thus be able to help evaluate library holdings if needed. I have served in numerous volunteer capacities in my 26 years living in Henipin County to name a few. I served on the board of a nonprofit based in North Minneapolis founded by Mary Johnson in the wake of her son's murder and committed to fostering forgiveness and communities between victims and perpetrators of gun violence. I worked on numerous PTA committees when my children were younger, including creating and running a reading incentives program with another mother. And I volunteer at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, helping care for animals. I believe in serving the community, and I know the commitment of time and energy this requires. I am also the parent of young adult children. They were once avid readers who visited our local library weekly, but they now rarely read a book unless it is required by a teacher. I am thus fully aware of the challenge libraries face seeking to re-engage patrons who have drifted away. And I am deeply interested in finding ways to meet it. Finally, I was once an immigrant, not to the United States, but to Norway, where my multi-racial interfaith family lived for several years. As such, I am aware of some of the obstacles that immigrants face, including finding essential information, coping with a new language, and seeking to feel welcomed and accepted. And I believe libraries can play an important role in helping meet these challenges. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you. Hello, my name is Britney Mitchell Michael, and I'm applying for appointment to the Henipin County Library Board. I understand this recording will be played during a public administration, operations, and budget committee meeting, and I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself. I'm a Henipin County resident, a practicing attorney, and a committed library patron. I've had a lifelong love of libraries. I am an avid reader, and now I'm raising an avid reader, too, which has made the library feel even more essential in our daily lives. To me, libraries are not only gateways to books and learning. They're also places of community, welcoming public spaces where people can gather, connect, and feel a sense of belonging. Whether they're students, job seekers, families, seniors, or neighbors looking for a safe and shared space. Over the past year, while our neighborhood library has been under construction, my 8-year-old daughter and I have enthusiastically participated in the library passport program, working our way through visits to every library in the Henipin County system. Those visits have been a genuine joy for our family. Experiencing the diversity of the various branches has deepened my appreciation for how intentionally each library reflects and serves its surrounding community. Our regular library visits are among the most cherished routines in our family life. And I see firsthand how welcoming sta public spaces, rich collections, and thoughtful programming foster curiosity, connection, and a sense of belonging for all for people of all ages. Professionally, I'm a partner at Pulski Singh Zel and Jones and work from home here in Minneapolis. I represent victims in complex bankruptcy proceedings specializing in representing survivors of child sexual abuse. That work demands careful analysis of dense records, fair communication, and long-term strategic planning. It also requires collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups and a strong orientation toward fairness and accountability. I also have a strong public service and education background. In my proono work, I have assisted clients with immigration, social security, and housing matters. I have also previously taught legal writing to students at the University of Minnesota Law School. Prior to law school, I worked in the nonprofit sector in roles in information and project management, event planning, and general administration. My experience included small startup nonprofits, and a global human rights organization. I also bring direct board governance experience. I have served on nonprofit boards including the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market, and Wesleyan University. Through that work, I've gained experience with board decision-making, policy development, and balancing missiondriven goals with fiscal responsibility. If appointed, I would bring an engaged, prepared, and collaborative approach to the Hello, this is Mary Nstrom. I'm applying for the Henipin County Library Board and thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I'm a community educator with a background in psychology, adult learning, and volunteer leadership. I live in Minneapolis and I've spent me much of my career designing and leading programs that help people learn, connect, and engage meaningfully with their communities. My connection to libraries is both personal and practical. I grew up visiting the Crystal Library and that early experience of curiosity and access shaped my lifelong learning and just really highlighted my love for the libraries. Today I'm an active user of the Henipin County Library System, checking out physical books, downloading Libby and ebooks, and I firsthand see how the libraries meet people where they are. Libraries are essential community hubs. They support early literacy, lifelong learning, and access to technology. And they also serve what urban planners call third places, public spaces outside of home or work where people can gather, connect, learn, and feel a sense of community. Henipin County Libraries really illustrates this concept through book clubs, discussion groups, author events, reservable meeting spaces, and outreach programs like home delivery for seniors. Professionally, I bring experience that aligns closely with board service. I hold a PhD in psychology and I have spent decades working with education, volunteer coordinating, community engagement. Currently, I teach at the University of Minnesota Extension in the Minnesota Master Naturalist program where I mentor adults and support volunteer-led programs and collaborate with public institutions and community partners. I also served in leadership roles overseeing large volunteer programs, managing budgets and resources, and participating in long range planning. These experiences have prepared me to review complex information, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute constructively to policy planning and stewardship discussions. If appointed, I would bring a grounded, thoughtful perspective, someone who understands both the community-f facing impact of libraries and the responsibility of governance. I'm committed to showing up prepared, engaged, and ready to contribute. It would be an honor to serve on the Henipin County Library Board and help ensure our libraries continue to thrive as inclusive, accessible, and vital community spaces. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Hi, my name is Bethany Olsen. I am applying for one of the vacancies on the library board. Um, I uh sent my application and I was really excited to see there are vacancies because I have been a lifelong very active patron of the library. um mostly as a reader, but also for community events, town halls, um meetings with elected representatives, civic engagement, um we've used meeting spaces both when I was in school and as I've uh grown up and become an adult in the community. Um and uh in addition to all the benefits that I personally have um experienced from the Henipin County Library System, I also see the library as a force for good in our communities. Um and I was really excited to see not only that there were vacancies but to understand more what the role is um you know ranging from um uh kind of looking at the library collection and resources and materials um as well as um thinking and strategizing about meeting spaces um you know and other things that affect kind of the budget and um how funds are used. So everything um that I know so far I'm really intrigued by. I do think that I would bring a lot to the role. Um my educational background is in environmental studies and policy um including a master's degree in public policy from um the University of Minnesota's um Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Uh professionally I have over 10 years of project management experience that has all been in environmental programs. Um but the current role uh the current project management role that I um have is with actually Cook County government in Illinois. And so I've gotten uh in addition to the actual direct work that I'm doing uh which is not related to libraries, I have gotten to see uh up close um more so what the county government um can do in a lot of different capacities and I've just really grown in my appreciation for how county governments can serve their residents and take care of them. Um but uh really I'm just uh excited to bring um all of the skills that I have from um stakeholder management, budget management, um just kind of a a really strong interest in [music] um civic engagement, but also uh promoting literacy and education, making it easier for people to have access to books, including um books and stories and everything that they might not have stumbled upon on their own. That's happened to me many times at Henderson County Library Branches. Um, and also just uh really um just working hard to uh make it easier for