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[9:26] >> Well, good morning, everyone. we're going to call the Ramsey County Board of

[9:31] Commissioners meeting to order. We want to welcome you to do Budget Committee of the

[9:35] home. Today that economic growth and community Investment Service team

[9:43] continues a series of presentations. focus on performance measures from each

[9:47] department's. Today. We are excited to take a close look at measures related 2 areas

[9:57] like affordable housing, roll maintenance air utilization and park and rec programs.

[10:05] These performance measures are already available for review online in open performance

[10:10] section of the county's open data border. If you want more information about the

[10:15] performance measures presenting today. Check out the ECG. I department

[10:21] dashboard stands for eonomic growth and community investment. have additional

[10:26] charts and background information. With that. I would like t over to the

[10:34] deputy county manager Terry Collins to start economic growth and community

[10:39] investment presentations. Welcome. Collins, thank you so much. Madam Chair. Good

[10:46] morning to all the commissioners here. >> I'm pleased to kick off the

[10:52] economic growth, income investment performance measure budget presentations today.

[10:57] >> But like my colleagues, I'll start with a moment of gratitude and thank the many

[11:01] people involved in tis effort. Thank you so much. First of the board for setting

[11:05] the priorities for priorities, vision mission and goals of the organization. Thank you

[11:11] specifically to our administrative services director, Larry, wearing a DOE

[11:14] office is her first time through as our for all of the administrative services

[11:18] director. And they directors. They've knocked it out of the park. So thank you so much.

[11:22] Thank you. To the planning administrative strategy team to the budget team Regency

[11:29] leaders who have prepared the measures that you'll see today to our county manager as well

[11:33] for her leadership guidance. The economic growth and community service team

[11:39] includes the assessor's office community and economic development, libraries, parks

[11:44] and recreation and public works as the county manager mentioned in the supplemental

[11:49] budget remarks, environmental health will transition to become a new environmental

[11:52] services department and joined the service team in January of 27. The service team

[11:59] represents a cross-functional area within Ramsey County. That plays a strategic role in

[12:03] the county's mission to build a vibrant, equitable and prosperous community. So why

[12:07] are we here today? At its core performance measurement is about asking a simple

[12:14] question. Are we making a difference in the lives of our residents? This year we

[12:19] started with Ramsey County Strategic priorities and work backward. asked what outcomes

[12:24] matter most to our community and how will we know that we are making progress? The

[12:30] measures you'll see today are the result of years of work. Our directors have spent

[12:34] significant time or finding them, including past work with the Center for Economic

[12:38] Inclusion to ensure they're meaningful, measurable and connected to our strategic

[12:42] priorities. We intentionally selected a mix of measures. Some look at community impact.

[12:49] Some look at operational effectiveness or organizational capacity. But

[12:55] together, they help us move beyond simple. Simply counting what we do. And instead asking

[13:00] whether our work is achieving the outcomes. We intent. But numbers alone do not tell the

[13:07] story. The challenges facing our residents rarely fit neatly within one department

[13:11] and neither do the solutions. Housing, infrastructure, access to services and

[13:17] economic opportunity. All require collaborative collaboration across Ramsey

[13:20] County. That is why these measures are not really about into individual department

[13:26] success or failure. They represent the work of one Ramsey County. When we see

[13:33] progress, it is often because departments such as finance, HR communications, the county

[13:39] attorney's office and others are working alongside or service teams to deliver

[13:43] better outcomes for residents and ultimately. That is what these measures represent. The

[13:49] everyday experiences of the people we serve. They represent someone searching

[13:54] for a home they can afford. The family enjoying one of our parks are residents searching

[14:01] for connection information or inspiration at our library? or simply the peace of mind that

[14:07] comes from knowing the roads, the infrastructure and services they rely on are

[14:11] there when they need them. We cannot measure every part of the human experience. But

[14:17] these measures give us an opportunity to pause, look back and ask whether we are

[14:22] meeting expectations and whether we are meeting them equitably across all of our

[14:25] communities. As the county manager and others have stressed. These performance

[14:31] measures are one piece of a larger story, additional information that measure

[14:37] measures performance more comprehensive way can be found on the open data portal

[14:41] through department annual reports guiding plans such as the eonomic competitiveness

[14:45] and inclusion plan climate Equity action plan or through and dish initiatives like

[14:51] building stronger together. Collectively. These tols help us understand whether our

[14:57] investments are producing the results. We want and where we may need to course correct.

