Good afternoon. I'll call to order this meeting of the Henipin County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. I'm Irene Fernando, chair of the board and District 2 Commissioner. I'm joined by District 1 Commissioner Jeff Lundy, District 3 Commissioner Maryanne Green, District 4 Commissioner Angela Connley, Vice Chair and District 5 Commissioner Debbie Gotel, District 6 Commissioner Heather Edlesen, and District 7 Commissioner Kevin Anderson. Henipin County acknowledges that the magnificent land and vibrant waterways from which our institutions benefit are located upon the cultural, spiritual, and indigenous homeland of the Dakota Oate. Henipin County calls attention to the Dakota people's ongoing connection to this special place. We have a Henipin highlight on midterm elections and so I'll invite Jenny GMS election director up. Welcome. This is Thank you, Madam Chair and commissioners. My name is Jenny Gms. I'm the director of elections for Henipin County. And if you haven't heard, it is election season. Uh so I'm I'm pleased to come here today to talk about a few things going on in the elections world and uh give some tips for folks who are interested in participating in the democratic process this year. Um so right now we have early voting going on actually for the primary uh which is next week on Tuesday, August 11th. Of course, we have the general election coming up on November 3rd and uh our absentee voting for that begins on September 18th and early voting for that begins on the 16th. Now, you may notice me using some new vocabulary. We have not had early voting, true early voting in Minnesota prior to this year. So, it's the first time that we have actual early voting in Minnesota as opposed to in-person absentee voting. So this year that that was a law that was passed in 2023 and this was the first year that we were actually able to implement that statewide. Um so the difference between in person absentee if you've ever come to vote prior to election day to your city hall or to the government center uh the difference that you might notice now if you come during the early voting uh period is that you do not have to fill out an absentee ballot application and you can put your ballot directly into a ballot counter instead of a series of envelopes. Um, so from the voters's perspective, it's a little bit more streamlined and it's a little bit easier. Um, there is still in-person absentee or uh or that that older process is still in place for every day prior to 18. So from day starting at day 46, we start mailing out uh ballots to voters who have requested ballots in the mail. And we have in-person voting for for folks to start on that day. But because it's not early voting yet, you still have to do that absentee process. But if you wait until day 18, then you can start with the early voting process, which is going on right now for us. Um, as I mentioned, uh, voting by mail is still an option, still a popular option for a lot of folks. Um, and of course, there's always voting in person at the polling location on election day. Um, one tip that I have for people is, uh, early voting has become so popular that if you wait to vote, uh, early, if you're still voting early, but you wait until the weekend before or the day before the election, you're probably going to see longer lines at your early voting location than you would if you just went to your polling place on election day. So, if that's an option for you, that is my tip. Um, but of course, uh, all of those options are available for anybody, uh, to use for any reason that they would like. I know a lot of people still prefer going to their polling place on election day and kind of seeing their neighbors and checking in with the election judges there. So, those are all options. Um, if for folks who do um vote through the mail, we uh do suggest that folks put their ballot into the mail no later than a week before election day. So, for anybody out there who's still holding on to their ballot for the primary, this upcoming primary, get that in the mail today. um we cannot count those ballots unless we receive them by election day. Uh so we need to get those ballots in hand. That's state law um by election day in order to be able to count them. So get those into us and if it's too late to to mail your ballot in, you can always come drop it off in person prior to election day or if it's an option, you can still uh go to your uh polling location and vote if you haven't already uh turned in a ballot. So we had a few other legislative changes come in this year. um one around early voting uh that made it a little bit more flexible for our early voting locations in particular our cities uh who do host uh early voting. Um they now have the option to be open for just the early voting period or the full 46-day absentee and early voting. And we did see some cities in Henipin County take advantage of that option. And I would just like to give some context around that. Um, we have been hearing from cities for many years that as early voting has become more and more popular, it's uh it's been burdensome for some of our cities to be able to administer that for the full 46 days. Um, so that is why this option was enabled by the legislature to give some flexibility for those cities and honestly most of the foot traffic that we see in early voting does happen during those last two weeks before the election. Um, so we did see some cities uh do that change and do an 18-day uh period for this year as opposed to the full 46 days. We haven't received a lot of um push back on that from from voters. So I I think it's going over pretty well. We did work with our cities to say, "Hey, if you're taking advantage of this option, please make sure that you're communicating out to your voters to make sure that they know when they can come vote." And that seems to have gone pretty well. Another legislative change that came through this year um is uh making candid candidate addresses private on uh on offices or on the form that they file to to get on the ballot. Um and so this is this is ensuring more privacy for our candidates. Um so we are in the process of also this also applies to our campaign finance reports. So we are right now redacting uh candidate addresses off of uh campaign finance reports. And that would be why if you go to our website right now, you can't necessarily see all the campaign finance reports that we used to have up there. We're in the process of redacting them and getting them back online. I also wanted to mention that the Office of Legislative Auditor did release a report this year looking at how voter registration is handled in Minnesota. They were tasked with seeing how the administration of that is done in Minnesota and making any recommendations uh for improvements. And I'm happy to say that the report was largely positive. Um the only uh things that they suggested that counties change are things that Henipin County already does or don't apply to Henipin County. So we're sitting pretty when it comes to voter registration in Henipin County. I want to take a minute to talk about um all of the risk management that goes into putting on an election. Um because we are hearing from a lot of voters and I'm sure um commissioners are as well from from your constituents a lot of concern about what may go on. um on election day or leading up to election day. And I just want to let the voters of Henipin County know um that we are doing absolutely everything to make sure that everybody who wants to vote can do so safely and without interference. Um and of course this is something that we've been doing for a very long time. Um but the environment has changed. Um, I will say that in the elections department, we do an annual risk assessment where we go through, we get in a room with all of our internal partners and some external partners from cities, the state, and we come up with all of the possible nightmare scenarios that keep us up, what could happen in the run-up to an election or on election day itself. everything from physical risks, cyber hacking, um staffing risks, what if we have a pandemic and we have to throw an election? All kinds of risks that could disrupt the process, including um what if somebody shows up at the polls who's not allowed to be there and what happens? And we in our risk process for this year, we came up with over 160 risks that we then go through and we come up with plans for all of those risks that are high impact or high likelihood. And so we have plans on plans on plans for everything that could happen on election day. So I just I just want to give some assurance to people that, you know, we can't control everything that happens, but what we can do is be prepared for it. And we are. I've been in the elections business for 20 years, and I can very honestly say we have never been more prepared for an election than we are for this one. Um, so I want people to know that they will be safe and we will have their backs if whatever way that they choose to to vote. Um we do uh do routine coordination with our state partners and our city partners as well. So we provide training. We provide backup to all of our city clerks on on these topics as well. And I also want to take a minute to talk about um how great and accurate our voting system is because this is another question that we get. Um in Minnesota we're very lucky because we have a combination of paper ballots and computer ballot scanners and this is the best of both worlds. paper ballots is the absolute backup. It is a it is a physical record of something that the voter themselves actually touched and marked that we can always go back to and look at if we need to. And you combine that with the accuracy of having computers actually do the ballot counting. Um when it comes to the accuracy of the computers, I can say one of the things that we do after every uh evenear election is we go through a post-election equipment review. This is required by statute and we randomly select um a portion of precincts in the county and we go back and do a hand count of all of the ballots in those precincts and compare the results of the hand count to what the equipment came up with on election night. We do that every even year and and again every single even year, every time we've done it. Um, we do we can when we're doing a hand count see some differences where voters maybe circled a candidate instead of filling the oval or they fill in two ovals and they crossed out one. We're allowed when we're doing the hand count to make a voter intent determination that the ballot equipment couldn't couldn't do, isn't expected to be able to do. So, there are some differences here and there for that reason. I have never seen an unexplained I've literally seen zero unexplained differences when we've done those post-election equipment reviews. So the equipment is incredibly accurate. Um and that's of course partly due to the fact that we also do a whole bunch of testing on all the equipment prior to the election. In fact, um equipment is tested twice before every single election. We do pre-election accuracy testing and that's to make sure that we've got all the programming right and the equipment counts the ballots the way it's supposed to. And then we have another test which is a public test where anybody who's a fan of watching paint dry can come and watch us feed test ballots through uh the ballot counters and um you know see that yes the equipment does count the ballots the way that we say that it does and that it's supposed to. So our system is incredibly accurate and I have every confidence and uh our voters should too. I do want to take a minute to talk about some of the federal government impacts on our process uh for this year. Um, one thing that has been in the news is the Department of Justice has been sending requests to various jurisdictions across the country to monitor um, the elections. And this is it's true that this is something that the Department of Justice has done in the past. Um, and that has been routine in the past. We're in a little bit of a different environment this year as as opposed to the past. Um, so I just wanted to bring it up because we've been hearing a lot about this from voters and and and we Henipin County has been listed in the news as a potential jurisdiction that the DOJ wanted to come send monitors to. I can say as of right now, um, we haven't approved any additional monitors or observers from outside Henipin County. Um, the state statute in Minnesota is crystal clear about who is allowed to be in and around a polling place, even within a 100 feet of a polling place. And the list is very small. It's voters, it's people who are in line with voters to help them vote. It's election judges. Um, and it's anybody authorized by the county uh elections office or the state elections office. Um and it could include peace officers if expressly invited by the head election judge to handle an issue in the polling place. Absent that express invitation and request by a head election judge to handle an issue in the polling place. Say a fight breaks out or something like that then peace officers are expressly not allowed to be in and around polling places. And that's because that can be seen as voter intimidation. Um, so I also want to ensure voters that again in Minnesota we have really great election law and it is very clear about who's allowed to be there and who's not and we stand ready to make sure that if anybody shows up who's not allowed to be in the polling place, we'll make sure that they are not allowed to be there. Um, so I I want people to know that we have their backs on that too. I also wanted to just mention um we've had uh again in the news some executive orders uh that would be from the from the federal government that would change the way that elections are conducted in this country. Um that there in particular there is one uh that is proposed to change the way that male voting takes place all across the country. That's not currently um in effect because of some court some adverse court decisions. Uh, and I will say we did submit uh we Henipin County did submit comment on that executive order um stressing our objections to the way that that would have been rolled out had it had it been rolled out. Um so we're continuing to keep an eye on on those kinds of things on various lawsuits as well. Um and then on requests for information uh just generally this is something I would like uh the board to know. We have had just an incredible increase in the amount and the depth of requests for information that our office is receiving around uh data all all pieces of data that come through uh the elections process. Of course, a lot of uh the the data that we handle in the elections office is public data. Um but some of it is private voter information. some of the voter information is private and I just wanted to bring this up because uh it is increasing part of what we do and is increasing it is requiring an increasing amount of resources. Uh we've got people who basically work on this full-time um and it requires uh attention from folks from around the office because of the the kind of the the width and the breadth and the depth of the of the information that we're routinely being required to provide under the Minnesota data privac. Um, so that just goes to some of the resources that we're going to be requesting uh for in the future. Um, which leads me to our 2027 budget uh preview. I just wanted to uh let you all know um speaking of those ballot scanners that are highly accurate, they are also nearing the end of their uh planned life. Um, so we are preparing to replace all of our um polling place ballot scanners uh as of next year and we will we will need um some funding and to be able to do that. Uh, and the reason we want to do that at this time is to make sure that we're not trying to limp through a presidential election cycle with old equipment. Um, that's that's kind of that's that wouldn't be a good situation for the voters of Henry County. So, we are going to be asking for some funding to be able to do that in 2027. And I also there are a couple of other things that are uh coming up in 2027 that are a little unusual. Uh we would have a potential for a statewide special election in 2027 depending on who ends up uh winning the governor's race. Uh if we do have a vacancy uh and a statewide office will have to do a statewide special election, which we wouldn't normally have to do in an odd year. If we do have to do that, we'll we'll need to be able to hire uh seasonal folks to be able to handle that. uh which we wouldn't normally do in a in an odd year. Um and also