people to access um services and support that they need to um foster opportunities for enrichment and connection um helping people uh whether it's research for you know something in their lives or trying to find jobs or trying to um promote some personal enrichment or just trying to um understand a topic um better. So, that was a long rambling way of saying that I um was honored to apply. Uh I would be eager to speak. >> Hello, my name is Peter Reier and this message concerns the Henipin County Library Board. I'm currently general counsel of the Internet Archive, which is a federal depository library. The Internet Archive most famously operates the Wayback Machine, which is the archive of the worldwide web. you could find at archive.org. But in addition to that, the Internet Archive itself has many physical and digital collections across a variety of media. And it works in partnership with hundreds of libraries, library associations, and other entities both around the United States and the world in order to preserve and provide access to knowledge and culture. As general counsel, I'm the lead lawyer for the organization. That means I manage the law and policy team. I also manage the team that handles our public policy work and do a variety of other jobs for the organization. Prior to joining the internet archive, I was a lawyer in private practice here in Minneapolis. I started at the Robins Kaplan firm and was most recently a partner at Satrinker. My practice was focused on copyright law and concerned intellectual property more broadly. I've represented a variety of local and national organizations including a number of institutions of higher education, music libraries, public media organizations, and others addressing both library and broader copyright and other issues. I myself am a patron of Manipin County Library System. I believe it's important to use and support our libraries and I'm a strong supporter of the role that libraries play in our community and in our society more broadly. Because of that, I would be honored to assist the library by serving on the board. Thank you very much for your attention. >> Hello, my name is Mike Sorenson and I would like to be considered for the Henipin County Library Board. I am a resident of Eden Prairie and an enthusiastic visitor at libraries across Henipin County. I have visited and enjoyed libraries throughout my entire life, but have also gotten to experience the new joy of bringing my children to libraries throughout the last 5 years. For my day job, I work as an environmental scientist at Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. In that role, I regularly work with staff and community members from a variety of backgrounds, which has helped me become someone who listens well, communicates clearly, and keeps the broader goals of the organization in mind. All skills that I believe will translate directly to me serving effectively on the library board. The MPB like Henipin County is trying to anticipate how it can best serve its community as the 21st century brings challenges and opportunities related to things like technology, aging infrastructure, changing demographics, etc. I would be excited to use what I have learned at NPRB and in my other roles working in local government to help support the Henipin County Library System. I have been interested in the library board for several years and periodically attend the board meetings. I had a very eye-opening experience at the January 2024 meeting that shaped my interest in serving on the board. At that meeting, library staff presented the results of the previous year's library patron survey. One of the survey responses that they shared had been written by a patron who said that they had been experiencing homelessness. and they said that the library was one of the only places where they could go on a cold day and be welcomed, smiled at, and not immediately asked to leave. As I listened to the board discuss that patron's remark, it reminded me that the library is about so much more than books. It's about community. And as we proceed into the 21st century, I think that there will always be teenagers who need a safe place to go after school. People who are lonely and just want to be around others. People who need to warm up on a cold winter day. New parents who are exhausted and overwhelmed and would benefit from meeting other new parents who are going through the same thing, etc. Basically, there will always be people seeking community. I would like to serve on the Henipin County Library Board because I want to make sure that the library continues to be as inclusive and welcoming as it can be for the diverse residents of Henipin County. I'm proud of our worldclass library system and would like to spend my energy supporting it however I can. Thank you for your consideration. >> Good afternoon. My name is Amy Webster and I have applied to become a future member of the Henipin County Library Advisory Board. I am a technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading people, process, technology, and data across global organizations and also a small business owner in Minnesota assisting individuals and organizations to accelerate their strategic goals through the ethical application of emerging technologies. I am a dedicated resident of Minatro Chista Minnesota and am deeply committed to the success and continued vitality of Henipin County. My professional background is rooted in strategy, budgetary oversight of organizations both large and small and providing effective client services at scale. All of which I believe are critical for the future of our public library system. As an AI and data ethicist, speaker, and advocate for the responsible use of technology, I have a unique perspective on navigating the current ethical discussions and compliance frameworks necessary in today's new realities. I've also published and presented internationally on this topic and remain passionate about engaging the community in discussion on the same. Throughout my career, I have cultivated a strong foundation in leadership and strategy. I have an extensive experience in business and technology strategy development, implementation, operational execution, organizational change management, and leading multi-geography teams. My roles have required me to build resilient, candid, and collaborative relationships, which is essential also for effective board work. Additionally, my experience in government governance and compliance includes expertise in vendor governance and sourcing risk and controls compliance itself and the development and imple implementation of governance frameworks and team accountability to the same. While my professional life has been largely dedicated to technology and data, my personal passions are tied deeply to continuous learning and to my home of Minnesota. I believe public libraries serve as essential community centers, truly democratic spaces for learning, connection, and growth for everyone. Our libraries provide an equal playing field for learning, access, and are critical enablers of community building and individual growth. Outside of my work, I enjoy the physical discipline of indoor rowing and hold a deep connection with the beautiful Minnesota outdoors through horseback riding and photography. I'm confident that my experiences in ethical technology, strategic leadership, robust governance combined with Greetings. My name is Preston Gekle and I'm an applicant for the Race Equity Advisory Council as an ATL large member. Thank you for the opportunity to address you as a Minneapolis resident. Um, it is today, as I leave you this message, a a dark day. Uh, it is a dark day when the federal government murders my fellow community member and then immediately tries to spin that as everyone else's fault. Uh, it is also a dark day when the federal government continues to terrorize this community. As I say it in my letter, um I have dedicated and do dedicate my professional life to public service, having represented youth in child protection and delinquency cases throughout Minnesota, including outside the metro area and also separately parents and relatives in child protection cases. I've had the privilege of advocating for those people inside and outside the courtroom. They have taught me that concrete tangible financial support coupled with genuine commitment that of showing up being there to support them is what can mean the difference uh or are what can mean the difference between ongoing system entanglement and leading the lives they wish to lead. That's why I'm thankful to the county board for already beginning the process of discussing reparations. Race equity does not emerge simply from treating everyone equal equally when the landscape of wealth, income, education, and the privileges of life that those things bring is nowhere close to equal. Equality is an idealized state. Equity to me means action. It demands that we act, whether that's through reparations, guaranteed income, public investment, or ending cycles of system entanglement. It means recognizing unmet needs, whether economic or social, are at the root of chronic distress. And that that distress ultimately disproportionately impacts our various communities, particularly BIPO communities. Ultimately, that chronic distress leads to involvement in our various involuntary systems such as the criminal legal system, the youth prosecution system, and