[15:03] And that work has not happened in isolation or without challenges this past year, our

[15:08] teams have continued to deliver cre services while responding to emerging

[15:14] community needs shifting priorities, significant organizational changes and

[15:18] difficult budget conversations. Through all of that. I've been incredibly

[15:22] proud of the resilience and commitment of the service team. As we look ahead, we

[15:29] know there will be they will continue to be ongoing challenges, particularly

[15:32] around funding. Legislative priorities and the very real strain to maintain our

[15:39] facilities and infrastructure. Today, you'll hear more about those challenges, but you also

[15:43] hear about opportunities. You'll hear how these departments are rethinking

[15:49] investments responding to community voice, building partnerships and finding new

[15:53] ways to deliver services more effectively. Some of these investments and or services

[15:59] may need your advocacy at the Legislature. This session. You'll hear about that as well

[16:03] as we go on here today. Lastly, as we move into the next iteration of the economic

[16:09] inclusion and competitive competitiveness planned, we have an opportunity to not

[16:14] just look at what external variables, maybe holding our economy back, but we can look

[16:20] at an intentional look inward as an organization at how we do our work, where we invest

[16:26] and help us to develop a next level plan that informs our greatest vlue document. Our

[16:31] budget. So thank you so much for this opportunity to have the conversation today. And

[16:38] with that, now asked Director Josh Olson to kick us off with Communion economic

[16:42] development.

[17:04] Good morning. Madam Chair Commissioners, thank you for the opportunity

[17:08] to be here today and to present on the community and economic development

[17:14] department. >> I will do my best to refrain from particular

[17:20] acronyms and other things. But I may drop into the inevitable. He's same saeidi

[17:26] for Rtd economic development team or a few other things to describe our funding. The

[17:32] community and economic development. Department's core functions support the

[17:37] development maintenance county, affordable housing infrastructure, expand wealth

[17:45] creation generation opportunities to homeownership. As well as

[17:51] affordable housing development, redeveloped or utilize properties, support

[17:56] the remediation and cleanup of polluted lands, navigate economic development resources

[18:01] and encouraging job growth. The portfolio of programming and projects as diverse

[18:06] ranging from a housing program to redevelopment programming and projects to an emerging

[18:12] area of focus, which is our enhanced supports for small business and entrepreneurs,

[18:18] CDs, budget day-to-day operations continue. 2 is to center around investing in

[18:22] affordable housing infrastructure. >> Our community economic

[18:28] development department see these North star and department work plan.

[18:32] >> Deputy County manager Collins noted is found in the strategies and the recommended

[18:37] actions of the economic competitiveness, inclusion plan commonly referred to as

[18:40] the CI plan. >> We're further informed by the climate Action, Climate

[18:47] Equity Action Plan. Excuse me. And that further informs our work on a day-to-day basis and

[18:55] across all of our different program, a fuller picture of CDs work impact can be found

[19:02] in our annual report. And I'm pleased t pass along that are 2025 annual report was just

[19:07] recently published this week. Moving on to performance measures over the last several

[19:19] budget biennium our community, economic development Department has approached the

[19:24] development performance measures and a thoughtful and deliberate way ensuring as

[19:28] Deputy County manager Collins noted that they're meaningful and impactful, but also

[19:35] practical and also a strong illustration of our community. Economic development

[19:41] Department story and evolution as such CDs, current suite of performance measures reflects

[19:48] years of in continued importance, but place by the county as it centers around a

[19:52] couple key areas, including the opportunities for wealth generation as well as ensuring

[19:59] to production and preservation of deeply affordable units. These 2 areas connected

[20:04] strongly connected to the county strategic priorities. If you're a strength in

[20:09] housing continuum as well as central pillars to the economic competitiveness,

[20:14] inclusion plan and its ongoing implementation. So well, generation programming, which

[20:25] is the core focus of the CD team. It's critical because as we've learned is that many of

[20:31] us know homeownership is one of the most significant ways for families to build and

[20:35] preserve well over time down payment assistance helps household overcome the largest

[20:42] barrier to purchasing a home while homeowner rehab and repair programs help existing

[20:48] homeowners protect that value of that accent. Together, these investments create a

[20:54] pathway from access to owner homeownership t stable housing, preservation of home

[20:59] value. And to intergenerational wealth. Our first measure. As noted on

[21:06] your screen today was first established in the 2020. 21 budget process. This was prior

[21:12] to the arrival of the a jury of the housing and redevelopment authority Levy

[21:17] and prior to major changes made to homeownership programs. With some limited

[21:22] access exceptions, te county's geographic focus on homeownership programs has

[21:27] been on suburban Ramsey County, meaning outside of the city of Saint Paul. The

[21:32] origins of this decision are in large part to federal entitlement programs,

[21:36] including Cdbg and home. You have to the pause to acknowledge the acronym there.