at the end of 2027, we actually start preparation for the 2028 presidential election, including the presidential nomination primary, which happens early in 2028. So sometimes I hear people say that we don't have elections every year, and I always like to correct them. We do have elections every year, and even if we don't, we're planning for the next one. And finally, I would just like to leave uh with this quote from Secretary Steve Simon. Um, we've had a really good record in Minnesota making sure that our polling places are islands of calm and we have every reason to expect that'll continue and I have every reason to expect that'll continue in Henipin County as well. And two last lighter notes I want to mention. Um, we have been hearing from folks who are just really fired up about being involved in the process, want to help uh the democratic process. My number one suggestion for people who want to do that where your efforts would be most appreciated, sign up to be an election judge. Um, and you can call your city office and and sign up to be and to work where you live and to help your your own neighbors vote. Uh, that is my number one plea for people who want to get involved. Probably second plea is like help your neighbors get to the polls. If you can give people a ride to the polls, that would be great, too. And I would also like to mention that we have a very fun contest going on. This is our first year doing this. We have opened a contest for students to submit submissions for the first ever Henipin County election judge button. So students who live in or go to school in Henipin County can go to our website, download a form. We have a a a little, you know, a template they can fill out and give us their artistic work uh to be selected to potentially be the inaugural Henipin County election judge button that we'll produce and give to election judges this year. And with that, I would be happy to answer any questions from commissioners. Madam Chair. >> Yes. Well, first and foremost, just want to thank you and the whole team. um all the work that you do with the state, with cities, uh as you mentioned, with judges and with volunteers. And I want to thank you for your diligence and your preparation. Especially earlier in this year, we received public comment in this room speaking about democracy and elections. And this is a very well-timed Henipin highlight to ensure that uh everyone knows that the primary is right now that as you said, people should be able to vote safely and without interference. um and and personally really appreciate the specific points of reassurance you've been able to offer for voter access and for voter confidence. So, uh thank you for that. I want to open it up in the event. Commission, >> uh thank you for the presentation. Very timely. A week, seven days to go uh to the primary. I think we'll all be happy to not have all of those attack ads constantly in our uh on our TVs and on our computers. Um but with that I I want to talk about the voting machines and then the funding requests that you have there. Um with that with the potential special election and then in 2028 tell me how long just so that I understand um what it looks like to do that transition of the voting machines. Do you do like a phased in approach? How do we check and make sure um and I well also what is the lifespan of them just so I know how long we've been using them. Thank you. U Madam Chair, Commissioner Eden, the lifespan of these machines is 10 to 15 years. Uh we're in the upper end of that. Our our equipment will be at the very upper end of that if we our current equipment if we continue to use it through 2028. Um the way it would look is is if we do uh have the funding in our budget for 2027, that is when we'll make the purchase and we will start uh rolling out. Um, a lot of times when we're when we're able to purchase equipment in an odd year like that, we can um do kind of a a phase roll out with any cities that have elections in the odd year so we can um get those into those those cities early and then have a little bit of um some some time to to get feedback on the instruction materials and that kind of thing to get us ready for the big roll out in the even year. So that would be hopefully our plan. Commissioner Lindy. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, just first I want to thank you and your staff and I also want to acknowledge the roles that city clerks play in this. The cities have to do with this when they have local elections. Everybody has to do the same kind of the work at every level and everything kind of goes up and then we all sit and hit refresh on the Secretary of State's website going where the hell's the results? Um, and refresh 5 seconds later and hit refresh 5 seconds later. So, um I just want to acknowledge just how tough it is and it's hard to get to the judges. Um you know, younger judges are the hardest because usually if you become election judge, you tend to do it for a long time. I've met people who have done it for 40 years. So, getting people who want to be election judges younger because then they get trained then they start to become and then they can they really become part of the process. I tend to see people who uh tend to retire out of being election judge rather than just quitting. So, uh, then frankly, the election wouldn't work without them. I mean, walking in asking questions, handing a ballot, uh, that stuff is irreplaceable. Uh, people want to cast their ballot. Um, one thing I was curious about, and I got this question, I wasn't sure. Um, so given it's a primary, if a person votes one party, they have to vote that party all the way through. If they ba jump, does it invalidate their whole ballot, including the nonpartisan race or [clears throat] >> Thank you for that question, uh, Madam Chair, Commissioner Lundy. Um, no. If somebody u mistake, so yes, you're correct that, um, for a partisan primary, you're only allowed to vote in one party column. So, you have to select that column and then you cannot vote in the in the other column that you didn't select. So, you can't choose, you know, uh, race by race which party you're voting in. it's one party. Um then if there are partisan offices, usually it's going to be on the back of your ballot. Um if somebody made a mistake and voted in more than one party column, that would not invalidate their votes for the back of the ballot. So the the the machine will count the maximum amount of the vote that it can. I also want to say that if folks are voting in the polling place or they're voting early in a way where they they're putting their ballot directly into the ballot counter, the counter will uh produce an error message if someone made a mistake like that and we'll let them know. So they have the option to return the ballot, spoil it, and get a new one. >> And then if um uh for privacy person like myself, if I vote for a partisan, then the partisan party gets my information. Is that correct or is that incorrect? Uh, Commissioner, uh, Madam Chair, Commissioner Lundy, that's actually not correct for a partisan primary like the one that we're running, uh, on Tuesday. Um, it's actually entirely, we don't know what part what party column you're voting in. We we simply hand you the ballot and then you in the privacy of the voting booth get to select which party column you're voting in. So, we don't know which one you selected. So, we wouldn't even have any way to to give your information to the parties. I think where this confusion can come up is it's a it works a little bit different in the partisan nomination primary uh that we the presidential nomination primary that we run in a presidential year. Um those work a little bit differently and there are actually separate ballots for each party. Um so you have to request a particular ballot uh to to be able to vote in in those elections. So um that information is is part of your voter record. >> Okay. So, thank you for that because I've always assumed the opposite and [snorts] uh I consider myself independent. I don't want to be on anybody's list. Um I certainly don't want to be on his list for how the heck I vote or who I choose, what race I decide to get involved with. So, um I've always just skipped the partisan stuff and just stuck with a nonpartisan. But, uh just last I just want to uh thank you. And I I do think one of my uh former council member years ago said that elections are just the cost of doing business as a government. And so, there is no savings. There is no can we find a way to get by there. It is an absolute requirement that any level of government offers elections to the best ability. So um in that regards you know the equipment the all that stuff has to be done. It's just there is no special like oh we can save some money here because that is the bedrock of everything we do and if we don't offer the best uh options and people um then I think that we fail and if we fail there then we everything has failed after that. So, uh, again, thank you very much, >> Commissioner Green. >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair, and and thank you so much, Miss Gelms. This is obviously perfectly welltimed and very reassuring. I know I'm going to be sort of cutting this clip out of this meeting and sending it around. Um, I really appreciated your direction that people become election judges. I know just as I interact with residents and constituents, I always like to leave a conversation having offered something to a resident that's like, well, here's what to do with that energy or that passion or that concern. Um, and so I think that's fantastic direction. I also wanted to say I served as as an election judge like 20 years ago and it was one of the most exciting days. I I will remember [clears throat] it forever. It was just such a moment to be in touch with the amazing thing called democracy that we have going on in this country and and a time to really sort of get in touch with it on a personal level and see it at work and sort of feel its feel its hope. Um and so I really hope that people will take that advice that you're giving people. Thank you. >> Great. And with that, I just thank you and the team so much and make sure that people vote. So, thank you very much for the presentation. Next on the agenda are the minutes from the previous meeting. Specifically, 4A is for the July 14, 2026 minutes. May I have a motion, please? >> So, moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Gotel and Connley. Any notes or corrections? Seeing and hearing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I opposed. Motion carries. Item five is referral of correspondence and department communications. 5 A and B are correspondents and 5 C to 5U are department communications. May I have a motion to accept and refer as recommended? >> So move second. >> Thank you. Commissioners Lundy and Green. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Six is commendations for which we have none listed. Seven is commissioner communications and we have one the given collection of African-American literature offered by Commissioner Connley. Go ahead, Commissioner. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm super excited about this one. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a history nerd. And recently, my staff and I learned about the Given Collection, which is currently at the Elmer Anderson Library at the University of Minnesota in D4. This is a collection of African-American literature that spans 250 years of black history in the United States. So, as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary through many events and educational opportunities this summer, I wanted to share about this incredible resource of black history right here in our county. And I'm very excited that the curator of this collection, Davu Su, was able to join us here today. Thank you. And I would like to invite you uh invite him to share a little bit about the collection and its history. >> Well, thank you. Hello, citizens. >> Hello. I apologize for the flip-flops and the short pants. I mean, you no disrespect. I choose comfort, though. Which way is north? Somebody help me. So, the river's over there. Okay. I come to you from the north side. Uh, originally, uh, but we didn't, we haven't always, my family lived in North Minneapolis. We came here in 1862, fugitive slaves from Virginia and landed on the river uh in Hastings in Dakota County first. So we moved from Dakota County to Henipin County and then I got the the the the the crazy idea to cross the river and then where I am now in Ramsey County. Uh but every day I take the green line most days over to the University of Minnesota where again I am responsible for caring for uh this cultural treasure that is the given collection of African-American literature and life which I've come to tell you about. So the given the Archie Given senior pardon me collection of African-American literature and life includes novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays, literary criticism, periodicals, and biographies that spanned 253 years. So we're going we're talking before uh the Declaration of Independence. Uh two year 250 years of uh three years of American culture. The given collection has particular strengths in the areas of the Harlem Renaissance or the New Negro Renaissance of the Jazz Age, First World War to about the depression, right? Most famously situated in Harlem, but we had a renaissance happening here in Minneapolis as well in Henipin County. My family was involved. uh and the black arts movement of the 1960s and 70s, the next great cultural moment in uh uh black American uh arts and culture. The collection also holds a significant number of books that relate to African-American art, education, social sciences, sports, and entertainment, as well as works by or about continental Africans and other Africans in the diaspora. with tens of thousands of rare books and archival and manuscript materials that document the history of black literature and culture, including correspondences, pamphlets, screenplays, newspaper clippings, photographs, sheet music, and ephemera. The Given Collection is an invaluable community and academic resource. Next slide, please. It comes here to the Twin Cities in 1985. I'm going to correct myself. It was brought here by people who are thinking about us in 1985. uh thanks to the leadership of one Claudia Wallace Garner and my teacher, professor ofmeritus of African-American studies and English uh at the University of Minnesota, Dr. John S. Wright, um who uh assembled a uh patrons council rep uh uh composed of various families in the in in the community, many of whom were of Dr. rights generation, folks who came up in these Twin Cities in the 1960s at the University of Minnesota on campus, black students organizing, etc. The Belton's, yes, Josie Johnson's names y'all might know if you're from this place. Uh, and they helped bring uh reimburse the university the value of the collection uh half the value of the collection and then they got busy uh and and organizing around it. It came in as the Richard Lee Hoffman uh black studies collection. It was private uh but was uh renamed in honor of Archie Given Senior, the first black millionaire in the state of Minnesota. Early 20th century we might have called Mr. Given pictured there a race leader. He was born on the north side in 1919 fateful summer in this country's history. Uh mixed race grew up using the services of Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House now community center since the 1960s. One of those places like Hiq Brown in Ramsey County in Rondo that were during the progressive era emerged to provide a safe place for African-Americans migrating from the south and elsewhere in Jim Crow Minneapolis. Right. In Jim Crow Minneapolis, where is it safe to go? Where can you get a a hot meal in this town? etc. Uh Archie Given grew up using the services of Phyllis Wheatley. He was born in 1919. Wheatly settlement house was founded in 1924. So as a young kid uh mixed race kid uh uh on the north side uh he would event he would use his services and eventually become a leader there. Um please flip the slide. But again when he passed in the 70s, his family uh uh created uh who had created a foundation in his name um began to shift its focus for to uh from providing scholarships for young black men uh at uh uh Mallister College who wanted to work in you know lucrative and and and civic uh minded sort of professions. um they f shifted their focus for to literature and literacy. [clears throat] And then in ' 85 when the collection was brought over uh they work joined with other families as