the child protection or out of home placement system. And I would u appreciate your time and consideration of this application uh for the race equity uh advisory council. Thank you for your time. Hello, my name is Lindsay Twiger and I am applying for a position on the Henipin County Race Equity and Advisory Council. My personal academic and professional experiences have equipped me with more than seven years of relevant knowledge and skills to support the council's community focused mission. I'm enthusiastic about using my skill set to continue the work of identifying ways to transform and improve policies, programs, and tools within Henipin County. I have lived in Henipin County for almost 10 years and have worked in fields of educational equity, housing, employ, and employment supporting individuals battling race and equity disparities. I have experienced similar disparities myself as a person of color in personal, professional, and educational settings. I would use my lived experiences as well as uplift the experiences of those around me to be a leader and innovator as we work to be responsive to the voices and needs of the community. I look forward to the opportunity of collaboration through critical thinking and shaping policies and procedures alongside fellow council members. The master's degree in social work, specifically the anti-opressive macro track, uh is a further asset to this. I have gained skills in systems work and advocacy in a wide range of settings. This council and its committee does crucial work in examining and addressing race disparities in key areas focused on housing, employment, and mental health. So many black, indigenous, and people of color have been disproportionately affected and underresourced in these areas, especially within the city of Minneapolis where I live and have done most of my work. These are areas I hope to support using datadriven practices to provide actionable solutions to those directly affected by racial, ethnic, and wealth inequities. I have continuously sought ways to understand how systems can better support historically underrepresented individuals and communities to achieve their goals. I hope to bring my skills of program development, program management, and experience with a datadriven focus to the team. I have also provided my resume and cover letter for your review. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. >> Hi, my name is Kandra Revering. I am applying to the Race Equity Advisory Council. First, thank you for the opportunity to be considered and for the county's uh continued commitment to advancing racial equity across our systems in Henipin County. I'm an attorney, entrepreneur, and community advocate with more than 20 years of experience working in the intersection of justice, equity, and in the community. My legal practice focuses on comm community criminal defense, family law, and civil advocacy. My law office, we have a strong emphasis on serving youth, communities, and families that have historically been marginalized. Beyond my legal work, I lead and support uh community-based initiatives. Um, I currently sit on one of the boards for MCCD and I just joined the board for Phyllis Wheatley Community Center. Many of the initiatives that I work with focus on economic access, entrepreneurship, and equity in emerging communities. I often collaborate with nonprofits, local governments, and community organizations to help close opportunity gaps and build pathways to stability and success. I'm seeking appointment because I believe uh that equity must be operational and not aspirational. We do we don't move the needle simply by naming disparities. We move it by changing how decisions are made, how resources are allocated, and how accountability is measured. I think that I would be an asset to the race equity uh council. Henipin County um I believe has made me meaning meaningful commitments to racial equity both in community organizations and through the court and I want to contribute by ensuring those commitments translate to tangible outcomes uh from housing stability to public safety um to economic mobility youth engagement and access to opportunity. I believe that I bring both com the community voice and policy lens and I also understand how county decisions land on the ground and I understand the realities of governance, legal frameworks and institutional change. My goal is to help the council um and the community continue strengthening its role as being a bridge between community experience and county leadership. If a My name is Anita Davis. I am a lifelong resident of North Minneapolis, a daughter of Mexican immigrants and a Henipin retiree. and I am applying for a seat on the equity advisory committee to engage in challenging conversations about equity and help turn them into measurable and effective change. Not only as a participant, but based on my background and experience, I'm a confident and experienced individual. I understand the unique role of advisor within a formal body of governance. I'm motivated by the belief that each individual requires different resources to build their own equitable basis to reach their full potential, whether serving as an employee or as a county resident seeking immediate beneficial services. I have many years of experience working closely on community related concerns, boards, and commissions. As a former chair of the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, a chief steward of three ask me local unions in Henipin. I've been building bridges across various community needs, having been appointed by a governor and mayors to community-based boards and commissions and now in my final year in the Metropolitan Council's equity advisory committee. I continue to assist in constructing pathways for inclusive progress. The advice and perspectives I can provide are grounded in my life work and community-based experiences. I'm ready to lay down the groundwork needed by Henipin's equity advisory by listening, learning, and advocating to ensure that Henipin County doesn't just talk about being inclusive and equitable, but truly believes and becomes an organization where everyone works together con to construct a thriving community. I am confident that I can make a meaningful contribution to the equity advisor's mission and I'm eager to collaborate with other dedicated individuals and advocate for meaningful change in Henipin County. Thank you very much for this opportunity. Goodbye. Thanks to everyone who applied um as I mentioned before and we'll be making appointments over the next few weeks. So at this time I'm going to entertain a motion to progress items 3A through 3II to the January 27th meeting of the county board. >> So moved. >> Excuse me. Any discussion? >> Um thank you, Madam Chair. Just a quick question. And I wondered if this was all of I know it's not all the applicants, it's all the applicants who chose to interview, but correct >> it is the total number of interviews >> so far. Yes. If we have to go back out and advertise for a couple of those, which we might, there could be another set of but much smaller of interviews. >> I just it caught my eye that there were a couple where >> I know that we had nothing. I know. Yes. So that's and we have a new board that we have to just make sure that that gets up and filled with good people. So we'll more work to be done. >> Wonderful. >> Okay. All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> Motion carries. It is now 3:51. So let's be back at 401. 10-minute break and we'll continue with item four. I know everybody needs one. Thank you. I want to get going again. It's It's one after four. If you don't mind, we can get to the day here because we we still got a lot of work to do. >> We do. We do. Thank you. Thank you everyone. I think we all needed that break. >> Since we have quorum, I will call us back to the meeting. Um, I will start with item four of new business. There are two routine items. May I have a motion for both of those? >> So moved. >> So they've been moved and seconded. I'll read them. The first one 4A is to negotiate various agreements with ignite contracts for the periods between the 1st of January 2026 through 1231 of 26 of the not to exceed of $51,600. Item 4B is agreement with Three Rivers Park District to purchase law enforcement and terrorism prevention equipment starting January 1st um of 28 um in 2026 through June 30th of 2026. So not to exceed of $9,990. Um there's been a move in a second. Is there any comments or questions on these? Go ahead, Commissioner Conley. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. just um wanting to understand better the item 4B. >> Please, Mr. Rogan. Thank you. >> Uh Madam Chair and Commissioner, this is uh an agreement with the Three Rivers Park District to purchase um some law enforcement and terrorism prevention equipment. And it's a pass through grant um that we have. And the uh agreement with Three Rivers is for them to purchase um a Polaris Ranger UTV for search and rescue. Um, and this was approved in October of 2025 for uh by the law enforcement and terrorism prevention group. >> Any other questions or comments? Uh, Commissioner Green, please. >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to make a comment that I also had caught on um terrorism prevention equipment and just was like, oh my god, militarization of the Three Rivers Park District. Um, but then was glad to see that it was for search and rescue. So, thank you. >> Any other questions, comments? All those in favor? I >> I motion motion carries for 4 A and 4B. Item 4C has an R1. So I'd ask for a movement of the R1. >> I'll move it. >> Second. >> Been moved and seconded. This is designating gun violence as a public health priority in Henipin County offered by Commissioner Edison. Commissioner, please go ahead and introduce this with in the edits. >> Thank you. And do I need to move it before the our committee? It's already been moved. It's already been moved. Okay, perfect. So, um, the R1, I'll just speak to what the R1 is first. The R1, um, was feedback from the Henipin County, um, attorney's office that we took as well as Commissioner Conley had some good suggested edits as well. So, I just took those. Um, and so then to speak to the overall bar, um, today the resolution asks us to do something both practical and responsible to formally recognize gun violence as a public health priority in Henipin County to align the work we already are doing across departments in a more coordinated and accountable way. Over the past decade, firearm related deaths in our county have increased nearly 70% from 79 deaths in 2014 to 133 in 2023. Statewide data show that gun deaths continue to climb in 2024 um at 564 motans killed by firearms and roughly 6% increase from the year before. Nearly twothirds of deaths are suicides. A pattern reflected locally as well is consistent with the statewide uh data. The reality alone tells us this cannot be addressed by enforcement alone. It requires prevention, early intervention, mental health support and recovery. What also those numbers don't reflect are the number of people that are impacted by gun violence that do not die. Um, we know from uh the every shooting that happens, honestly, in the last several months, there were multiple uh instances annunciation. Um, Commissioner Connley, the the shooting in your district outside of the school um where there were victims of gun violence that survived and those impacts are are are big. This resolution is about coordination. It's not about expansion. And what it does create is a clear accountability, a shared framework, and an annual reporting back to this board so that we can track progress and make informed decisions. It ensures that Hen Healthc Care is at the table. Henipin Healthcare treats the majority of firearm related injuries statewide. The Henipin County Sheriff's Office and the Henipin County's Attorney's Office would be explicit partners in this work. And I did send this bar to them and both of them have a agreed with the changes um they are now supporting this uh this bar. something that we did at the legislature and it's something that I want to be consistent in with bars when I have um Henipin uh county um dually elected uh people to also be consistent that they also support this this bar is consistent with how we address other preventable causes of death such as opioid overdoses, traffic fatalities, and infectious disease. Gun violence deserves the same sustained datadriven public health response. And finally, this resolution sends a clear message to residents. We take gun violence seriously. We believe prevention saves lives and we are committed to working across systems. With that, Madam Chair, I welcome my colleagues input. >> Please, colleagues, would you like to go across? Go ahead, Commissioner Connley and then Commissioner Green. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to thank Commissioner Eden for putting this together for for doing the due diligence of getting um all involved uh in the creation of this. Um, I'll just say that one of the things that I wanted to see was expanding victim and witness services, support services for survivors and impacted families because as mentioned, um, gun violence doesn't just impact one person. It impacts, uh, families, it impacts communities, it impacts schools, it impacts everyone, and it's dangerous um, um, for those survivors if the proper supports aren't in place. So, I think expanding what we do for survivors in and of itself is just as important um as the public health crisis that gun violence is. So, overwhelmingly supportive um and mindful that uh it is those who who um who are often left to grieve um who I think about um as well as um the person whose life is is no longer with us. So, I appreciate that inclusion. >> Commissioner Green. Um, thank you, Madam Chair, and and thank you, Commissioner Eden, um, for bringing forward this bar. I I know this was at least partially inspired by, um, some high-profile gun violence that occurred in Minnesota over the last six months, and we know that that violence reflects national trends and increases on gun violence um, beyond our borders. Um, additionally, I'd like to add to the conversation that the federal that federal public health dollars are specifically barred from being spent on studying gun violence prevalence, causes, and as you alluded to, the reverberating impacts beyond the numbers of people who senselessly die. Um, so I really appreciate the county reiterating its efforts to reduce gun violence. uh and as you said taking a datadriven approach on how this bar extends our efforts and alliance with community and partners in the region. So thank you >> commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you Madam Chair. Yes. Uh echo the appreciation Commissioner Eden for for bringing this forward. Um, in addition to the comments that my colleagues have have made on this, I also want to elevate the importance of looking at gun violence holistically, including suicide prevention and safe storage uh, to help prevent accidental deaths. 70% of gun deaths are suicides. And I think that's an important part of the the conversation in looking at how we can keep people alive um with the landscape that we have uh in guns in our societies. So I appreciate the the focus of bringing forward a holistic and datadriven approach to looking at this from a public health perspective. It's well overdue and I'm glad that we're doing taking action. >> Other comments from other colleagues? I just want to say I'm fully supportive of this and I think we're making a big bold and public comment about this and I think it's due. So, thank you. All those in favor signify by I. I >> opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Um, Commissioner Eden. Um, we will move on to item 4 D under the addendum, which is to negotiate an agreement with HUD to accept lead hazard reduction grant funding from February 1st of 2026 through 1231 of of 31. So, this is nice. I'm glad to see this is still going on. 7.750 um million dollars will be received. I'll move this. >> Second. >> Does anybody want an explanation of this? We've seen this before. All those in favor signify by I. I oppos. Motion carries. And then finally on the agenda is item 4E, which I talked about at the beginning of our agenda, which is denouncing the violent and lawful actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and Henipin County offered by Commissioners Connley, Fernando, and Ederson. Um, who's going to kick this off? >> I'll move it. >> Move it. Okay. Moved in a second. Who's going to kick it off? You are. Commissioner Fernando. >> Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to co-authors, Commissioner Connley and Commissioner Eden. As we know, what's happening in our county and region right now with ICE is horrifying. Here in Minnesota, here in Henipin County and across Minnesota, people and minors have been racially profiled, intimidated, physically assaulted, and unlawfully removed from homes and private property. Schools, social services, and medical access have been significantly disrupted. And last Wednesday, an agent publicly shot and killed a Henipin resident named Renee Nicole Good. Regarding the action before us, there are 10 whereas clauses that sought to be factual for the purpose of providing context for the six resolving clauses. Since this action was only published today, I won't read each clause verbatim, but I will summarize each resolving clause's intent. There are six total clauses. The first resolving clause denounces the violence and constitutionally questionable actions by ICE in Minnesota. The second condemns the preventable killing of Miss Good and calls for an independent or parallel investigation to be conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as Minnesota's expert agency through their specialized force investigations unit. The third resolving clause calls for the end of the influx of more than 2,000 federal immigration enforcement personnel and assets and to suspend enforcement tactics that inflict community harm and undermine trust. The fourth reaffirms support for staff and community and reaffirms Henipin's commitment to person- centered services and trauma-informed care. The fifth clause reaffirms the county's policy regarding county properties, specifically how civil immigration enforcement is not an authorized use for our properties. The final resolving clause is the longest and has the greatest operational direction for county administration, directing the county administrator to establish a structured response with weekly updates to commissioners. This clause also outlines seven specific outcomes expected, noting that this is intended to be the start of a process. Number one, develop a cohesive communication strategy for the county workforce, subsidiaries, and partners. Number two, establish a reporting mechanism for workers to report concerns that impact the safety, well-being, and rights of county clients, workers, partners, and residents. Number three, for further review policies and procedures to protect the safety, well-being, and rights of clients, workers, partners, and residents. Number four, aggregate federal orders that the county and its subsidiaries have received to develop strategies that balance organizational compliance with worker [snorts] and resident safety. Number five, updates on county impacts of Operation Metro Surge to the congressional delegation. Six, engage with state government partners to pursue actor afteraction reviews to evaluate the impacts from Operation Metro Surge as well as to consider mechanisms to prevent or respond to a future influx of federal agents in our communities. Number seven, engage directly with local government partners to ensure open and regular lines of communication. increase quantifiable understanding of workforce impacts and service disruptions and explore potential alignment for joint or coordinated work. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm sure my co-authors would like to speak and I look forward to the discussion. >> Please, Commissioner Connley. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I want to give some perspective from my neighborhood. So, I live six blocks away from 34th in Portland. I live three blocks away from 38th in Chicago. My neighborhood did not have a chance to heal within the last 5 years. And so now my neighborhood is experiencing retraumatization. I want to first thank our copes team um our Leah Kaiser and M deputy administrator Murphy all of whom wrapped around the community uh who asked for immediate response. We are not okay. We witnessed murder twice in five years. Um state sanctioned violence. So, I want to be very clear that what I that I learned several years ago to take my anger and my frustration and my emotion and turn it into policy. Strong policy. Strong policy that says what we're going to do. That's why you see seven things that the county is committed to do that is actionable. That is what we have a responsibility to do for our residents. Um and and that th this to me is solid. It's timely. and our residents deserve it. We have seen an unprecedented level of attack, these are my words, uh that we've never seen before. And a lot of it is illegal. A lot of it is unconstitutional, verified unconstitutional. Uh a lot of people's rights are being viol violated. US citizens are being pulled from their vehicles without even having the opportunity to put those vehicles in park. You have ICE agents going doortodoor. You have residents afraid to go to their doctor's appointments, afraid to go to the post office, afraid to show up to court, right? Um afraid to just live or leave their homes. And when you have a situation like that, when you have an occupation of a federal regime in your backyard, lots of them, thousands of them, and you're afraid to leave. What does that say to us as policymakers in terms of our responsibility to say it's okay to go to your to your OB appointment? It's okay to go pick up your prenatal vitamins. It's safe for you to go to your regularly established appointments. But the reality is it's not because you don't know who's going to rip you out of your car. These people are masked up. You can't identify them. They're violent. They're vulgar. And they are in our communities. We can't distinguish who they are. We just know that they're out. I got a text message from the school today saying that they are on a cold yellow because ICE agents were spotted five blocks from my 13-year-old school and my 11-year-old school. I don't appreciate that. That makes me angry as a parent that my school has to go on lockdown because of the egregious actions of the ICE officers in our community right now. The least we can do as a governing body is approve something like this that is actionable, solid, and addresses the issues that we are seeing every day on the news, that we are scrolling past on social media, that our kids are coming home from school and telling us about. The least we can do is do these seven steps. Now, the background is solid. The resolving clauses are solid. The whereas clauses are solid, but there has to be steps and action to what it is that we do. And so I um I'll end there, but I want to say that this is strong. I'm appreciative of my colleagues uh for co-authoring this and for understanding the urgency that is needed right now in this moment, and it's up to us to take advantage of that urgency and move this. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Commissioner Eden, >> thank you. I'll keep it brief. Um and I just want to thank Commissioner Connley and thank Commissioner Fernando for bringing this. Um Minnesota appears to be experiencing a disproportionate and politically charged enforcement activity in Minnesota. We have 2,000 uh immigration agents and then I you we're hearing different numbers but maybe another thousand that are that have coming today. Um what is happening right now in our state is is honestly it for for the suburbs um it's not just the city right it's the suburbs too in Edina it was Jerry's um it was uh right on the border of Richfield it was at Chipotle um we're seeing it in the suburbs as well and our kids are scared uh to what Commissioner Connley was saying um yesterday I had spent all day calling uh legislative partners that were in the business community. I um during the pandemic I helped open restaurants and so I worked a lot with them and I called Hospitality Minnesota and the leader there and Angie had I talked to her and how restaurants are being impacted are incredible. Um people they're having to close restaurants if people know anything about the finances of a restaurant. Restaurants can't close for multiple days. Businesses will be lost. Jobs will be lost. And if you look on the Department of Homeland Security's website, they say that they want to um to collect a 100 million residents from the United States. Where are we going to get those people? I I it's um right now, even with the testimony that we heard during open public comment, um what's happening at our hospital and what's happening with immigration um officers at our hospital when they do not have a judicial warrant, they're not listening. I called the hospital association also yesterday to say what are you doing to look at other hospitals um because the reality is is Henipin County alone cannot do this um I was glad but they they're still working on it so they're meeting apparently today or tomorrow just heads up I don't know where Liz is um but AG Ellison bringing the the lawsuit that's great but in Chicago the the Illinois AG brought a lawsuit was not that long ago for Operation Midway a blitz and they're still dealing with some of the repercussions of what happened there. So, I just I mean all of the little things I think people right now are they don't know what they can do but what's happening here is not okay and what's happening is politically motivated because people are Democrats and that's not how governments work. When people call our offices, we don't care if they're Democrats or Republicans. We help people. when states need help, you help them, whether a Democratic state or a Republican state. So, with this, um, I'm very supportive. Thank you. >> Other colleagues like to comment or question. Commissioner Green. >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Commissioners Connley, Fernando, and Eden for bringing this forward to us. Um, uh, Commissioner Connley, I wrote down the phrase that you used, state sanctioned violence, and just wanted to sit with that for a second. Um, ICE has aggressively occupied our county and state uh and and exercised the tragic murder of Renee Good and the subsequent escalation of attacks on our community. This is all unacceptable. Um, we're navigating a dystopian landscape that we've all worked a good portion of our adult lives, I would bet, to prevent. Uh, roving federal agents are completely unregulated. Abductions are happening built on racial profiling, but any any one of us may be picked off the street at any moment and are then caught up in a multi-chambered tarpit is the word I used because it's sticky. Like, you can't get away from it. Tarpit of incarceration in mysterious locations with no expeditious or predictable processdriven way of connecting to your family and community, let alone a lawyer. ISIS's presence in Henipin County is a safety risk to all of our residents regardless of immigration status. I appreciate this bar because it puts a clear plan in place that'll allow the county board and administration to stay on top of ISIS's activities and coordinate with local jurisdictions to effectively support our workers and residents. I see this activity sort of taking place already um you know in the grassroots uh and we as a big and leading regional institution need to do our part as fast as possible. So thank you. >> Thank you Commissioner Lundy. >> Thank you Madam Chair. Uh I I just want to reiterate you know people have spoken eloquently is that uh you know in my district uh about 22% 23% is foreignb born um is they're picking up people who are American citizens and hauling them away which last time I checked is not something that this