[21:42] The community development Block Grant program and home just really just home home

[21:48] partnership where the city of Saint Paul also receives a director allocation and their

[21:55] direct recipients. So Ramsey County serves as the direct recipients for the remainder

[22:01] of the county, specifically suburban Ramsey County. Over the years the city of Saint

[22:06] Paul has added to its array of online tools and through its greater funding hs built a

[22:10] much more robust array of programming supporting homeowners. However, following

[22:18] the arrival of this metric back just a few years ago, our community economic development

[22:23] team conducted evaluation and our own programming. Albeit limited in its funding, as

[22:29] well as its geographic scope. Programming showed consistent participation but a misaligned

[22:35] with the county's equity goals. As a result, the community Economic Development

[22:39] Department completed a complete revamping of the down Payment assistance program in

[22:44] particular, ensuring alignment with the market realities of today. And that also resulted

[22:50] in expanded access. Tis measure was later revised to include desegregation of

[22:58] homeownership programming by race and ethnicity. I asked why is this important? Well,

[23:04] it begins to identify how we address unequal starting points for families and

[23:10] households, not every household in ters, the housing market with the sme access to

[23:13] savings, family wealth and inherited assets. Exclusionary practices such as redlining,

[23:20] racial covenants and et cetera. Further widen, the starting points. This program,

[23:26] which is again targeted in one particular area of the county and most most cases helped to

[23:34] narrow the gap by providing targeted asked our resources where the market conditions

[23:38] alone cannot provide equitable access. Research and reporting by many of our cmmunity

[23:44] partners, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Minute of Minnesota. Noted in 2024.

[23:53] among its group of 12 peer regions or MS Metropolitan Statistical areas. Minneapolis

[24:02] Saint Paul Ms A had by far the largest gap between black and white homeownership. At 46.9%.

[24:09] The next highest MSA Pittsburgh was. 33. The disparities are real. Our

[24:19] programming also seeks to help expand access to neighborhoods of new opportunity. Well,

[24:22] financial assistance to housing is available across communities. Households are

[24:28] better position to choose where they live based on their needs and goals rather than

[24:31] being limited. Even today when excluding the county's first time homebuyer her first home

[24:38] program, only 3 of the 19 Ramsey County Cities have operated a down payment

[24:42] assistance program. Saint Paul is certainly one of them as well as Roseville in

[24:47] Shoreview. But this has resulted in a patchwork of county, county where

[24:54] opportunities first first time in first generation homeowners limited. Are first time home

[24:59] buyer program. First home. Comes with 2 parts first home meeting your first time line

[25:06] and first generation, your first generation to buy a home. Average is amounts to

[25:11] about 2 million dollars a year and serves about 50 residents. It's outcomes continually

[25:16] exceed as noted on the screen today, our own sea Eagles and we've adjusted those overtime,

[25:22] but also regional metrics. The county's ongoing complement is to the city of Saint Paul's

[25:30] programming to ensure that access to home ownership and wealth gneration

[25:34] opportunities exist across the entire county. Equitable access to opportunity means

[25:39] ensuring that a cow household's ability to build wealth isn't determined

[25:41] solely. By whether they have inherited wealth or enough savings to overcome the

[25:47] barriers of home ownership down payment assistance opens the doors to homeownership

[25:52] while rehabbing repair programs, protect that value of that investment by prove

[25:58] and provide stable housing, too. That household. A key theme of the last 5 years

[26:03] since EV became an official departments. It has sought to fill unserved gaps within

[26:10] homeownership. One area that is uniquely located within suburban Ramsey County is

[26:15] within are manufactured home community us they serve. It is important part of the housing

[26:20] continuum and are critical repair program addresses that you those unique challenge us

[26:28] unique challenge created by manufactured hme ownership. And so this is about us

[26:36] acknowledging our key role in providing affordability through the county over the

[26:40] last year. Our community economic development team has been intentional about taking

[26:44] our staff meetings to different communities across the county. One of those

[26:50] recent meetings with the city of Little candidate. And I was like to just provide those

[26:53] quick story. We encountered an important statistic that was shared to us by that staff,

[26:58] the 10% of all housing units within that community are located within manufactured

[27:02] home communities. before we had stepped in and provided this critical repair grant

[27:10] program during COVID pandemic. There were very limited options towards us residents

[27:18] within these communities to build and sustain their commitment to that community.

[27:29] And so it's it's it's those examples of where we get out. We sit down with community

[27:33] members. We sit down with city staff and we on earth. Those particular data points tat

[27:39] further our work for there are opportunities for partnership but also identify how

[27:47] important housing different housing is in different parts of the county. Together. These

[27:52] programs that make up Consolidator combined measure of all of our home ownership

[28:00] related programs in CD, help provide households access, maintain and benefit from

[28:07] their asset. We'll provide long-term financial stability and intergenerational wealth.

[28:13] I would be remiss if I didn't mention we have some work to do within this measure. We

[28:17] certainly have work within our programs. But within this measure, as that we've begun

[28:22] to understand that these measures are. The desegregation of information

[28:28] has definitely informed us that there's opportunities to go deeper while we have seen

[28:35] great. You know, certainly in the in increased use within our programs. We know that

[28:44] even within these particular areas that are defined on the screen today. Not all. Not

[28:52] all. Excuse me, not only experiences within those communities are the same. And

[28:58] so they present us with a unique set of challenges, but a unique set of questions and

[29:01] opportunities as we we look to expand the program increase its utilization moving

[29:07] forward. In 2025. community economic development for there. Further added a measure

[29:23] that analyzed the percentage of first time home buyers who were also for first generation

[29:27] home buyers. This was important because as I noted earlier, Ramsey County faces

[29:33] persistent racial disparities in homeownership that have a direct correlation to the

[29:36] accumulation of wealth generation. So first, Gen first-generation hmebuyers

[29:42] are those who in addition to their previous generations have never owned a home.