pictured there you see uh uh Mayor Belton down in the front on the left uh and others uh who again would take ownerships uh of the collection cult as cultural property uh and make sure that it got out to the community. The University of Minnesota border regents is the actual property owner of the given collection. However, however, this group of people who saw to it it's coming to the Twin Cities would get active uh in making sure that they got out. Please uh flip the slide. Highlights of the collection include the Panumba Theater Company papers. If you're not familiar with Penumbumber Theater, you ought to be. It is one of two extant black reparatory theaters in the country that uh that uh has been around since the black arts movement of the 1960s and '7s and we have it here. So where August Wilson the great American playwright got his start as a poet turned playwright. Um so Pen theaters uh uh collection or papers are with the Gven Collection Correspondences of the great Harlem Renaissance poet Connie Cullen written in his fine handwriting dozens of them that span 1919 to 1929. Uh he was in communication with a former faculty member of the University of Minnesota who as a young man in the 20s was a student at Colombia in in New York, a man named um William Fuller Brown Jr. professor of physics and engineering. Uh but we have those correspondences. Josie Johnson, Dr. Josie Johnson's papers, first border regents of the black border regents at the University of Minnesota, civil rights icon in our communities, still with us but in Atlanta now with her her daughters right in her 90s. Um, Mary Kyle, Mary Kyle, the old old Southside. Mary Kyle was a newspaper woman uh in South Minneapolis who uh published the Twin Cities Courier. Uh, her papers and her family papers are in the collection. over across the river, excuse me, on this side of the river at at at Anderson Library, 80some feet below ground where the Given Collection lives with these other collections, uh, are dozens of oral histories taken down during the Great Depression from Kahon, Koma County, Mississippi of formerly enslaved people who were still alive during the depression. Those manuscripts have never been published anywhere and they live below ground in Minneapolis here. Uh and uh so the federal writers project uh of of narratives of formerly enslaved people are part of the collection. Lou Bellamy rare book collection a stunning uh uh collection of hundreds of books and in in in rare uh fine condition. Uh and then Umbra search African-American history is another highlight. Umbra search is a web tool for people interested in African-American history that gives them access to about a thousand archives throughout the country. It's a product of the given collection. You type in Phyllis Wheatley, Black Arts Movement, Harlem Renaissance, etc., and you will get access. A young person with their with a phone will get access to about a thousand, you know, archival collections throughout the country. Anything that's been digitized there, please continue. But the centerpiece of this collection, I've said her name once already, uh, a name that people, black women in particular, in this community would would make sure that we remembered beginning in 1924. Please flip the slide. And that is Phyllis Wheatley. Again, the woman after whom Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House would be named in 1924. Phyllis Wheatley's poems on various subjects, religious and moral, which we have in the Given collection in first edition. And I bring it out anytime somebody's over, especially young people put it in their hands. Uh, is the first work of literature to be published by an African-American. And in this case as a slave before there was a United States in 1773 a young woman who was born in West Africa in Sagambia Sag Gambia uh brought to Boston in 1761 enslaved and named Phyllis after the ship that brought her here. Uh she would do a very remarkable thing this young woman. uh in addition to publishing a work of poetry that would become the first uh uh book uh she would achieve international reputation as a writer. Uh she would dine with President George Washington at his headquarters in Cambridge. Uh after uh reading her poetry, Ben Franklin paid her a visit. Uh and her presence caused a stir among the founding fathers. Um, case in point, what we have on this slide here is a letter, as it appears, in a memoir published in 1839 by someone who knew Wheatley, uh, but is a a factimile of a letter that George Washington sent Wheatley in which he commends her for her genius. Next slide, please. Nine years after the publication of her book, Thomas Jefferson, a great statesman, president, etc., in his notes on the state of Virginia, would say the following. Misery is often apparent of the most affecting touches in poetry. Among the blacks, is misery enough? God knows, but no poetry. Love is the peculiar ostramm of the poet. Their love is ardent, but it kindles the senses only, not the imagination. He goes on, religion, she was an incredibly pious, pardon me, that was my timer telling me I went over my time. Uh, religion indeed has produced a Phyllis Watley. He couldn't get it together to spell her name correctly. Uh, but it could not produce a poet. the compositions published under her name questioning whether she did it in the first place, right? Are below the dignity of criticism. So there was disagreement among the founding fathers about what to do about this young girl who up from slavery out of Africa where the savages live has proved something disproved uh uh uh prevailing uh uh uh thoughts about Africanameans or African people right she obviously exhibited quite a bit of genius and this this young woman who mastered Greek Latin the old and new testament Greco Roman oratory etc in about a 10-year window before she died tragically in in in her in in her in in her at around 30 years old. Please move us on. The point here is that the given collection is a part of a history, right? I mentioned by talking about Hastings and my family, etc. Uh is linked to another history here of African-American cultural leadership in Minnesota that since the 1860s had featured groups organizing around literature as an act of self-respect and civic duty. The founders that brought it here knew that having a world-class archive representing African-American cultural life at the U would provide an opportunity to educate locally, nationally, and abroad about the ways in which black people and our achievements enrich the United States and the world. And we have evidence in the Given collection. Thank you. I'd gladly answer any question that emerges. >> Um, just blown away. I just want to say thank you for for for holding this collection with joy and love and a passion for what this history means to not only Minnesota Henipin County, Minneapolis, but to this country, especially at a time when we're celebrating 250 years. It makes sense for us to highlight and uplift that history that we have that is so powerful. Um, and and I'm just moved by it and and grateful. Um, and I might be spending a lot of time 80 feet below the an Anderson [laughter] Library relatively soon because I could easily get lost there. But I want to thank you so much um for your presentation today. >> You're welcome. Anybody been down there? You seen the the caverns? Yeah, pretty remarkable. There's not there's not a whole lot like it in the country. And we have it again over on the west bank. >> We have Commissioner Lundy and then Green. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to thank you for the presentation and the information. Um I also want to just rehighlight what you mentioned which is the archives. >> Um as a person who had to do my archival search for my research my thesis in Russian having access to primary source material is first and foremost the only material that matters. Second tertiary uh source material doesn't matter. having access to primary where you can see people's direct writings where you can in infer what you want by reading it especially when you um I'm guessing there's oral history and there's things that uh people who want to do deep research into these topics have access to and so uh I just of course was really fixated on that because if people really want to get don't read a book read what someone wrote in their own words and make your own mind up with what they meant and what they uh what they believe so thank you for the presentation >> you're welcome but I would push back can say also read a book. [laughter] >> As people who have libraries, we would agree with you, Commissioner Green. >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Commissioner Connley, and thank you. Just so interesting, and you know, yet another like, oh, how cool this thing is here. I did have two questions. One of them is um it feels as you were speaking I felt so lucky that this was here and that the that those people made that decision as you said with us in mind. How does this compare to like Indianapolis or I'm thinking of some other um major city in a different state that's also university town. I would like some context >> outside of Chicago. It is the greatest gathering of uh the effects of African-American historical life in the Midwest. Uh there's nothing like it. Again, the Vivian Harsh Library, which is a part of Chicago public libraries because of the just sir sher size of the African-American community there, uh is is more substantive. But when the collection was on for for sale, the private collection was for sale in 1985, it was thought to have been again the best, you know, uh most best preserved thing like it, you know, of its kind on the marketplace. And so again, folks who brought it understood that it has grown four times its size since it came in. 3,200 books have now become tens of thousands of books and archival collections. I'm collecting now. I get calls. One story, I was on the north side recently. Uh where I walked away with 60 boxes of books from a woman's house who had made recently made a transition. Glad uh Glattus M. Randall. She led the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center for a time. She was a family uh therapist. Uh I go, her daughter invites me over. Their house is up for sale now. They're trying to get rid of all these books. I go over and we start talking. She starts asking me, saying family names, you know, these people, you know, these people. No, no, no, no. Eventually though, we land on a family name that we knew in common. And it occurred to us we were cousins by marriage. [laughter] Her mother lived around the corner from the house I grew up in at 1922 Penn. I'm over at 1801 Oliver where I see this massive rare book collection that this black woman had been gathering my whole childhood >> and without, you know, unbeknownst to me. Uh so we are still collecting the collection is growing. It is our job to preserve and grow it. Uh uh because again it is unlike anything in these parts and so we're quite proud of it. It's a shame that more people don't know about it but that's why I'm here. That's why we show up and we we have exhibits and write articles and whatnot and so people know. >> Yeah. Um one statement and then another question. So, I I remember a number of years ago that an amazing collection of photography was gifted to the Henipin County Libraries [laughter] and I just wanted to make sure that there's um seamlessness between whatever >> these color photos or black and white photos. >> I believe black and white. >> Okay. So, that's John Glanton. >> Yes. >> My great-grandfather Clarence who came to Minnesota in 1911 and married a black woman who was born in Hastings. Julia is in that book. Um that is John Glennon was a photographer who captured the black twin cities in the 40s and 50s. His counterpart Charles Chamblas took photographs in North Minneapolis and South Minneapolis and in Hippen County uh primarily in the 70s and 80s and there's a book about that that I wrote in and published in 2017 through the historical society press. It again shows what the black cultural community was like here in the 70s and 80s called sight sound souls the twin cities through the lens of Charles Chamblas. It's a different look at us. It's not the duth lynching. It's not riots. It's not marching. It's a lot of black joy on display. >> Black people are confident in themselves and have a great deal of pride and are nurturing and take taking care of one another and expressing their lives in this mundane and benile fashion, right? That is just the everyday a look at us that most people don't get a lot of people don't get to see. Uh and so yeah, these photo photographers, writers, visual artists like Satu Jones and Tacumba Akin, people whose names we're trying to write down, make sure that people know about because there is a rich history in our cities uh that needs to be told and uh many of us are walking around with it through oral traditions, but some of us go to school and write it down for other people to read. So that's what that's what that's what we're doing. >> Um the question that I had was how does somebody like I I want to know more. or I'd like to show up and see something, but I also don't want to be a trouble. Like, how does a lay person sort of come and learn more about the class? >> Be in trouble. Contact me directly. It's easy enough to get a hold of me through the University of Minnesota Libraries website. That's my job. I am the gatekeeper. I And then I'm I have people over all the time. Again, this is my little settlement house situation that I've set up for, especially for people who aren't from here, come here and don't really understand the layout of the the the cities and how black people have ended up where they are. And historically, over time, how those things have changed and there are people whose families have been here for a long time and are proud. >> We're just as awkward and passive aggressive as the other folks that live here, too, cuz it's cold, you know. So, yeah. >> Thank you so much. [clears throat] Thank you, >> Commissioner Goodell. >> I just want to thank you too because I have the pleasure to be administration and libraries for Henipin County for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea about these beautiful archives and everything. And I want to thank you specifically for bringing this out to people and saying this is available to you. Come come. And the other question I had is those beautiful um archives that you have of the personal um audio stories. Is anyone gonna bring that out and bring it to life? Is anybody working on something to bring those beautiful audios out? >> So, you're talking about the uh uh the oral histories from OK County. So, these are all written and typed. >> Okay. Written and typed. >> And this is a woman Carrie Campbell goes down and to a plantation in Mississippi during Jim Crow times and writes down what people tell her. for the most part uh we we we scholars have been coming in and artists have been coming in to use work with these materials. There was a children's book author who came and was looking for a story to tell in a children's book and went through uh uh various you know uh uh manuscripts but some of them had been digitized and and and and put online. Uh, I'm really waiting and encouraging artists and and writers now to come and use these kinds of materials against because we also are charged to some degree with making new stuff. >> Yes. >> To put into the archive. >> That would be beautiful to take those stories and bring them to life. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for being here today. >> You're welcome. >> Well, yes. I'll extend my gratitude to you as well and uh certainly want to thank the generations of people that have that took risk in order to collect these stories um who who fought to ensure that you know you're able to to share this with us today and you know earlier we had a presentation on elections. It just strikes me we are in a very particular moment in our shared humanity in our democracy in any functioning civil society that access to information and an accurate understanding and a robust understanding of our histories um is a dynamic and in motion uh activity and and one that we can constantly invest in. So really appreciate your work. Appreciate you coming over and if you're open to it would uh love to take a photo with you. >> Sure. >> Sounds good. All right. Thank you. You're so impressive. [laughter] I literally just got an email from We are on to item eight on our agenda which is the claims register. 8 A is [clears throat] the claims register for the period ending July 17, 2026. 