country ever operates on. Uh and certainly people who are not American citizens have rights as well. Um, and so when people are saying that they're only taking criminals, they're not. Um, you know, there's a Liberian kid who has picked up American citizen who happens to be a Liberian. Um, and you know, disappeared for 4 hours. No one knows where they are. Um, and you know, imagine if your kid, my kids, uh, who are not, uh, in this category, so to speak, uh, you know, gone for four hours, no one gets a notice to anything. Uh, you know, not even a not a certain thing. If you are picking people up, you're supposed to have just cause. You're supposed to have many things, but most of all, uh, you know, just terrorizing people because of the color of their skin or because you believe they might be is certainly not appropriate. Um, you know, one thing I, you know, as I've talked people in my communities, many who have fled war, is that the government there would just disappear people and people disappear for three, six months. They'd be arrested. you couldn't find out information. So that's where this trust factor comes in where people are afraid even though they may not be subject because they are used to a country where people would just be picked up and disappeared and maybe never returned. And so when they see the country that they fled to behaving the same way it um causes nothing more than pain. It you know destroys trust at every level. Uh you have if you talk to police departments, they're going to tell you that the things that they have worked to rebuild are getting destroyed by somebody who happens to wear a uniform and is does not share the values or the care of the community that they do. And so I I just ask people to think about that that people who have come to this country legally who have fled here because of civil war and unrest and a government that wants to that will decide to shoot. I want to highlight the the people in Iran right now who are doing the same damn thing where people are being slaughtered by the hundreds and they're standing up for freedom and they're asking this country to help them out when we're not even helping our own people who live here in the same manners that we want to help them. And uh I I think that is wrong at every level that you know sometimes uh freedom is tough but you have to live up to it at all times and that you have to stand up for it I believe at all times and uh you know we're not standing up. So and I'd hope that this uh resolution kind of gives that I just wish people would think outside of the politics and think about the human factor. That would be really nice for a change. I have I'm naively hopeful that that might happen, but um we all can just try to control our actions and stand up for those people who are being affected or potentially affected because who knows what could happen tomorrow with the next person. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. Um Commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, I appreciate the the comments and we know that when ICE operates in this way unpredictably without transparency, it doesn't make our community safer. It, as has been mentioned, it keeps people from engaging in their community. Um, people avoid clinics. They avoid going to public spaces. They won't call 911 for the things that they need to call 911 for. And there the cost of not being able to respond because 911 and our police force is being drawn [snorts] into places other than the true emergencies in our the other true emergencies in our neighborhoods. This kind of enforcement destroys the trust that is needed to keep our community safe. I want to be really clear. The threat is not our immigrant neighbors. It is intimidation by our government. And when people see that they are being threatened, it pushes them into more dangerous situations. And so I'm really thankful that we are taking this action to address that directly. Um I also want to like I want to call out some very specific things. Few days ago, Secretary Gnome stood at a podium that said one of ours all of yours. calling direct quotes from fascist regime regimes from the 1930s. Um, today the president wrote that the day of reckoning and retribution is coming. These are threats by the federal government against us and we can't stand by and ignore that. Um, this seems like a very deliberate strategy to provoke unrest and then use that to justify further harsher government action. Our role is to protect our residents, document everything that happens so that we can keep our communities safe. Real safety, the safety that we are trying to implement is built on trust. And we cannot do that um when we are facing a regime that just wants to enforce laws through intimidation and threats. And we need to hold on to our values. And so I'm really appreciative of you three bringing this forward so that we can continue to operationalize what we need to in Henipin County to keep our residents safe. Thank you. >> Thank you. You know, I I feel very strongly about this too because we're being occupied by hostile forces from our own federal government. You know, you said it very well too. State sanctioned violence. It's the same thing. I see it that way. And our federal government is lying to us. They're lying to us about Renee Good and what happened to her, right? And they're they're really distorting facts even though everybody can see it on many many uh videos that show what happened and how these cowboys are not well trained out there acting the way they are um in ways that are unsafe for them, but also unsafe for every other person in there. And not just the person that they shot, but the people who were bystanders there that could have been collateral damage. You know, one of the things that happened is they're leaving our children um at home without parents in Richfield. Three young kids were left in the home alone because both their parents were taken out and there was no other thing. They are not calling services or anything like this. We're trying to track down those parents as a group of of of people of neighbors out there and trying to make sure these these kids are taken care of. Um businesses are closing. Our schools are in lockdown. A lot of them are. Richfield was in lockdown, too. We had ICE agents in the in the parking lot there. And there are huge attendance issues now. As I talked to the superintendents, people aren't showing up. They can't show up. They're too afraid. Um they may have gone and hiding with their families. Our office is getting a lot of calls, I'm sure my colleagues are, for food, for rent, for mortgages because people are afraid to go out of their homes even to go to work. Um and they're not letting their kids out to go to school either. So this is happening throughout my district. You know, you it's not local and I heard it's down in Homestead County. I've heard about it in Noa County. Um, and so it's got to be happening outstate, too. I just haven't heard those things feedback come back yet. Um, [clears throat] we've had to be telling, and I've been making calls telling all my brown and black residents, friends, and businesses to carry copies of your birth certificate and your passport because they're going to pick you up. They are picking up citizens. They are picking up Native Americans as well. And what do they do? They drive them around for a while while terrorize them and drop them 20 miles away without a coat or any way or means to get back to where they're supposed to be. This is how they're treating people. Yeah. I I'm just I'm just beside myself. But I want to make one real thing that's really clear. Our public safety from our cities, our counties, our state troopers, and our park districts are out there to make sure crowds are doing okay. They are not assisting ICE. I guarantee you that. In fact, they're speaking out against what's ICE doing. They see how illtrained these people are and the civil rights violations that are going on. But they are out there. They are out there. They are also recording all this. They have the cameras. They will be on our the right side of history when this finally comes down and ends. And so, I just want to remind everybody, you know, what they are actually doing and that they care about the citizens and the immigrants of their communities. So, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. And Angela, you want to make some further comments? >> I do, Madam Chair. Thank you. I just I want to close um with this, and that's that um the immense stress that uh our residents are under right now has devastating impacts to their physical health. um stress levels that are consistently elevated, consistently high um with um anxiety, fear, that is terrible for the physical well-being of our residents. So, this all has future public health ramifications in my opinion. There are a lot of a lot of people that are just not going to be okay physically. Um it contributes to heart disease. It contributes to a a a slew of physical ailments. this overwhelming high level of stress that just doesn't go away because of the attack that we're under right now. So, I wanted to just um conclude my statements by amplifying the health effects that our neighbors and our and our um neighbors throughout the county are experiencing. It's severe severe severe deterioration of one's own physical health, mental health. Um, and we need to be cognizant of