[29:47] First-home operates nation. I want to make this times clear that we operate in a first

[29:52] come first serve basis. And as a result, the percentage of first time for first

[29:58] generation certainly susceptible to the fluctuation from year to year. We don't.

[30:03] We don't. folks come in and they're first-time home buyer, we don't turn them away. But

[30:10] it's clear from the data that we are have a market that we certainly have narrowed in on

[30:18] and supporting and that is in the area first-generation homebuyers. Well, this

[30:25] represents a limitation in this measure, but by measuring the distinctions and the types

[30:30] of homeowners, we can better, we can begin to better aalyze wealth accumulation over time.

[30:35] These measures help CV to evaluate effectiveness, efficiency. The strategies in

[30:42] which we do to deploy our program through marketing and partnerships and

[30:45] relationships, but also and their ability to move broader community indicators within

[30:50] homeownership. One of those particular areas where we've had significant work and

[30:59] continue to deepen our partnerships with particular communities is within the

[31:06] economic mobility hub and connecting that work. As you noted on the as as was noted

[31:11] on the previous slide, we're continuing to find ways to connect with particular

[31:16] communities across the county. Community, economic development often as I

[31:30] sometimes will referred to often well in the sticks and bricks o housing,

[31:35] infrastructure. And so our homeownership programming. It's certainly one of the ways

[31:40] in which we interact more directly with residents on a day-to-day basis. And so over

[31:44] the last year, we've heard From from many folks throughout that process. And I

[31:52] share one story that we learn from a lender who was supporting a homeowner who had

[31:59] quite a bit of emotion and excitement as they were the first in their family to ever

[32:01] own a home. We later learned of a different buyer who was able to find a home in Ramsey

[32:08] County that cut their commute by 45 minutes and was closer to their job. Just examples of

[32:13] ways in which our program is is moving across the county. And also helping folks gain

[32:20] addition to the stories we n - also get to see the urgently needed improvements. And so

[32:28] there's an image on your screen of a family who is entryway is crumbling to the

[32:35] ground and how a little bit of support can help transform that particular insurance, but

[32:44] also create safety and long-term preservation of that particular asset. So in

[32:49] addition to the story us, you know, our our CDs homeownership program helps to

[32:55] reduce displacement, maintain the quality existing housing stock across the county,

[33:00] strengthen neighborhoods and ensure the lower and moderate income households who can

[33:03] participate in these programs are benefiting from wealth benefit wealth, building

[33:08] through homeownership. Okay. pause for a moment. Questions conservative and Yes. Thank

[33:24] you so much for this. I'm going back to the first performance measure.

[33:31] >> I'm just having having lived in suburban Ramsey County for. Almost 3 and a

[33:38] half decades now. I'll just say when our kids are going through school in Roseville,

[33:42] the percentages. >> Of kids color in the diversification of people went

[33:47] from about 15% to over half and the that 15 18 years. And we were there and then it when

[33:54] I was working in white Bear lake that school districts are also seeing those changing

[33:57] demographics. So I'm really happy to see that we are as a county or are working to make

[34:03] sure that home ownership is is following that. demographic growth of the people who are

[34:07] living in working and going to school and living in our communities also have access

[34:12] to homeownership. The question I have is are the statistics here just grounding them the

[34:21] demographics of potential homeowners in the context of overall homered homeownership.

[34:26] I know this I believe this is a percentage of people participating in our program,

[34:30] which is what we have control over. But I'm wndering also if there's a way to places

[34:34] that than the greater context of of how those communities demographics are shifting and

[34:39] the reason I brought up the school issue is because the younger generations you'll see

[34:46] that shift faster than people who are actually in a position to own homes. So the idea of

[34:50] having a first grade have have kids have very diverse first grade cohort does not mean you

[34:58] as diverse of 25 year-old cohort or, you know, does that make sense? So I'm just

[35:03] wondering if that's something you could maybe share with us later. If you have any

[35:07] indication of that. Yeah. Madam Chair, Commissioner Jan and say I I mean, I limited to

[35:13] this point that we are exceeding regional metrics, but I can certainly provide

[35:17] that kind further ground terms of what the demographics as well as the home ownership.

[35:22] >> Connections within suburban Ramsey County in particular because that is our area of

[35:26] focus for our programming. And so yeah, we can kind of overlap those begin to see a

[35:34] little bit more directly where impact or where we are not meeting. Those needs to.