8B for July 24 and 8 C for the period ending July 31, 2026. May I have a motion for all three, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Connley and Green. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. Nine on the agenda are consent items which would have passed unanimously out of committee. Today we have 9A to 9P. May I have a motion for the block, please? >> Thank you, Commissioners Gotell and Eden. Colleagues, any items that you'd like to highlight prior to uh voting on the block? >> Commissioner Lindy. >> Um thank you, Madam Chair. Just want to highlight um um 9F. So you sports grants um and particularly the uh the grant for Brooklyn Center uh family. It may look like a playground, but it's actually part of an effort by their school district to set up a family center because they see families in August and then in nove December. academy where people are moving schools given the often times turbulent times some of their residents have. And so they are really putting together a center where it's not just about uh kids, it's also about the families, it's about services, it's about our library setting up a thing to get people library cards so they can go sign up for things. And so this is just one more piece so that the family can come and stay and not have to worry about where did their kids run off to. They actually have a place to where their kids can take part and have fun. So, uh, just want to highlight that it it is about play, but it is about so much more in this case and, uh, just grateful that this is part of that package. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Any other items? Commissioner Anderson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Also, uh, highlighting some of the the great work in the youth sports grant uh, that we're approving for the lifeguard services. Um, and I mean there are so many different things and so happy to see the expansion of the uh the arts and music grants that are uh now a part of this. Um, and just it's so wonderful to see the extent and uh where we're able to reach into different communities with that. So, uh, really thankful for that. Thank you, >> Commissioner Green. >> Um, thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to highlight item 900, which is the 2026 environmental response grants, um, which are just one more cool thing that, uh, the county's up to in the community that, uh, often times is supplemental funding to various projects that le makes, um, that cleans up environmental issues, um, or manages storm water or, um, I don't know, various things and, uh, is very additive to projects. Thank you. We have 98 and 9P before us. Also acknowledge that there are several items that really demonstrate our uh partnership with the state. We have several provisions here because we deliver services alongside um in partnership with the state and uh really appreciate uh a number of items with receivables. Uh with the block before us and no further discussion, all those in favor, please say I. I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. 10 are non-consent items for which we have none. 11 um are is our progress items. These are items that would have progressed from committee to board without a vote for which we have none. 12 is old business. We also have none. And 13 is immediate approvals. Um and we have several. 13A is to establish a public hearing on the workforce innovation opportunity act local plan at the administration operations and budget committee of the Henipin County Board of Commissioners on August 25th, 2026 beginning at 1:30 p.m. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioners Green and Kotel. Miss Wetland. >> Sheriff Fernando Commissioners, item 13A and item 13B that you will be um moving next to both established public hearings. 13A is the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act local plan and 13B is to receive comment on the program year 2025 consolidated annual performance and evaluation report and planning for the 2027 annual action plan related to the HUD CDBG home and ESG programs in suburban Henipin County. Staff are available to provide information um if needed. M Jang, chief workforce development is here if you have questions regarding item 13A. >> Yes, thank you. So colleagues, this is to establish a public hearing in alignment with our federal process. Um if there are no specific questions on WA, we'll bring it to vote. All those in favor, please say I. I opposed. Motion carries. 13B to establish a public hearing for comment on the program year 2025 consolidated annual performance and evaluation report and planning for the 2027 annual action plan related to HUD CDBG home and ESG programs in suburban Henipin County. The hearing would be on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. I'll move this. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioner Lundy. Colleagues, again, this is establishing a federal hearing. Any questions or comments? Hearing none. All those in favor of 13B, please say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. 13C are agreements uh two agreements with the state of Minnesota to provide election recount services for automatic recounts for the 2026 primary and general election. Um I'll move this. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Commissioner Connley. Miss Wland. Chair Fernando Commissioners, item 13C is for two joint powers agreements with the state of to provide election recount services for the upcoming primary and general election if needed. Minnesota statute 204 C.355 requires a recount of votes when certain criteria exist. The Secretary of State has authority to delegate a recount to county auditors. These agreements accomplish that. Dan Rogan is available and Jenny GMS is also available if you have questions. Colleagues, any questions on this? This is for preparation and compliance for our elections hearing and seeing none. All those in favor of 13C, please say I. I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. 13D is the sale of approximately $350 million of taxexempt general obligation bonds for capital improvements and refunding and approximately $125 million of tax exempt general obligation refunding bonds contingent upon market conditions fixing the form and specifications thereof and providing for their execution delivery and payment. May I have a motion for 13D, please? Thank you. Commissioners Gotel and Anderson. Miss Wetland, >> Chair Fernando, Commissioners, Sarah Brown from the Office of Budget and Finance is here to provide information on this item. >> Welcome. Madame Chair, county board members, uh my name is Sarah Brown. I am the Treasury Officer in the Office of Budget and Finance. The resolution before you authorizes the sale of taxexempt general obligation new money and refunding bonds in the total approximate principal amount of up to $475 million. The bonds will be issued in two series. The first series 2026A will be issued an amount not to exceed 350 million. Of the total, 225 million will be issued as new money to finance capital improvements in the county's adopted 2026 to 2030 capital improvement plan. The new money portion will be issued as fixed rate debt 20-year obligations with the final maturity in 2046. The remaining portion of the 2026A bonds up to 125 million will be used to refund series 2016B and series 2017 C. The refunding bonds are expected to generate an estimated 16.5 million of net present value savings or roughly $1.5 million annually. The second series of bonds, 2026b, will be issued in an amount not to exceed $125 million. The bonds will be used to refund series 2016A and 2017B. These refunding bonds are expected to generate an estimated $12.2 million of net present value savings or roughly $800,000 annually. Similar to refinancing your mortgage, the county will refund debt outstanding under the right market conditions, which is what we're doing. So this year, the bonds, both bonds were rated by S&P Global ratings and Fitch ratings, and both rating agencies reaffirm the county's AAA rating with a stable outlook. A high credit rating lowers our borrowing costs because lenders view us as low risk, thus offering reduced interest rates. The county will be issuing both series of bonds and a competitive sale on Thursday, August 20th. And with that, I'll stand for any questions. >> Thank you. And I just want to acknowledge that you had really good news in the middle of that with a AAA bond rating being reaffirmed. I wanted to verbally uh uplift that. So, thank you. Colleagues, discussion on this item. Discussion on 13D hearing and seeing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. 13E is the Henipin County funding commitment for the Metro Blue Line Extension LRT project. May I have a motion, please? >> Second. I'd like comments also, Madam Chair. >> Yes. Thank you. Uh thank you for the motion, Commissioner Lundy. And for the second, Commissioner Connley. I just uh in transparency, we'll have Commissioner Lundy speak first since the project is largely in District One and Rail Chair Garen could go next and you'll be third. Uh, so that's when we get to that's when we get to the discussion. So the motion and second before us is a very exciting item. Um, I know that there's a staff presentation, so I'll I'll leave it to you, Miss Wetland. >> Chair for now commissioners, I believe you have an R1 that needs to be moved. >> I even wrote that down. We have an R1 with a motioner and seconder. And so now the R1 is before us, which has a clerical correction in the background, but no change to the uh published clauses. Is that correct, >> Chair Fernando? Commissioners, in addition to that um to the edit in the background for this item, I'd also ask that you amend your motion with the R1 to include the updated numbering for the companion HICRA action resolution 26 HICRA-000012R1 to that second resolving clause. Great. with a motion and a second for the R1 that acknowledges the background and the companion action that the rail authority has not yet voted on. We will bring it to you for a presentation. Thank you, >> Chair Fernando. Commissioners, thank you. Lisa Cerny and Dan Solar here can provide background information to this item. >> Welcome. >> Thank you, chair, madam chair, members, um, commissioners. Um, I'm Dan Solar, director of transit at Henipin County. Um, and I'm very happy to be here today and thank you for allowing time today to present background and context on the board action requests that you're going to consider today to increase the county's financial commitment to the Blue Line Extension light rail transit project. On an aside, I want to mention that I'm honored today to give this presentation because as a young engineer, the first person I ever heard speak about light rail transit in the Twin Cities was one Commissioner John Daryus um many years ago. That is when I was um a young engineer. So, I'm honored to be able to do this presentation today. Um, so you should all have a packet with additional information as well in front of you, including numerous letters of support from community advocates, labor unions, downtown council, Minneapolis regional chamber, more than 40 elected officials um, from every level of government that represent the quarter residents along here. also included our additional materials on how the Blue Line Extension advances county priorities around disparity elimination and climate um and climate action. Um so Henipin County has been invested in completing this project for many years. Um, Henipin County has worked together with partners from the Met Council, um, municipalities, other state legisl various state legislators, federal administrations, and others as this project has advanced. Now, I know most of you are and all of you are familiar with uh, this project, but a little bit of a background on this piece. This blue line extension project um, is a 13.4 4 mile extension of the light rail system in the Twin Cities. It includes 13 stations um starting in Target Field. It extends the existing blue line which is running from the Mall of America uh to downtown Minneapolis at the uh Target Field and will extend from there through North Minneapolis, the city of Robbinsdale, the city of Crystal and up in through and to North Brooklyn Park and then the other surrounding communities that are around that. Half of the projected riders on this new line are expected to come from households that do not own a car. Um they rely on transit every day to get in about their business, work, school, and other things. So, our project staff under the leadership of this board as as you gave us direction previously and in direct response to the community when we made our change has prioritized preventing displacement as part of building this project at every stage of the way. The goal has simply been to make sure that people that are affected by this project and that it's being built to serve are there to experience the benefits that will come with this particular project. And so we want to make sure that that it that the people that are impacted are the people that also then realize the benefits. It's a simple and clear goal that's led to many of the decisions we've made on engineering and other things and changes to this project. And through all of this, this project still remains um very competitive for federal funding. Um it's remains the most affordable project per mile of other LRT projects that are around the country being built in the capital investment grants program, which is the federal program that we participate. So this is a long history chart here. It goes back starting to in 2008, Henipin County began the lead as the Henipin County Regional Rail Authority of beginning the environmental documentation, the alternatives analysis and choosing a route. And so I won't go through the whole history because we certainly don't have enough time for that. cut. But it began then and then about the midpoint of this, we had worked on a project um that was what we sometimes refer to as Blue Line Extension 1.0, the project that was going to come down Highway 55 and up the Burlington Northern Railroad Corridor. Um somewhere also in that middle time frame, some of us changed positions. I used to be for working at Met Council. Now I'm here. Commissioner um Lundy was a mayor and now has come here. So we made some changes there, but we also had to change the project. So, um, [clears throat] we had gotten that project to advance through the CIG program with a completed environmental document, 90% plans complete, and a set federal participation of around $752 million. But we had to make a difficult decision in 2020 to look at a option for this alignment that did not include utilizing Burlington Northern right ofway and staying off of the railroad rightway. We were unable to kind of complete that piece and so we stepped back to the drawing board. But that tough choice also became an opportunity to bring on new community supported route to find areas and ways that we could serve destinations and populations that we weren't able to solve before by coming through North Minneapolis and through um and more directly through Robbinsdale and Crystal. And so now we've completed yet a second full environmental impact statement on this project. I It's hard to very hard to complete an environmental impact statement. It's very hard to complete two on the same project. But we finished that. We've received municipal consent from our cities very positively um very um much by all of our cities and um your youselves as the county board. We've reached municipal consent. We've moved forward to 90% um design on the project and we're ready to now continue to move this forward for the second time. So this map then shows, you know, the current light rail system. And so the original Haywatha line was built to kind of serve south Minneapolis in the south suburbs. We built and I I work directly on the green line ext. Paul into into Minneapolis and downtown. Um the southwest line is getting ready for opening day which connects to the southwest suburbs. And this blue line extension then kind of completes the fourth leg of that system which then serves the northwest area of Henipin County. So now it provides a light rail line that serves all it connects that area, that north Minneapolis area with various schools, the airport and many other destinations. Light rail can't be built everywhere. Um, but it needs to be part of a transit system that includes everything from microtransit and arterial BRT and [clears throat] and our own roadway system and sidewalks and um bikeways and everything else to help serve transportation needs throughout our county. So, a little bit about um a little bit about what the project then helps to do. So, a common refrain that we hear, part of what we hear from the community um that we work with is that this project isn't just about the train, it's also about the people. So, it's important about who we're serving as well as what we're building here as well. So, not only is it um important how many people will ride on this line, but who those people are. There are 43,000 people that live very near a Blue Line Extension light rail system. So, it taps into a large significant population of our metropolitan area and our county. A third of those people are young people. Um, many of them don't have access to a car. They come from diverse backgrounds and many are struggling to make ends meet already. This project is at an unprecedented and provides an unprecedented investment into our future in the twin in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Um these are just some of the statistics of of what's there. 