that as the authority in this county to be responsible for the well-being of all of our residents. Thank you, >> Commissioner Fernando. >> Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Just to that [clears throat] end, a [snorts] collective breath if possible for this room and just to speak directly to residents and workers, our neighbors and family members and kids for a moment. Thank you for your unrelenting courage, your compassionate caregiving, and a fierce resilience towards justice. I can't believe we're here again. >> Yeah. >> How many times does this region need to be the center of national and international attention? >> [clears throat] >> And since we have been here before together, I invite us to resist the urge to give in to the numbness that comes with this type of attention. Because numbing our pain might also numb our shared humanity. And is only through the collective wisdom in our bodies and our ancestral story lines that we will get through to the other side of this. Together, we come from powerful, loving, and resourceful stories. Our cultures and ancestors have found ways to construct creativity from pain, joy from fear, and hope from oppression. And we will do so again today. Because ultimately, I do believe that our shared humanity and love for one another will prevail. But that only occurs when we rise together, leading with integrity. caring for one another with dignity and fighting for our shared humanity without apology. That means in the face of what we are experiencing, we must attempt to be brave together, speaking our truths and leading towards accountability and justice. So, this is the start of an action. This is a long-standing commitment that the residents of Henipin County and all who come and visit and and spend time here in Minnesota um that there are many local leaders who are here with you and um we are honored to lead on your behalf. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Any final thoughts, comments? All those in favor signify by I. I. >> Motion carries. We are done with our agenda. Perfect. [snorts] Yeah. Yeah, that's a nice Good afternoon. I'll call to order the health committee on this Tuesday, January 13th, 2026. The first item of business on our agenda is to approve the minutes from the meeting held December 2nd. Is there a motion? >> Second. >> The item the minutes have been moved and seconded. Any corrections, comments on the minutes? Seeing and hearing none. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? The minutes have passed. 2 A. If there's a motion to bring that before us. >> So moved. >> Been moved and seconded. 2A is in an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Health to provide funding to North Point Health and Wellness Federally Qualified Health Center, FQHC, subsidy grant program. The dates on this are January 1st of 2026 through December 31st of 2026 with a receivable of just over $1.3 million. Deputy Murphy. >> Madam Chair, commissioners, the funding would support my favorite health clinic in the state of Minnesota, uh, the one that we own and operate. Um, if you have any questions, uh, we have, uh, North Point CEO, Miss Kim Spates here to present. Miss >> Spates, would you like to provide an overview? Welcome. Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioners, Kimberly Spitra from North Point Health and Wellness Center. So, uh, today this agreement with the Minnesota Department of Health provides $1.3 million in funding um for North Point um to continue to provide services to lowincome, underinsured, insured individuals. This year's award represents a significant increase of about $650,000 more than last year. Um, this was an appropriation that the state of Minnesota did for all FQAC's across the state. We expect that this level of funding will remain in place, roughly $1.3 million through 2028. Um, we'll be using those funds to continue to expand um and support our medical and behavioral health services at our school-based clinics, enhance OB care coordination, uh provide financial counseling and healthc care coverage navigation as we know uh later this year there going to be some uh additional rules and regulations that people are going to need to follow and we want everybody to stay on their healthcare if they can. Um, in addition to the programmatic support, we're also going to be doing some critical infrastructure investments in our Broadway Avenue uh location where we're going to purchase some new uh dental chairs, expand our X-ray room, and we're also working to enhance our intake systems uh so that uninsured patients can enroll in coverage or our financial assistance programs. and we're seeking to continue to ensure access to vaccines and prescription medications for individuals experiencing gaps in coverage. This investment strengthens our ability to continue to provide culturally responsive, comprehensive care and reduce [snorts] health disparities in our community. Um, so if you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you. >> Thank you so much and congratulations on the additional funding. Colleagues, questions or comments? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I I oppose. That item passes. That concludes our agenda. I'll declare us adjourned. [snorts] >> [snorts] >> I will call to order the Human Services Committee. It's Tuesday, January 13th, and it is 4:42 p.m. I'm the chair, Heather Eden. Our first order of business is to approve the minutes from December 2nd. Move approval. >> Second. >> Thank you. It's been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say, "I." >> I. >> All right. The minutes have been moved. We have um three items before of new business before us today. If I could have a motion between to get 2 A through 2C before us, I will read them into the record. >> Second. >> They've been moved and seconded. Item 2A is the human services and public health resolution including contracts and amendments to contracts with providers. More information is outlined in the human services and public health contract report numbered 2601. Item 2B is an amendment to an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Services to accept federal grant funding. Well, that's nice. Um to provide services to refugee families receiving MIP, extending the contract end date to September 30th, 2026 and increasing the receivable amount to 1,534,894. Item 2 C is a joint powers agreement with the city of Minneapolis accepting a grant from the city's general fund in the receivable amount of 1 million uh 1.27 million. We'll just go with that for the shelter operations program during the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31st, 2026. Are there any questions on these items? There are not. Um all right, with that being no further questions, uh we will move for a vote. All those in favor of approving items 2 A through 2C, please say I. >> I opposed. Motion carries. And that concludes the human services committee. We are adjourned. I'm sure like to call today's uh meeting of the law, safety, and justice committee uh to order. Uh we have a few items. Uh first up, we have 1A um minutes from December 2nd. If I get a motion, a second. >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second. Any changes, corrections, addictions? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. opposed. Motion carries. Uh we have two items. Uh if if I can get a motion, a second, I will batch 2A and 2B together. >> I'll move the block. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh we have a motion second for both routine items. 2A is an agreement amendment to agreement with Children's Law Center of Minnesota to provide legal representation to Henman County Legacy Youths. Children's whose parents rights have been terminated due to abandonment, abuse, or neglect ages 10 through 21. amending the term of the agreement to 3124 to 22928 and the not to exceed amount to 71,868. 2B is an amendment to agreement with corner house inter agency child abuse evaluation center to conduct interviews of children and vulnerable adults involved in or witnessed abuse of or malreatment. Extend the end date 123126 and increase not to exceed amount by 15,140 to for new total not to exceed of 40,647. Is there any request for information? I'm Commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um not really a request for more information. I just wanted to to highlight that these uh thank you for the conversation and overview of this earlier. wanted to highlight that these are um an example of required services that the county is paying for um that we need to provide to services. And so I just wanted to lift that up as as part of the um the ongoing budget discussions that we're having. Um you know, this is not an insignificant amount of money that we're we're spending on contracts that are vital to our community. So, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Green. >> Um, thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to um highlight both of these contracts as with organizations where we have just had such long and excellent partnerships and great history. I remember when the Children's Law Center contract was new actually, so it's not hasn't been in place forever. Um, but it's both of these organizations are just doing amazing work and work that really adds to what our objectives are for our community and region and young people. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Um I I just want to share a conversation I had with Miss Guzman about, you know, um and I think for county staff at large is just as we have these contracts that individually with different departments to see about harmonizing them across our budget so that we can start to say, okay, is there savings we can have by having one contract? Because it's all within the county, it's all taxpayers money. And I know I think last month we had uh I think a chosen law center had one with county attorney's office. Um, I'm sorry, corner house. Right. Here we go. Um, corner house. And so, not that there's anything wrong with them. I just think it's we should start to use that example that where we have contracts with one vendor uh across multiple places, we may see things that might be I don't want to say duplicative, but potentially opportunities for where we can combine contracts and save money or else just be more operationally efficient. So, um, anyway, any other questions, comments? Seeing none, all those in favor of 2 A and 2B say I, please. >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. And with that, the law, safety, and justice committee agenda is complete. Thank you. I will call to order our public works committee for today. Our first item on the agenda is the approval of our December 2nd minutes. May I have a motion and a second? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any corrections or changes to the minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The minutes are approved. We have three routine items. Uh items 2A through 2C. If I could have a motion for the block. >> Move the block. Chair. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Second. Um item 2A is an agreement with Eden Prairie with the Henipin County Regional Rail Authority for bridge number 27542, replacement along Pioneer Trail in Eden Prairie. An estimated receivable of $85,000. Uh item 2B is to negotiate an agreement with MDOT for signal and accessibility upgrades on CAS 61 uh with an estimated county cost of $260,000 in county bonds. Uh that project's in Minnotonka. The item 2C is to negotiate an amendment to an agreement with Mandot for signal and accessibility upgrades on CASA 73 and with an increase to the estimated county cost of just over $320,000 in Minnitonka. Um, do my colleagues have any questions on these? All fairly routine. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Those three items are approved. We have one item for discussion. Uh that's our Henipin County 2025 prioritized bridge replacement list. Um I'll move this. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh Miss Cernney, >> Chair Anderson, the the this request is for the approval of the Henipin County's 2025 bridge priority list. Mindot requires board approval of this list. This list is developed from our annual bridge inspection program and to be to be considered for state and federal funding. This list is approved annually and is a key component in identifying capital bridge needs statewide. >> Thank you so much. Uh do my colleagues have any questions? uh as we approve this list um every year. It is kind of a continuation of a five-year rolling CIP type um list, but I do see Commissioner Lundy and Commissioner Gatau. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just had a question on um the bridge over 169 between Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove. Uh I don't know whose area it sits in. I know it's kind of right in the boundary. Um, I also know it was damaged and if we want to do anything with the uh transfer station um that bridge sits at that's the spot. So [snorts] I didn't know if that is the 2026. I know I think the city of Maple Grove has taken the lead agency on it but just curious. Chair Anderson, Commissioner Lendy, that is actually a mindot bridge and so it would be part of the the mindot responsibility and as it relates to that project and that location, Henipin County is in partnership with both the Minnesota Department of Transportation as well as the adjacent cities for the replacement of that bridge and that infrastructure in that area. >> Thank you, Commissioner Catel. Yeah, I just want to say how complicated this gets to be sometimes because some of these are joint-owned bridges and trying to get the financing and the dollars through to do this and at the state level too. They can go and apply for grants and dollars and we don't ever get enough to fulfill what we need for these. And the aging of these bridges is significant. And if we have to start, you know, restricting bridges and we have in the past, then it affects commerce and we've already had enough hitting our economy now. And so I I have brought this to the tab which I sit on the technical advisory board many many times with lists of my um counter cities and uh outstate counties and everything to show them what they have too and they're astounded and they don't track these things but I get a regular list from Carla. Thank you Carla and thank your staff for this to show that and every time they do that I get to bring that up and show and pass it around and say what are we going to do about this? What are we going to fund? really decide to fund and are we going to make bridges a priority? Once a bridge goes down, it stops traffic. That's it, right? And so, we've seen enough of that in the past. We've seen enough restricted bridges, too. But that may be our future if we don't get serious about making sure we're putting some dollars into infrastructure. >> Commissioner, >> thank you, Commissioner Eden. >> I just have a quick one. I thank you for this list. I'm I'm really happy to see some of these bridges are definitely in my district. Um, but the Henipin Avenue bridge, we're replacing that in 2027. The whole thing. Oh my goodness. >> Chair Anderson, Commissioner Eden, we are not completely replacing the Henipin Avenue bridge. The reason this bridge is on this list is for a significant rehabilitation. And so we have been again working with v in various different spaces to apply for federal and or state bonding in order to help um increase the amount of work that we can do with the rehabilitation of the bridge. >> Well, thank you. I just I grew up with that bridge. Sorry, I just was exciting. So, thanks. >> Right. Any other questions or comments on the the list? >> Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? >> That concludes our agenda. Thank you. Good afternoon, almost evening. I will call to order this meeting of the Henipin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority for Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Um, colleagues, today is our organizational meeting where we will set appointments for 2026. First, we'll take items one through three on the agenda. The first item of business is the approval of the of the agenda. >> So moved. Second. >> The agenda has been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Agenda is set. Item 2A is the minutes from the previous meeting which was held December 11th, 2025. Is there a motion to approve? >> Move approval. >> Item has been moved and seconded. Any corrections or comments on the minutes? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I any opposed? >> Uh the minutes have passed. Item three is the claims register of which we have none. And so that brings us to item 4 A on our agenda which sets the 2026 organizational structure for the Henipin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Officer positions include chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. So at this time, >> yes. >> May I nominate you for chair again? >> I have been nominated as chair. >> I second. And there's a second. Are there any other nominations? Any other nominations? I have been nominated as chair. I very much enjoy this work. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. Uh colleagues, thank you so much. Over the course of the last year, we've done so much in housing uh and economic development, and I am proud of the work that our staff continued to do and have already begun in the two weeks we've been in 2026. So, thank you for that. Uh, next up is uh, vice chair. Is there a nomination for vice chair of the HR? I will nominate Commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you. >> It's been moved and seconded. Are there any other nominations? Any other nominations? All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> Uh, welcome Vice Chair Anderson. Would you like to say a few words? >> No. [laughter] >> That is set. Colleagues, I would like to propose a slate for secretary and treasurer. Commissioner Lundy has been our secretary in the past and Commissioner Green has been our treasurer. If you would like to continue those roles, ask for a motion to move that slate. >> So moved. >> It's been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> Thank you for your service to the H. >> Do you have a speech? [laughter] >> Do you have a speech? The final item on our agenda today is to set the 2026 Henipin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting schedule which was set by the board. Item 4B is before us. Is there a motion >> to move >> to approve? >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Colleagues, any corrections or comments on that calendar or schedule? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> Our calendar and schedule is set. That is the end of our agenda. I'll declare us a journal.