[35:42] >> And I'm also curious to see if there's any >> exponential or a positive

[35:49] factor of the city's who who also had their own programs, meaning if if Shoreview in

[35:55] Roseville have been have been encouraging some of their their programs as well. Do we

[35:58] see that that that having kind of prime the pump are created a culture of of those programs

[36:06] being available or any kind of way that we are coordinating them. If we're seeing the

[36:11] results greater in certain communities and maybe we have more work to do in other

[36:17] communities. I'm just thinking of the role that we can play and encouraging our local

[36:22] partners to take advantage of whenever levers. We have to create communities where

[36:25] people can can live and thrive. Thank you, Madam Commissioner Kevin sing.

[36:32] >> Yes, I mean So one area where we do absolutely partner with communities, whether they

[36:36] have a program or is that we work with them and support. You know, when residents are

[36:41] referrals are coming in. Certainly those communities who have had long-standing

[36:47] programs who have some kind of some knowledge of how work over years and years and

[36:54] years, certainly as a way that we layer on top of that to to entice further entice and

[36:59] support. Residents to move into those cmmunities. You know, I would. You know, I

[37:09] noted in there that there are 3 and I wanted to make that known in part because that's

[37:13] part of see the story where we did we in some ways provided the dwn payment assistance

[37:17] program and by the half of the county, it was funded trough the community Development

[37:22] Block Grant program and first home. And the reality was that it was limited. Every year and

[37:30] misaligned with the marketplace in the end because what we were offering, what

[37:35] the federal government had kind of laid restrictions upon. meant that most homes

[37:42] were ineligible for this first time program. And so I think through that revamping through

[37:49] community conversations at times through some of that coordination and layering were

[37:52] actually able to kind of. Spread our our our our reach across the entire county. So

[38:01] we work. I you know, some of the program, lot of the communities have rehab

[38:06] programs than that an area of focus for them. And so that's where we do a little bit more.

[38:10] You know, deep But the interesting thing is over the last several months we've seen

[38:16] community stepped forward and say how can we how do we utilize our own housing sales

[38:20] tax dollars that we've received to layer on top of your programs? How do we step

[38:27] into that space for the first time in supporting manufactured home, residents?

[38:34] Because we we see the challenges. We see the calls for service. We see we get the

[38:40] phone calls related to individuals who are in dire need repairs on their home.

[38:44] And so I think that's the opportunity that we're starting to see the seeds that

[38:48] were kind planted here in the last few years through our programs that I think we're

[38:55] starting to not just see are our impact solely focus within these numbers, but start to

[39:02] kind of spill over into other areas. >> Well, and I just want to

[39:07] say throughout the my time, I then a number of these community, economic

[39:12] development and in different kinds of meetings with the municipalities and community

[39:17] where Ramsey County has been at the table and providing information. And I really do

[39:22] appreciate that as 2 people in communities. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you.

[39:28] Madam Chair. First off, I just want to thank you for selecting these 2 measures.

[39:39] >> Especially about our impact in the community and then also identify who are which

[39:45] residents are utilizing the program. That is really the only way that we can build ad

[39:52] make sure that there aren't any racial inequities access to our programs. You know, I

[40:01] know you mentioned some of this to to limitations of the program. What is the average

[40:07] number of families that were healthy through these 2 programs?

[40:16] >> Yeah, I think so through our homeownership Madam Chair, Commissioner we we support

[40:23] about 50 families a year related to down Payment assistance program. So the 2

[40:29] tracks that consist of there. And then I think somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 and 30,

[40:38] sorry. I'm getting a little bit of its support from my my deputy director. Thank you,

[40:43] Max. >> 30 residents within our homeowner rehab programs. And

[40:48] we've seen a steadily study increase and we >> are revamping of those

[40:54] particular. We haven't critical repair programs. Those were started during the

[40:57] kind of the latter parts of the pandemic. >> And we've kind of seen a

[41:02] steady increase in those programs over time. >> And do you also have kind

[41:09] of the family size or is that asked? >> Madam Chair Commissioner,

[41:14] you know, I don't have that at my fingertips. I I love to provide that. Bck to you, OK?

[41:20] >> Yeah, I I think You know, it's really important as talk about and how we invest in

[41:27] programs and then also just as you know, where we've been talking about, how we may have

[41:34] a bigger impact and we're is that overall housing we need more housing units, period

[41:43] across all continuum of housing. that's why if other, if our cities are doing like

[41:51] we have programs, the state has homeownership programs you I don't think it's a bad time

[42:00] for us to a considerable our role supporting sir development of more housing

[42:04] units as well as more on the continuum. That includes both supportive housing and other

[42:13] types of housing as well. So I I would just offer that. And then again, I just want

[42:20] emphasize how important of this data is in our program that county manager, I I think

[42:27] it's a it's a really good example of programs looking at who users are and also to see

[42:33] if it's reflective of our community. And that's the same expectation I would have for

[42:39] community engagement is to make sure that, you know, we're keeping track of data

[42:44] making sure that, you know, which communities are being heard, which ones aren't. And

[42:49] then when we also look at our data about using a program just like whos showing up and

[42:54] who's showing not and then the curiosity is like, oh, why aren't they using our

[43:00] programs? Right? And identifying partners were having small focus groups to

[43:04] to consider that. So at that, that's just what I wanted to name of overall, like what I

[43:11] would like to see in the next 2 years for supplemental budget and performance

[43:14] measures. It's going to give back a little bit off of that first time home buyers

[43:22] supporting 50 individuals, families, I >> At 2 million dollars. And

[43:30] that inclusive the 30 residents for rehab program was additional Madam Chair.