200,000 jobs exist um near existing and planned Blue Line stations so people can come to them as well. And this again we always talk a little bit about the fact that this is not a commuter rail line. This is a light rail line, meaning it goes both directions all day long. So, it wants to bring people to here, not just people to downtown, but people from other parts of the metro area to the stations along the Blue Line Extension to serve those communities. And so it serves the airport and hospitals and clinics and 55 55 different schools all the way from elementary schools and the Twin Cities International School in in North Min North Minneapolis all the way to um the University of Minnesota as it as it follows through there. So part of our work on this line was really our direction was let's find a um community accepted route. And so we were not only um destined with taking on public engagement but remember 2020 was when I said we pivoted. So we were taking on public engagement during the time of the pandemic. And I've been I've attended a number of public meetings in my career um in the thousands and I can tell you this was by far the most robust and and opportunistic public engagement. We tried a lot of things and we really tried to get the voices of people um that were going to be impacted and that could be benefited um heard and take that into account all the way from um the creation by uh by Commissioner Lundy of the driveway meeting which I I spent many summer evenings in driveways with both Commissioner Lundy and Commissioner Fernando. We were in parks, we were in people's driveways, we were in school basement, we were we were all over. Um, as well as trying to do things virtually and and trying to do that. Um, and we really wanted to make sure that we weren't just hearing from the loudest voices, but a variety of voices that represent the diversity of this quarter. Um, Henipin County, we also led the way in contracting directly with community and cultural organizations. That was something new that I had not done before. And so that was a that was an exciting way to make sure that we involve people who, you know, often times aren't always direct. Not everybody just goes to a open house and wants to hear, maybe they're not comfortable with that. So we tried to find ways to really to really bring people into this um so we could talk about this. We even worked with local artists. We worked with um all kinds of different methodologies to find creative ways to engage people in this project. And um I'm I'm believing we did a wonderful job of really of really getting both positive and negative feedback at all times throughout the entirety of the piece to lead us to this alignment. Um so we know we believe and we know that there is strong support for um the blue line extension project. When we went through municipal consent, we received 33 of 38 votes to approve our municipal consent plans and to move this along. Very important part of the process because it then let you kind of have a basis that you're actually moving forward with a design that the community and that uh policy makers along here support. Um at the end of this process, every j every jurisdiction then voted emphatically to move this forward. We've partnered very closely with our cities. They've been very integral to this piece because besides just the physical planning, there's been a lot of things that have been, you know, that's a long timeline, 2008. So, there's been projects that have been waiting and cities have had to kind of, you know, hold their stuff together. Henipin County as well, streets, utilities, and things like that. um so that we can um get this project to the finish line. Each city has approved zoning changes along here to allow for the kind of transit orientated dense development along the station. So they've been at the table with us on that. um they've updated their comp plans, they've put those pieces in place, and they're fully ready to leverage kind of the new development patterns that'll take place like it has along other lines in here. But there, as I said before, the cities are also dealing with, you know, real costs of delay in getting this there. They've deferred infrastructure. Um, recently I was just I was driving on West Broadway in Brooklyn Park and I saw the crews working by by Shingle Creek and when I got to city hall I said, "What what are they doing there?" Did a $500,000 emergency repair on a water mane that needed would would have been replaced as part of the Blue Line Extension project when we first started talking about this over 10 years ago. And so it the timing of needing to get to these improvements is in is in place. And so that's just a number that's just a one example of the number of things that have um that have happened along this line. So the blue line extension project will be the most significant investment that we as a county have made to further the goals of disparit elimination across all of our um county domains. Um there's a packet of information that you have that kind of describes the numerous ways each of the domains um in disparity elimination work are impacted. Um but this project will greatly reduce disparities in transportation and connectivity by serving communities with high rates of transit dependency. Um one other example I want to highlight is the project's potential to reduce disparities in employment. um 6,000 jobs end up being created just to build this light rail project over the next six or seven years. Um the goal is to have as many of these jobs going to local workers as possible kind of again serving the people that are impacted. Um and when considering downstream impacts um and long-term economic growth, the blue line extension will support 40,000 more jobs. Um the immediate impact to employment disparities will um be at around Del development near stations. This light rail extension will connect corridor residents to onethird of the jobs in this region with one other transfer to high frequency network. So if you're somewhere on the blue line extension and you make one transfer either on to green line or on a arterial BRT, you'll have access to onethird of the jobs in this Twin Cities metropolitan area. Um there'll also be 23,000 more jobs than today um that they can access by transit. So this really then significantly reduces employment and income disparities in communities that have relatively high unemployment rates, low household medium income and high rates of housing cost burden. So also we always talk about the transportation benefit of a light rail line. Also there are significant economic development benefits that come along with building light rail. It brings prosperity to communities through increased economic development, providing better paying jobs and increasing the tax base. Um, we've seen more than 14 billion 14 billion in economic development along our existing and planned light rail lines both along the original blue line along central corridor green line and also already constructed and in place along green line extension as that project nears opening day. That's four times more um per mile than along other highfrequency transit networks. Um and so for comparison, the green line has seen 10 times more investment along it than the original cost to build that. That's a 10 to1 return on investment along that alignment. Economic development also then leads to um tax impacts. And so this development is transformational for cities and provides revenue to the county as well. The increased revenue supports services, programs, other infrastructure needs that are provided by municipalities and Henipin County. It also reduces the need for potential future levy increases by increasing property taxes in other ways. The development we've seen along light rail just in Henipin County is currently generating 186 million in property tax revenue annually. So this corridor is ripe for this kind of development. Um and for the cities along here, it expands the tax base and will have a major impact on their budgets and tax roles. And certainly all along here, we've talked with community groups all along from the Target Field all the way to Northern Brooklyn Park. And there's I could tell a story about something that's in the works to kind of generate some economic impact along there. So that's some of the basics then of the project. Where are we today? What's the current project status? We're closer now even than ever to getting this moving and to breaking ground. Something I would definitely really love to see. So our schedule status has it has some recent milestones and some next steps. So we have as I said completed a second um record of decision. So we are through the fire federal environmental process. We have a record of decision. We are at now the basis of being on the cusp of submitting for a [snorts] full funding grant agreement. In order to submit a full funding grant agreement um to the federal government, you must complete FTA's risk assessment process to help them kind of evaluate the validity and where your budget numbers are and the level of contingency that you've got in the project. They've done that and that was completed here just recently um in the spring. and the 90% plans are complete and are reaching 100% completion hopefully by the Septemberish time frame of this year. So while that's what's done, we've got to execute a few critical third party agreements. We've got an agreement that's at the PUC right now um for master utility agreement with Excel. We've got some agreements with Burlington Northern and Canadian Pacific near not nearly as complicated or as difficult or as unattainable as we had before, but we're moving through those. We're getting them done. Those are key measures to get to a full um a full funding grant agreement. Finalizing local funding um is a key piece and needs to be completed before a full funding grant application. That's part of what our actions today here at the board will get to. And then our hopeful then is to submit that full funding grant agreement this fall. So what does that lead to then? This is how we then take the steps to get to opening day 2027 is getting the FFGA getting our procurement out there to do a what we're going to do is a best value procurement to put in place a systems and um and civil construction contract. We're trying some things a little differently here to um build in some competition in the in the market. We can talk about that at some point. That hopes to be done in 2027. Construction, we've spread out 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031. That sounds like a really long time, and it is, but this is like a mini CIP along this route. And so, we need to minimize where we're impacting various areas. So, it's kind of like this one long project is splitting up a whole bunch of small construction projects that we can link together then with systems and testing work in 2020 2032 to open in 2033. So, that's the longer piece um that gets us to the end. So, that's the end of my um presentation. Commissioners, thank you. I'm going to hand it over to Lisa to talk a little bit about the financing. Thank you, Dan. Chair, commissioners, I'm Lisa Cerny. I'm the assistant county administrator for the public works line of business. As Dan described, getting these projects to opening day takes determination and careful financial management and oversight. The reality of light rail projects is that they are expensive, and they also provide undeniable return on investment when done right. for residents, businesses, communities, our region, and our state. As you can see, Blue Line Extension 1.0, as Dan described, had a project budget of $1.54 billion. At that time, the county commitment was almost $680 million. And as you heard Dan also describe, you've heard why the history and and why that has changed. and really why we have a better project today. In early 2024, when the project was at 30% design, the preliminary cost estimate for the blue line extension was $3.2 billion. Through the municipal consent process in the fall of 2024, some key changes were made to the project. Those additions um added slightly at those additions added slightly additional funding, but we do believe that they provide a better project that will maximize the benefits of light rail in the communities for generations to come. After incorporating these changes and completing an extensive risk assessment process with FTA uh earlier this year, an updated budget of $3.58 billion was set. This budget includes a large conting contingency of 32%. 32% is more contingency than projects are technically required to carry at this stage of project development, but it is a number that was identified through the risk assessment process and learnings from past projects. At a point of comparison, the Green Line extension project had a 17% contingency at this stage and was a far more complex construction project. Before Matt Council can apply for a full funding grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, critical third-party agreements need to be in place and all local funding needs to be committed. The federal share is set at 752 million or just 21% of the overall project budget. This is a smaller share than the roughly 50% the federal government has contributed to other light rail projects in the region, which leaves a larger burden for local funding partners. After careful consideration and consultation with our federal lobbyist, we concluded that requesting additional federal federal funding was not a viable option. Working with our partners at the Met Council, we have identified about $190 million in potential cost savings, which would bring the project budget down to about $3.39 billion. The project decision board approved these reductions at at their meeting last month, and just last week, the project team discussed them with FTA, who was supportive, but will need to complete a formal review. If the FTA approves these cost savings, we ex as we expect them to, that will leave roughly $223.5 million in unfunded uh unfunded needs. We are hopeful we can work with our project partners to eliminate that final gap in the coming weeks. The board actions before you today requesting county commitment draw entirely from existing revenue sources that have been dedicated and reserved for capital construction of light rail. They require no new revenue. The largest funding source is what we call our county transportation sales and use tax. It's an existing 0.5% sales tax on all purchases in Henipin County and a $20 fee on all new motor vehicle purchases. This tax was established in 2017 by the Henipin County Board with the intent of using it to fund construction of the Blue Line Extension and other major transit projects. It replaced a previous quarter% regional sales tax from the county transit improvement board, otherwise known as CIB, which was dissolved in that same year. Additionally, the county's local funding commitment for the Blue Line extension will include some property tax levied through the Henipin County Regional Rail Authority in accordance with that body's mission to advocate for, plan, and fund rail transportation corridors. the action before you today in the board meeting. So the meeting you're in today because we kind of mixed the conversation between rail authority and board. So just want to be very clear. Um resolution 26-0284R1. That is the appro that would be the approval to increase Henipin Countyy's funding commitment for the blue line extension to 1 bill896 million and cap the to the combined total contribution for Henipin County the transportation sales and use tax with Henipin County Regional Rail Authority