[43:36] That's in addition. So the 2 million dollars is kind focused on specifically. The

[43:42] down payment assistance programs. And again, that that's funded primarily

[43:46] through our hre Levy. >> Are we have programs are commonly funded through our

[43:55] cdbg funding. So our federal funding so I thinks that's in the neighborhood of I think

[44:02] 25200,000 or so. Give or take. you not us. Certainly not a significant portion of Lake

[44:13] CDs, total budget, but certainly an impactful area. And really good utilization of

[44:21] how our great example of how we utilize federal funding within this broader continue

[44:25] because this this seems to be area where we can deploy it with relative ease and speed.

[44:34] Thank Commissioner McMurtry. >> Thank you. Madam Chair thank to recall some for this

[44:41] presentation. My question is around the percentage of the first time, homeowners. We're

[44:46] also frustration, homebuyers as we look. I guess I would love to get insights on the

[44:54] county's role as we look towards the future, knowing that they are, you know, a few

[44:59] developments, redevelopment projects that are coming our way, whether as Rce Creek

[45:04] Commons or and Falcon Heights or or in Saint even though we don't service the land use

[45:12] authority for these properties, what role do we have to better influence the

[45:19] creation of more snow stop took from to provide this opportunity for first-time

[45:27] home you know, to to purchase their homes. And and how do we do it in a way that may not

[45:32] the solely focused on single-family homes to look But looking at other owner

[45:39] dwellings, what was calm those or any other to make sure that we can get them on that path

[45:45] but may not solely looking at single family homes. If that makes sense.

[45:50] >> Madam Chair Commissioner McMurtry. >> So one of the key drivers

[45:56] over the last year or so in some of the utilization of our there's couple particular

[46:02] areas where folks have taken advantage of this program that are buying new units. I think

[46:08] particular projects in little Canada. That's a town home development part of that the

[46:15] lenders and Henry leaders who connecting with community more directly with as folks are

[46:20] walking aound in and understanding where they want to live there out saying, hey,

[46:26] that's a great development. You can live in and buy new, but also this i an

[46:29] opportunity for you to connect into our programming. So certainly deeper partnerships

[46:34] that we've had within that certainly accelerate and some of metrics goals that we've

[46:38] laid ot there tier. Maybe to your central point, though, around, you know, how we

[46:45] influence and how it Certainly we have a project or a couple projects that the county is

[46:51] leading and we have a lot more influence. And I think that is a greater opportunity. And and

[46:57] it doesn't say it in here. But in terms of like the conversations we have within

[47:02] our team don't lean who is taking advantage of some of our programs. How obsessed see

[47:07] the other opportunities on the other side of that department. And so homeownership, our

[47:13] homeownership leads are ready and excited to start to talk to our project managers

[47:20] developers of our projects to say how do we plug our programs? How do we plug the

[47:24] pipeline of individuals who are seeking homeownership opportunities, whether they

[47:29] are single-family home, whether they're a town home or condo, we're somewhere in

[47:33] between. How do we plug into those? And so I think we're excited to we're kind of on

[47:38] the precipice with some of those projects because those projects aren't fully defined

[47:42] in terms of what's coming out of the ground. And when. But I think knowing and hving tis

[47:48] information or fingertips, I think is really exciting for us because now we can start to

[47:51] see connection point. We can connect the supply which, you know, I think i very much

[48:01] like CDs role in the housing continuum. More directly. See the demand into it. So that I

[48:08] think is a great opportunity for us. Maybe it kind of goes without saying. But I think

[48:13] one thing what you're asking commissioner for tree us, you know, we're seeing across the

[48:21] county where, you know, we are the smallest county in this in the state. We're certainly the

[48:24] most densely populated and so many of the new opportunities that are coming are in the

[48:30] form of different types of housing projects I offer this example. This is not fantastic

[48:39] example because it's actually a project that's more on the rental side. But it is an

[48:45] example of where the county through Department has it supported a project that's

[48:50] unique and different in the marketplace. And so there's a project down in the West 7th

[48:52] neighborhood in Saint Paul. That's kind of co where folks are buying into a room and

[49:00] they they have shared amenities like a kitchen and other things. Certainly just

[49:04] like examples of where we are kind of hoping to kind of connect a marketplace in kind

[49:09] of unique and different ways. So I apologize. It's not a it's not a great example of

[49:15] the homeownership connection, but I think it's a great illustration of where

[49:19] influence and our resources are helping to support kind of projects that are

[49:24] contributing, widening the options within the housing continue. I just on back of

[49:31] just >> commissioner times point on the housing to I think, you

[49:35] know, right now we can invest 50. We'ill feel the strain of women's inventory, which means

[49:45] when those homes coming market. With the other first-time home buyers that

[49:50] are out there that ae that may have mean that that are utilizing their services. And

[49:55] so. And just we emphasize how critical these resources that are to be preapproved have

[50:03] that in hand so that they can compete with all the other fires were waiting.

[50:06] >> For homes in a certain price point, I will say, however, a good example of

[50:13] creating additional housing stock is Maplewood properties that DR Horton where they're

[50:17] doing a big row of townhomes where we can. We really pushed them hard to say, you know,

[50:22] don't just make this a big, you know, suburb in large lot. Single family development

[50:28] create some density some opportunities where we can partner with the down Payment

[50:32] assistance program and really helped to shepherd it from 2 different sides of the housing

[50:36] continuum. And I we'll have to do that more and more. We're certainly looking at

[50:43] requirements, you know, for affordable homeownership, that Race Creek comments. That will

[50:47] be be a big piece as well. So there will be opportunities moving forward. But to

[50:50] director all says point you know, we do have limited ability as a result of the

[50:57] developed nature of our county. So. >> Well that that's helpful

[51:02] here encouraging to know that we are. You know, despite the limitations that we have or

[51:07] some of the control of how these things are pull togetherat we are

[51:11] leveraging, you know, whatever influence we do have to really push these of these projects,

[51:17] developers to really consider the needs that we have as a county.

[51:24] >> The other piece and it's listed as performance measure, but I think it's also really

[51:30] important. And I appreciate highlighting the performance measures that do it. But I

[51:34] also have been thinking more about. The Hoover developing these these different

[51:42] properties, different projects. And I know the popularity of our emerging.

[51:47] The first developers program. How I >> Is there a way to

[51:51] incorporate that year? Maybe as an additional measure for us to look at really building

[51:58] out that particular program so that we see. >> The pipeline of of, you

[52:03] know, developers that we're also creating Adams as an organization. I think that's

[52:07] that's something that has really impressive, at least over the time. I've in this

[52:13] role just to see the popularity of that particular program and how it is really

[52:19] treating that that next generation of bipoc developers who want to invest So just I

[52:28] just wanted to raise that a another. measure that I think would be, you know, important

[52:37] to consider and just want to get your thoughts on how we're looking with building out that

[52:41] particular point. >> Madam Chair, commissioner for a that is kind of the next

[52:48] evolution. In my view of of a TV, we certainly started that program with it with us and

[52:56] expressed intent to grow a new generation. The next generation of affordable

[53:02] housing developers. What we've seen and certainly our data which show that 80 80

[53:08] participants are taking full advantage of our predominantly within the rental area. I

[53:15] think our next opportunity is how we connect them into home ownership programs. Next and

[53:22] and I would even go so far as to how we knd of. >> Connect the 2 ends of the

[53:29] of the of the of the line, right? The 2 points, which is both.

[53:33] >> The folks who are helping to build the supply as I noted earlier, but also those who

[53:38] are asking for those opportunities within those particular areas of those

[53:43] communities. >> So I think I'd certainly envision as we kind of work 80

[53:49] participants. And I think we we have an opportunity in a couple of smaller sites where

[53:53] county has some control of the Lance. >> Where we can begin to

[53:58] testing pilots, some opportunities for home ownership using the skills

[54:02] developers to kind of help construct it. If I helped to finance But then for us to

[54:10] connect families into those programs. You projects like that. They certainly want

[54:17] buyers. That's a key part of their project. And if we can help to feed that side of the

[54:23] of that through some supports through some partnerships and layering with different

[54:27] municipality's and other partners. We can start to do that. Commissioner Miller.

[54:36] >> Thank you. I apologize for my tardiness of this has been his bare with So on our first

[54:42] sight here as this data, I understand this is our data from our programming. But is

[54:47] this data from that year that they flows or is it from the year that they go on to our

[54:52] property tax says stop us. And I guess me to continue where we're going with And I ask

[55:02] just because maybe be good if we had data or do we have data that kind of shown us bigger

[55:09] picture? Because if this is just for our program, like I see the American Indian

[55:12] communities at one percent. But I know that there are a lot of other programs both

[55:16] federally and from other nonprofits and other organizations that provide the

[55:20] services that are just opting to use those programs rather than using our program. So I

[55:24] think that data could help us paint a bigger picture of who's buying, who's not?

[55:30] Because this this makes it look like. One person is buying a house in our county.