in the amount of 2 bill54 million. I'm going to speak to but you'll be taking considering this action in the rail authority. So the second resolution is the companion uh resolution that will be discussed in the rail authority. Um and that is to bring forward a commitment of $358 million or a maximum of 10% of the project budget. Chair and commissioners, thank you for your time and careful consideration of these important board actions today and we are happy to stand for any questions. >> Thank you. And we already have a little bit of a cue. Um I'm privileged to serve district 2 which is kind of the beginning of the blue line extension project and so I want to start with Commissioner Lundy who represents district 1 which is uh the the second half of the extension. >> Thank you Madam Chair. I I just wanted to correct you. The blue line extension starts in Brooklyn Park and it ends and ends at uh Twin Stadium. Just just about orientation on that. Um so I want to thank uh Dan and Lisa for the the update and the the detail. I think sometimes we get lost in the rhetoric and we stop talking about the numbers. And so, um, you know, it, uh, I like the slide about 2008 cuz I got elected city council 2007. In 2007, we were talking about putting off the water mains on West Broadway because the blue line was coming and we didn't want to start doing that. So, the half a million is probably a yearly expense on the things that go wrong with the sewer and water line uh, in Brooklyn Park. That, uh, is nothing new. that is a constant thing where these things do hit and they hit property taxes and they hit water the water funds and stuff like that. So, um a few comments um I tend not to be prim proper and I'm not going to apologize for it just the way it rolls but I do want to talk about money because I think a lot of people are think that we're afraid to talk about money when we talk about the blue line. Uh I'm very willing to talk about money. So, let's talk about money. So, you know, you talk about uh let's talk about money from Henipin County. So, for the state government, they get about 31 to 33% of their money comes from Henipin County. We're the largest county population. We have the most activity. I I don't know the number is what the federal government gets, but I'm going to bet it's probably, let's just call it the same number, 31%. We are a net contributor to the federal government, meaning we give more money to the federal government than we receive. Um, there are people that are hoping that the federal government says we don't want to deal this project cuz they want to have it killed, which I think is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life. Let's give money to somebody. Let's be in line to receive money and then let's hope that they don't give it to us. Uh, it's our money. We're giving it to the federal government. We are in line in their rules following it. The people that we compete with for businesses are right behind us and they're hoping we fail. At the end of the day, when you're in projects, you hope that something happens that you're going to move up because these things take decades. Uh people like Nashville, Denver, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Texas. Why do I mention them? Because as mayor, they were my competition every time an international business came to town saying, "We're looking at invest in Brooklyn Park. Here's your competition." It was those same cities. It wasn't New York. It wasn't LA. It wasn't Seattle. It was those same regional cities who are in line to get light rail. And for those uh who are not familiar with how site selection committees work, a business international especially will hire a firm to come and do a glance. What are here's our criteria. They'll go out and visit cities. You will be blind. You will not know the company that's thinking about coming here. You will just know their criteria. International companies look for things that look like where they come from. I spent 10 years in international business. People like to buy things where they are and everybody in here does it. When you go somewhere you kind of think about I kind of feel more familiar and comfortable here. Um and so you can lose or win just by do you have things. International companies tend to like light rail. They also like buses. They like cars and they that's the order of things. And if you don't have light rail, you don't you're done. That's just it. Um Blue Line [clears throat] has always been on the thing. We use that to recruit. We absolutely advertise Blue Line. Uh, Teada Pharmaceutical, the third largest pharmaceutical company, uh, came here. Talk to them if you don't, anybody doesn't believe me, they'll tell you they're here for Blue Line. Tesla's there. Olympus Medical, Karita, Japanese companies. It's not an accident that Japanese companies colllocate and go to the same area because they come with the same needs and wants. Uh, we are not doing well as a state in recruiting international businesses. We are not the place that people are investing money. We need to pick up the pace and we need to make ourselves look more attractive to people who want to come and invest money. Rail is one of those. And why is rail over buses is because buses move. Rails don't. I always say that when they put um two pieces of metal lying parallel on the ground for 13 miles. They can't take it from us. Because that's my experience with transit. Transit moves and what was there yesterday is not here tomorrow. So we as a state, if we are a high tax state, I I'd love if we're a low tax state. We're not. And I don't see it changing. We can become less high tax, but when you have high taxes, people expect infrastructure investments to reflect the high taxes. They don't want to move to a place where I get to pay high taxes and I get nothing for it. And so you talk about that and you talk about the federal dollars. I want our federal money back. I'm greedy. We paid into that fund. They the federal government is having fun. I don't know about anybody here. My federal taxes haven't gone down. Haven't gone down a bit. They're taking the same amount that they've done the same thing the federal uh I'd like our money back and one way to get money back is to get what's due to us. And the fact that they won't change the agreement or we've been told that they will not look like kindly on that is I think wrong. Um there is more money. One of the reasons and we're not the only people facing this that um people are not happy is because everybody's in the queue waiting for investment. We're not the only ones and as this investment gets pulled away or it doesn't show up that where does that money going because if it's not going back into federal government? Um, I think Dan, I had some notes about uh the return on investment, but in my district, we are predominantly residential housing. And if you haven't done a municipal budget, I know Mayor Gotel has and your city is very residential, good luck when your tax increase goes right to someone's house thing because if you are dependent on houses to pay, I think Robinsdale is 95% residential. uh when you raise taxes for services, it goes right to someone's house and it goes whether you're a homeowner or a renter and you need that tax base, that thing to kind of bounce it off. You need commercial development, you need other high t high value things to kind of even out the pie so that things aren't always falling on that. And so this area has is very dependent on fiscal disparities and don't get me into that because that's a whole different thing. But it is to an acknowledgement of the fact that we have disparate impact with on the metro and so that helps to level it out a little bit where some people have a lot of businesses and someone has all the workers. Um and so it makes it very hard for municipal municipalities. It also makes it very hard for schools. It's not just about cities, it's about schools who also um and so I think you know a few things to continue just uh talking about money is um we are paying for something we're not getting the the state put a transit tax which we lobby for I testified I know commissioner green I think many people talked about it so that to invest in transit so it's a reliable fund of money for metransit to invest in transit Um, the operating budget for metro transit has gone up 48%. And I asked every one of my cities, are you seeing 48% more transit? And I guarantee the answer is we'd be happy to saw 4.8%. We are not getting that money. We are sending that money every day we make purchases in Henipin County to fund it. And just so you know, nearly half the money for Metroit tax comes from Henipin County. That means nearly half of the money that Metroit is not spending on transit comes from our pocketbooks. So, let's keep talking about money. It's roughly I think about 200 million. I'll depend on uh Brendan and others smarter than me to tell me if that number is right. But, uh we are providing that per year that we I just like it back. Just invest that money. The idea that Metroit has doesn't have money or the wherewithal they have the money. They lack the uh fortitude and the willpower to do this and we need to help provide it for them. Um, county trans county transit tax is also an investment in transit. So, I'll just say it this way. My district is paying two taxes for transit. I guarantee we are not getting that return on investment at all. And uh, no offense to Commissioner Goautello, I don't mean it that way, but I'm going to do a comparison. So, comparing Brooklyn Park to Bloomington, two ends of the blue line, very similar cities. uh that similar I actually think that uh disparities I don't know Bloomington so I won't speak to it but it's in my district I know where they are. Um so Bloomington we all pay the same tax we're all paying it. Bloomington has the blue line orange line red line Dline future air. I'm not smart so I use fingers. It's really easy on the Brooklyn Park. I don't need fingers. This is how many lines Brooklyn Park has. >> And I think that is disgusting that the most diverse area >> which is my area has this number of transit but is paying taxes >> and so we are been patiently waiting. I have as mayor went three times with Metro Transit met council to lobby. I knew Green Line was ahead of us. Green Line had to get done. Green Line extension I should be specific. I went there. I lobbied for it because I knew until green line extension was done, blue line extension couldn't take place. We did that. All the mayors have done that. We have sat patiently in line for many years and done our work. We've been patient. We've paid our taxes. We are waiting for this. And this moment for that investment is now. And that disparities, I could show a map. We've got lots of them. I've discovered that people either care or they don't care because the people who say they care. If they did, they would act differently when they look at maps and maps that show disparities on education, financial challenges, housing cost burdens, access to health care. Oh, by the way, what's on this blue line? Two large hospital systems that provide a safe net, North Memorial Robbinsdale and HCMC. >> So, the one place that people need to go to get health care uh sit on this blue line as well. Um, I think that the time has come for action. The time has come for Metro Transit who has money and we are giving them money. It's not someone else's money. So, I know that there are state leaders who talk about it's money. It's our money. We're paying for that tax. My residents every time they make a purchase are paying for something they are not getting. Metroransit has $2.3 billion, which is about the same amount of money we're investing today now that I think about it. that's sitting in a fund that's called unallocated transit opportunities for the next 25 years 2025 to 2050 their document their funding which means that they're looking for stuff to invest in and I don't know what the hell it takes for someone to realize this is the opportunity this gap is artificial it could be closed tomorrow if people had willpower it could be closed with action what we are doing today and I am happy I know I don't sound happy we are taking action. This is what action looks like. When you say you care and you want transit and you want to do something more than just sit and rub your hands together, talk about how much you care, this is what's called action. You vote to take money that you have been acrewing from people's pocketbooks for a purpose >> and you put it in action. And so what I'm asking Metro Transit is step up, do their damn job, invest in the communities because it is disgusting. It's institutional racism. And if I can never give an example, this is it. When you have a district, an area of mine that is 60% diverse, >> you have to wonder, why can't we just be treated the same as everyone else? I'm not asking for anything new. I'm just asking if we could be treated with the same respect, the same people um that other lines have been treated with. It's very simple. Just do that. do your one job that you have, which is deliver transit and do that investment. Um, I am passionate about this project. It is why I ran for one more term as mayor or third term. It is why I ran for county commissioner. It is the number one reason I'm here is because it takes willpower to get this all the way through. And uh, I've been proud to be working on this. I am proud to be part of a group that believes in transit and takes action. and we just need our partners to have that same uh stick to itness to spend our money on a project that will benefit a lot more people. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Commissioner Green. >> Um thank you, Madam Chair. Um so, and thank you, Commissioner Lundy, for those remarks. Um I'd like to start with a moment of reflection and appreciation that Henipin County has such a strong and clear vision around transit and transportation. Uh, and I sort of purposefully am looking at my colleagues up here to thank you each. Our vision is that all Henipin County residents, no matter their income or background, have access to reliable, efficient, and safe transportation options that support the health of our residents, communities, and climate. Achieving that vision takes commitment and courage to build out a robust transportation system that carries us into the future. And transit is an essential part of that transportation system. We need trains working with buses, working with local roads, working with trails to give residents the freedom to choose how they move and to piece together their routes. The county delivers on that vision by investing heavily in light rail projects that transform communities and build out bus rapid transit and and also by building out bus rapid transit line lines. Our light rail lines are the main arteries of our transit system. They have the highest capacity and connect our most important major destinations and they are the roots that attract new riders. And by the way, um, as was already mentioned, um, this week our community is celebrating the life of former commissioner John Daryus, a commissioner who first hatched a vision for light rail for Henipin County in the 1970s and 80s. So, this is a really exciting day. The Blue Line Extension is the missing northern piece of our region's light rail network. The success of our entire transit system depends on this being built. In fact, I want to ask, can we even call it a system if this line does not get built? The future success of our transportation network is tied to the success of this transit system. The Blue Line Extension is expected to serve 10,000 plus daily riders and 1 million new annual transit riders. [snorts] And I wrote in my notes, upbeat smile. [laughter] It's like I feel like what I'm talking about has so much import that I'm like, you know, glaring. But it's exciting. [laughter] It's really exciting. Um, we want to provide affordable, highquality transit options for Henipin residents, which mean less time traveling from point A to point B. I'm so compelled when Commissioner Lundy talks about how um, young people from his district cannot get to the U directly. Like, that's criminal along with various other things that he listed that are also criminal. Um, less congestion, less reliance on expensive personal vehicles to get around. Imagine if we all approached life not just assuming that you have to have the at least $7,000 a year expense of having a car. It just kills me that that's like a part of something that we as Americans accept and we can't and we as as Twin Cities residents don't want to accept that and we want to build a region where that's not accepted um because uh we can do better. Um I was really struck by Mr. solar slide of all that will be connected on the blue line extension. Just just that list of things was so comprehensive. Um and I'm proud that Henipin County has a clear vision when it comes to transit and the courage and commitment to build it for future generations. Um when I was first in elected office at the legislature, a mentor pointed out to me how easy it is to vote no and how hard it is to vote yes. One can always find fault with an idea and then that's your excuse to say no and then reject it. Um but to step into yes takes courage and takes risk and takes vision. Additionally, as regional leaders, we're challenged to make tough decisions. Decisions for which we probably won't be around to see their long-term value. And good governance is doing exactly that. So, this project has spanned many county boards, many state and federal administrations. I'm honored to be here at this moment um to take this vote to move this project forward. As the county steps up to increase its contribution to this vital project, I want to acknowledge the scale of the investment. Um a not to exceed of $2.25 billion when the county and rail authority contributions are combined. To state the obvious, that is a lot of money and it's going to bring amazing benefits to our communities long after our service to Henipin County residents is done. Interesting to hear actually that the Green Line is already in a way paying off in terms of the investment that's that it has sparked. Um, and that is within our lifetime. So that's that's that's very tangible. Um, I also uh feel it would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that this isn't the first time I've been up here helping solve a funding gap for a major transit project, having previously been on the deis for this stage of the green line extension. The blue line extension is not the green line extension. We have applied many important lessons learned from that project to this one to avoid some of the challenges um that some of us still carry scars on [laughter] u from that project. Um and further the support amongst elected leaders for the blue line extension is remarkable and you know does make me think so what about this funding gap if we're all so in favor of this project. Um, one thing that is the same though is that the Met Council is once again hesitating on being part of the solution. One of the main recommendations of the state legislaturator's report from the office of the legislative auditor in 2023 was that the government entity responsible for light rail transit construction, which is the Met Council, must also bear some financial responsibility for construction costs and any potential cost increases. the Met Council contributing the final couple percent of project costs would create that skin in the game that the OA recommended. Um, as I look back on the Green Line extension, at this same point in the project's trajectory, the county and the Met Council ultimately split the funding gap 5050. The Blue Line extension deserves the same support. I'm hopeful that our partners at the Met Council will work with us to bring light rail to these communities that deserve the investment of light rail just as much as the communities along the Southwest Corridor. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Connley. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to echo what my colleague said, but I'm really focused on something Mr. Solar said. Where's Mr. Solar? There he is. And I'm going to quote it. This project isn't about the train. It's about the people and I think that is so powerful. Um you all we have just been very intentional about this project and how we bring people into it. Um making sure that um people are a part of this project who historically just have not been uh government typically will place a pro a project somewhere of a large scale and then come and back and tell community what it is and that's just not how things should be done. I really appreciated the the the the characterization of it as a partnership with community not it's not just in community engagement to me it's this this partnership we are doing this together um to plan to design a project that's just critical that's how you gain trust in community uh that's how you do good work for community and with community and it's important especially when working with with diverse communities and that we're not just listening to the loudest voices in the room um which can also be deafening or those with the social capital to show up all the time or write into the newspaper or go on television and talk about their opinion. Not everybody has that. Not everybody is able or willing to come to a planning meeting on a week night in the middle of the summer. Um so I can tell that this project just has been intentional about how it engaged with communities, how it can it worked with community organizations and cultural organizations. We spoke about that working with local artists and um and just uh I think I saw like 946 community events. That's wild to me. You're everywhere. You're all over I heard driveway conversations. This is how you bring it home to people. Um and I think that this project has set a standard for community projects of this scale. And honestly, other jurisdictions should really take note on the way that Henipin County has approached this blue line, has approached this line. And our residents, our communities deserve robust transit options. We deserve it. I've been to a lot of different cities and have seen builtout transit systems. And when I come back home, I know that we deserve it. So again, this is not a project about a train. This is a project about people and people's access and that I think is what should be underscored. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Edlesen. >> Well, I'm going to take a bit of a different tone here and I apologize because um this is coming in as an immediate approval and I just learned about this yesterday and so with that, I have to be honest. Uh, I know that that several of my colleagues are very excited and honestly I'm excited for you. I'm excited for the district. I am concerned that we didn't have a more of a robust understanding about maybe everyone else knew but I did not know about the large investment that was going to be coming when we got the new numbers from Met Council when they came out in mid June with the what is it at I have the number here 3.58 billion um the understanding that we would be committing 2.25 25 billion and where those accounts are coming from. I'm going to be honest right now. That's my that's my uh it's my approach when we go into government. Um I want to say yes, but I don't understand where that's money money is coming from. And I need to know how it impacts the county. And so as much as I wish I could vote yes, um I cannot uh ex explicitly on this part a part of it. The 1.8 billion it is coming from. It's I understand um Lisa Cernney you had said it will be funded through a majority through the transportation um sales tax established in 2017 but I don't know how much um and so for me to be able to say yes to something like this my my constituency make they're they're going to expect me to understand exactly what that looks like and I can't say that I do. Um, I also would just say in the future if we're doing a project like this, which by the way I actually very much support the idea of of of blue line and I quite frankly think blue line should have built been built before green line. Um but as we look at this the cost has dramatically gone up and then when you also look which I understand I just want to understand the funding mechanisms but also since President Trump has taken office FFGAs there has been since January 20th of 2025 not one FFGA that I can find has been approved. And then um you also go back and that $7 billion which is just sitting in in the um CIG account right now. Money has not gone out. It's just sitting there. So we're rushing this through and then we have this gap of this 225 million. And I I understand Commissioner Lundy, you're going to say we're not rushing it through because you've been working on it for years. I've been here for two years though and again hearing about this new amount yesterday. Um, I would just say that we still have that 225 million that will be accounted for. And I just I will be a no on this part. I will be a yes on the hikra part um for the 358 million. I understand what that's coming from, but and I'll just end it with that. Commissioner Anderson, >> thank you so much. Thank you for the presentation. Um, as you all know, I have been a supporter of transit and the blue line extension since before I took office. I am excited for this project to move forward. Um, I do have problems specifically with how we're paying for this and and the impacts of it. Um, this is being funded through our transportation sales use tax. Um, and it is the the county's probably one of the most important tools that we have um in order to improve transit and potentially roads, bridges, safety projects, other mobility needs. Uh, Commissioner uh, Green, you listed out the like kind of the entirety of that list. I really appreciate that. Um, and committing the this amount of of money to this project will commit the that fund essentially for the next 20 years. Um, and Commissioner Lundy, you made a fantastic point about waiting for a project and the need for a wait. Um, and you held up your hand of the number of transit projects that your district has. Um, well, you know how many projects my district has even planned? Zero. You know how many will be available for my district uh with dedicating the money for this project? Zero. We will not have the capacity to do a damn thing for my district for the next 20 years. And if we don't have partners uh to help pay for this, then I can't in good faith on behalf of the residents of my district who want to see transit built out and expanded into the western suburbs take away the capacity to even think about additional transit projects. um waiting for transit and being told to wait and you like wait your turn. That's a a story that we hear every day in District 7. And there are 200,000 people in my district who are paying this tax uh that aren't going to see the benefit because we don't live in the area that is going to be served by this. and we are not going to have the chance to see a benefit of these funds going into their communities because they're all gone. And and so I really really wish that I could vote for this because it is such an important project, but I have to vote for my residents who are not going to see the benefits of this, who are going to continue to pay into it and not have even the possibility of seeing something built out. And so, uh, I will remain protransit. I'm going to remain advocating for uh building out capacity so that we can actually do something that will benefit in fact everybody in the county. Um and that's that will be continuing my my commitment uh to this board uh to the people of my district and we have to make sure that we are leaving ourselves some capacity and this unfortunately doesn't do that. Thank you. Commissioner Goodell. >> Thank you. I want to say I really um respect all my colleagues comments and their passion around all this. I want to say that, you know, my district is really blessed. You're right, Commissioner Lindy. Not only does we have all those uh lines in Bloomington, they go through Richfield, a lot of them, too. Guess what? The Southwest Light Rails in Eden Prairie in my district. So, yes. Am I blessed? Yes. I'm really fortunate to be blessed that way is it's helped a lot of my residents. Um some of my family is transit dependent. I want families elsewhere to have that option and I can't think of a more viable, more needed and I believe that the blue line extension should have happened before the Southwest light rail extension did. I do too and I'm fully supportive of this. I want to see other families that really need this get the opportunity to do it. I also want to see the investment in those communities along that corridor. I know what it's meant to my communities and it's been tremendous. You know, I had the opportunity and I I really enjoy being on the change control board with some of my colleagues up here and so I'm going to talk about it kind of that way and everything. When I look at this project coming up, I I'm hoping I get to stay on the change control board. It doesn't go through my area, but I tell you, I know what's going on and I know what didn't work in the last projects and I know what went right in those last projects. And so, we had a lot of lessons learned. Some of the big things is we actually own all the rightway around this line. This is phenomenal. This will keep that project moving. There's no tunnels. We have very few freight line issues to get to have to go through. We're doing a best value construction. It's a different take on things. It'll be a better take on things. And furthermore that, you know, the county will have a lot more oversight on this. And I think that's a real positive thing to keep things on time and on budget. I'm an engineer and that's that's how you run projects on time and on budget. And you have to have the oversight though to make that happen. And when I think of our partnership with our partnership, they need to step up. Met Council needs to step up. They have those dollars. They have committed to these kind of transportation projects. And if we wanted to do more transportation projects out in some of the areas like your district where we could, they have the money to do it. They could be the seed money to make these things happen and yet they're not here yet. I hope that they get there. I know we're continuing our conversations and I'm really excited to move this piece forward. I think this as it talks about the commitment we started 10 years ago and I was on board then and I'm on board right now to move things forward and I think once we get here when we have a change at the legislature change in other places we may see a different take on transit and it may not be what it is today somewhat stagnant [laughter] and I know that the same thing with the FSG happened when we when the former Trump administration was in and we got through that and we made it happen. But we need to start now and not be dragging our feet on this because waiting until till 2028 is not the right solution for getting this project going and getting off the ground because we know one thing that happened when we delayed the Southwest light rail. It costs a lot more money. Okay. When when we and it just costs a lot more money because when you wait that long, more trees, more shrubs, everything grows up around this. The infrastructure around it crumbles even more and everything costs more because of that. So doing it now makes sense to me. Thank you. >> Thank you. I too respect all of my colleagues contributions. And before we proceed to vote, I'm very excited uh to be on the record as well. 20 years ago, the summer I moved into my North Minneapolis home, I attended my first Blue Line community meeting. I was not a commissioner at the time, I was a neighbor, a 20-year-old neighbor who wanted the train to come. While my preferred route in 2006 was not selected at that time, I was and remain grateful to the thousands of workers and neighbors who kept that project going. And today to have the privilege on voting for the biggest investment, the biggest step that we've taken towards this train coming to the community I call home, to the communities who've experienced the most significant patterns of disinvestment is truly an honor. >> [gasps] >> A lot of you have been at this just as long, some of you longer, as mentioned, and I extend my sincere and heartfelt gratitude at your resolve. Henipin County is 22% of Minnesota's population and over 40% of the social safety net. With today's board action and the companion action in the rail authority meeting after this, Henipin's contribution will formally increase to 63% of this total project budget in order to address climate action, expand regional transit, grow the tax base, and connect people to education, jobs, health, and more. I am very proud to soon be voting in favor of the largest single investment in public transit in Minnesota, especially during a time of compressed resources and compounding needs because we will not shrink our way into the future our kids deserve and we will not shrink our way into the future our elders have earned. [sighs] And I say Minnesota because the vast majority of this allocation comes from sales tax dollars. Dedicated revenue raised specifically to advance transit projects. This is a huge deal and it is a direct reflection of the community's vision for themselves and it is in direct service to building a shared humanity that we are proud to pass on to future generations. So let me re-emphasize who this investment is for. Half of the people expected to ride this line comes from households with zero cars. Half. These are residents that are not choosing transit. They are counting on transit in [snorts] the hottest days and with snow on the ground. And we have been waiting for decades. This train means that a night shift healthcare worker can get home safely. It means our elders can get to their health appointments. It means a mother with a toddler and two grocery bags doesn't have to make four transfers and they can get home efficiently. It means riders reach onethird of all jobs in the region with a single transfer. That's 23,000 more jobs that they can reach today. The communities along this corridor have endured redlinining and a century of transit planning that prioritize commuters who could choose transit over neighbors who need transit. I'm thrilled at the full regional system because that means I will get to access this full region and so will my neighbors. The riders alone justify this train but everyone will benefit from it. I want to spend time here because I think it's the least understood part of the vote that is in front of us today. Right now, commercial property values in downtown Minneapolis, where the government center is, has fallen almost 35% since 2022. This is happening in downtowns across the country, and that is a significant amount of money. But government budgets, demands, and government levies don't shrink when the tax base shrinks. the total levy still has to be collected. So when commercial value falls, someone else covers the dis the difference. And in Minneapolis where I live, the data shows that that somebody is the homeowner. Over the last 5 years in Minneapolis, the homeowner share of property taxes has gone from 47% to 56%. That's nearly 10 percentage points shifting on to residents. This is not a number in a spreadsheet. It's a family opening their tax bill and wondering what changed. It's not just that the growing needs that we are experiencing in our communities that intensify property tax pressure for families. Although that's a lot of times what people think and that is true. There is pressure because of the needs that that our communities are facing. [sighs] Mathematically though there's a significant pressure from the tax base moving shifting the tax base reliance from commercial payers to residential payers which is why the development aspect of this line is essential to change the trajectory of what's possible for the math in generations to come. So, in addition to expanding transit service for countless people, including myself as a regular transit user, in addition to affirming tens of thousands of jobs to construct and operate the line, many of them good paying union jobs, as well as developing mass transit because we are a worldclass community deserving of worldclass service and because our itty bitty children are really concerned about climate action. In addition to all of those factors, a question in front of this board is whether we accept a shrinking commercial base, including the risk of discontinuing services or eliminating jobs, or do we work to build and invest in more commercial areas to make our community more stable, more vibrant, and lasting for future generations. [sighs] Land new light rail generates about 27 times more property tax per acre than previous. [snorts] Development along our existing light rails produces $186 million every year. Right now, this is not a projected number. Right now, $186 million every single year for cities, schools, and this county. When new commercial value comes online, more shoulders can carry the same load. and the residential portion of property taxes can shrink or perhaps hold steady when our levies might have to grow. So, let's talk specifically about where taxes go because taxes fund government levies. Local levies fund teachers, snowplow drivers, and social workers. It funds libraries, emergency response, and the services our neighbors call our offices about every single day. When we grow, we have to work with. We can give people what they need, what they've asked for, without asking already stretched families to give even more. Strong public goods create strong communities. And this is one way that we can pay for strong public goods. Rail is unique in how quickly it can change the trajectory because in comparison, bus rapid transit brings about a quarter of the investment. And so, we've talked a lot about North Minneapolis as well. I live on the north side. Um, I was very proud that uh the Sea Line came on in 2019. So, I entered a board that did not yet have the Sea Line. I ride the Sea Line, uh, that was actually the route that I wanted for the for the Blue Line, but, you know, that was literally 20 years ago. Uh, and had there been light rail on 55 where the sea line is right now, there'd be so many restaurants, maybe a grocery store, and if I invite anyone to to ride the sea line on 55 and it goes up Penn. I'm proud of Henipin's investment at the four corners with North Point. But there is not additional development. there isn't additional funding or restaurants or uh the the compounding benefits cascading benefits that come with light rail. As mentioned in the uh very comprehensive presentation, uh want to be clear that we have heard community because investments large-scale investments such as this have pushed people out in the past. And so the blue line extension is the first transit project in the nation with anti-displacement built directly into the project itself. We are following the guidelines of 18 months of community work, 17 policy recommendations, and a state program that was written into law. The people who waited for this train will be here to ride it thanks to the vote today. So before I conclude, I want to thank the residents and community organizations who fought for this train for decades. Kira and the anti-displacement work group, corridor cities and their councils, state delegation, met council and the governor, and of course Henipin County and project office staff. Without each individual person, every aspect of feedback, we would not be here in this historic moment today. When I got to the county in 2019, this project had been stalled for multiple years due to a a dependency on a railroad company such that the community didn't uh realize. We thought we were going to open this thing up uh a while ago. And so I have to express this 1.0 to 2.0 that was discussed, this investment could have uh could have concluded at that time and people fought for it and I'm so so so grateful because we did not quit. So again, in 2020, Blue Line Extension Project entered a new phase, which brings us here today. In that year, 18,000 conversations resulted in a better route. In 2022, the new route was accepted. In 23, the county board approved $75 million to keep the project moving. In 24, every city on the corridor voted yes, Minneapolis, Crystal, Robbinsdale, and Brooklyn Park. In 25, the federal government signed off on our final environmental review. And just this past June in 2026, the project completed its federal rating, application, and risk assessment, establishing the official budget, which is how we get to be in a position to submit a final FFGA uh later this fall. Money has flowed out of North Minneapolis and the Northwest suburbs for 100 years. This vote is how we help to systemically make that money flow back in. This is one of several steps that need to take place before the MC council can submit a final full funding grant agreement application and we look forward to completing the promises we've made to community and I'm very eager to vote in favor of this action today. So colleagues, we've all had a chance to speak. Are there any other further discussion before we bring this to vote? Uh all those in favor of or would we prefer roll call? >> Let's let's do roll call. Commissioner Lundy >> I. >> Commissioner Green. >> I. >> Commissioner Connley. >> I. >> Commissioner Gautel. >> I. >> Commissioner Edlesen. >> No. >> Commissioner Anderson. >> No. >> Commissioner Fernando. >> I. And 13 prevails with five in favor and two opposed. Colleagues, that uh arrives at the end of our agenda. So, a motion to adjurnn. >> Thank you, Commissioners Anderson and Lundy. All those in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries, but don't go too far. There's a rail authority meeting coming up next. Good afternoon everybody. I'm going to call to order this meeting of the Henipin County Regional Railroad Authority. Today's Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. Um the first item on our agenda is to approve the agenda. Is there a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Second. Uh motion from Commissioner Connley and a second from Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed. Our agenda is approved. The next item on our agenda is the meeting minutes from July 14th. This is item 2A, meeting minutes from July 14th, 2026. I'll move approval. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second from Commissioner Gatell. Any notes or corrections? Um seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All those opposed. The minutes are approved. Um, we have no claims registered today. Um, under section four, new business, we've got two items. Uh, item 4 A is to negotiate an agreement with the Red Lake Nation College for a lease of Railroad Authority property located at 30110th Avenue South for a period of August 5th, 2026 to July 31st, 2028 receivables of $12,000. I'd like to move this item and um will somebody second it? Second from Commissioner Connley. Um could we just get the headlines? >> Chair Green Spencer Agnu is with us today and can provide some background. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioners, Spencer Agnu, uh facility services. This request is for a lease of um an authority property located downtown just north of US Bank Stadium. It's a surface parking lot. It's a remnant of a a larger property acquired by the authority in the early 90s. Um Redl Nation College is a is a two-year tribal college with a primary campus in Red Lake, Minnesota, and then a secondary campus uh downtown which opened a few years ago. Uh so Red Lake Nation College proposes to lease this property to provide parking for students and staff of their downtown campus. Uh they lease it for two-year period in addition to the annual rent. they would take on um m maintenance and operating responsibilities and costs as well as cost of any improvements for the property. Be glad to answer any questions. Thank you. >> Um thank you Mr. Agnu. Could you say more explicitly what has the property been being used for recently? >> Uh Chair Green, commissioners, um it was declared surplus by the authority back in I believe 2016 or so. Um, subsequent to that, it was offered for sale. >> Um, a de developer was selected, but um, they encumbered title issues related to the legacy railroad ownership of this property dating to the early 20th century. Um, so that sale never moved forward. Um, the authority as well as the county attorney's office worked for several years to clean up title to the property. Um, so that that process wrapped up a few years ago. Um there was also an interim lease with a with a private parking operator who operated it as market rate parking for a number of years. Um that lease was terminated by the authority when um it was determined by the assessor that that lease triggered um um the property no long no longer being exempt from property tax and as a result the rental revenue received by the authority actually was less than the property tax liability. So, it's been vacant for a few years now, and we've been evaluating disposition options. Um, I do believe in the long term, um, a sale of this property is likely, but, uh, the authority felt this proposal from Red Lake Nation was was favorable in the in the short term. And >> thank you so much. And I do want to thank everybody who's been a part of this. Like, this has been a conversation now for I think a year or so. And I'm really pleased that some um, arrangement could be found. I know that this means a lot to the resignation college and they're such an exciting institution themselves that I'm excited to sort of be a part of uh making them successful um in some teeny way and so I'm really glad this could get worked out and I know it wasn't the simplest thing. So, thank you. Any >> comments or questions? Commissioner Connley. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I was just going to ask about that long-term possibility of sale. Uh certainly it should go to Red Lake, but can you talk about like what that process could look like? Um if uh Red Lake wanted to purchase this from us um and they're currently leasing it, what what might that look like? And then how long um in the long term are we talking? >> Certainly. Uh the proposed lease is for 2 years. Um it would have early termination provisions so that if the authority felt it was favorable um sooner than to offer it for sale, um that option would be on the table. Um, typically when the authority conveys surplus property, it's done through a request for proposals process. I would envision something similar here where it's made available for um, whether it's specified use for any number of uses, proposers to submit proposals for consideration. Um, we could consider purchase price terms as well as the proposed use of the property. Um, in discussions with Red Lake, I I do believe they would be interested buyer down the line. they are kind of still um advancing their their their Minneapolis campus and kind of trying to grow that and those plans aren't necessarily ready to go but um we would certainly plan to um include them as a you know as an option to submit a proposal for purchase of the property when we get to that stage. >> Thank you. And so just as a followup, something to consider is um I think I'm I'm gonna I would quote our land and water acknowledgement, but I I won't. I think that what we should be thinking about is how we can be good partners with our tribal nations, especially as they operate in Minneapolis and in and in the county in general, and what are ways that we can just return land um especially to um to uh communities who have been here for a very long time. So, um, these are just thoughts that I've talked with the administration about in terms of, um, where we lease, how we lease, who we lease to, and what it could look like to get out of a standardized process. Um, when it comes to our tribes and think about um different avenues to return land that we're not going to use for any other purpose. If it's surplus, that means we're not going to build on it. If we couldn't sell it, we ran into some deed issues. Um, you know, there's there's I think there's opportunity here uh to be really good partners with the tribes and this could be a way to think outside of the box on that. Thank you. >> Um, thank you, Commissioner Connley. Any other questions? Um, seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. I. All those opposed. That item passes, uh, item 4B on our agenda is, uh, Hannipan County Regional Railroad Authority funding commitment for the Metro Blue Line Extension LRT project. We >> I'll move the R1. >> Um, thank you for moving the R1, Commissioner Fernando, and thank you for seconding Commissioner Gatell. We, um, just saw something similar but different in some key ways uh, in the regular board meeting moments ago. Um, so having brought this forward, uh, we'll have the summary. Chair Green, commissioners, this is the companion action to the Henipin County Board resolution you just passed um uh 206-0284R1. The key difference is that the rail authority in accordance with Minnesota statute section 29 298A.10 10 can only commit to 10% of a project budget. So this this commitment is 10% of the project budget and if a project budget were to be reduced this number would be reduced in alignment with that scope reduction that we spoke about earlier. So uh the maximum commitment that you are making out of the rail authority with this action would be $358 million. Thank you so much. Um any questions? Um hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. That item passes. Um seeing no further items on the agenda, I will call us adjourned. Thank you. Oh, cool.