[55:36] But we know that's untrue. We just don't have the data from our partners. with that a data

[55:42] point that you guys would have or do we not collect that data? Madam Chair,

[55:47] Commissioner Miller, we don't have that at our fingertips. And I think that's certainly

[55:51] an area of opportunity for us to kind of get better sense of like the full rant. I mean, I

[55:57] noted I pulled some information from the same areas Saint Paul Area

[56:00] Association of Realtors. >> You over the last year they had they estimated are

[56:08] identified over 5,000 sales with in Ramsey County. >> So if we were to kind

[56:14] strapped with that, we represent about one percent less than one percent of those

[56:18] sales in terms of that. So >> for you know, certainly we want better understand what

[56:25] everybody else is doing. >> I think we do a lot of coordination with other

[56:31] entities who have these programs to help layer and but I think there's an opportunity

[56:35] for us to kind glean some additional data from them to get a clear picture of like

[56:38] the dynamics that are happening. You know, amongst homeownership altogether. I

[56:47] think just look for it. >> We have to look to other presentations before lunch.

[56:57] Madam Chair Commissioners gives one more. >> So if I was to reflect over

[57:04] the last 5 of CDs and growth as well as a as a departments. >> I think CD has sought to

[57:13] reframe a couple key things. One is the wife. What is affordable homeownership for

[57:17] what is affordable housing but more and more importantly, what is deeply affordable

[57:22] housing. Where where is the affordable housing creation and present preservation

[57:29] happening and who who are the partners that are beginning to help the county to build a

[57:33] much more robust and resilient housing infrastructure. I know I'm sure in time, but I will

[57:41] say I want to take you back a little further in this data. As we started in 2020. But if

[57:48] I was to present you with the information that is associated with 2015, 2016, 2017, cetera,

[57:55] the number would be 0. In fact, when we first established this measure in

[58:03] the 2020 2021 budget, we estimated we had a goal of a meager 5% in 2021. Knowing

[58:13] that we were limited by our funding, limited by our resources, limited by our

[58:16] tools. But that you would start to measure it because as the UCI plan began to paint a

[58:24] very stark and important picture that deeply affordable housing production and

[58:30] creation is vitally important to the health and growth of this community. So again, this

[58:37] was prior to the hre levees creation prior to other housing resources like the

[58:42] American rescue plan dollars. A local, affordable to the housing sales tax, cetera. And

[58:49] so, you know, 2020 represented a jump. so you'll see it kind of a story here. You're you

[58:56] see a jump where the county board chose throw one time reallocation of cip funding

[59:02] towards affordable housing projects in 22 23. The county board once again turned to

[59:10] one-time funding through the American Rescue Plan. Act dollars and 2025 was the first

[59:15] year of the housing sales tax or law. We're now moving into unexpected stabilization of

[59:24] reoccurring funding, dominated by our housing and redevelopment authority levy,

[59:28] as well as our local, affordable also known as law. While this measure has been

[59:34] very susceptible. As noted on the screen to the comings and goings of funding and the

[59:39] immediacy of meeting the moments crises. For example, our nonprofit challenges in

[59:43] the last few years. This measure has served its important purpose for CV in

[59:50] charting a course. We're deeply affordable unit creation and preservation.

[59:53] >> Is a key part of every year. And every solicitation, it cannot b understated that

[59:59] the county's policy drection to focus on deeply affordable housing infrastructure has

[1:00:04] moved a large number of units forward. And the county's insistence on 30% units has

[1:00:11] moved the marketplace, especially within suburban Ramsey County. Ramsey County

[1:00:15] has now has been noted in a couple places but has now surpassed 100 million dollars

[1:00:19] preservation renovation ad construction of local housing projects. This funding

[1:00:27] includes 106 projects created more than 5500 total residential units in the last

[1:00:31] 5 years. But what's important here is in top of that total over 1900 units. Of those

[1:00:40] units have been deeply affordable at or below the 38% area. Median income which

[1:00:47] equates to $39,000 a year for a family of 4. To Commissioner. MC for Trees

[1:00:55] comment erlier around are emerging diverse developers program in addition to in

[1:01:00] create creasing access to affordable options, CD offers the emerging diverse

[1:01:03] developers program which empowers new voices to break into real estate. Aligning to

[1:01:09] the county's economic competitiveness. Inclusion Plan D program works to build

[1:01:15] economic opportunities for diverse entrepreneurs and foster a more inclusive

[1:01:18] development community since its start. 68, I'm urging developers have graduated from

[1:01:24] that pogram. look forward to another cohort to graduate this fall. And 39 projects

[1:01:30] have been funded through our solicitation. So again, as I stated earlier, they are a key

[1:01:32] part of what impacted this data points as well as all of our our data points. I think

[1:01:47] all pause their faces the podium. And yeah, thank you, Madam Chair, I thank you,

[1:01:49] Doctor Olson, I just want to pause on the slide because >> I we obviously want

[1:01:56] acknowledge like, you know, all the work that's been done. It's been a tremendous amount

[1:01:59] work throughout with Jack share very quickly. That timeline that was working

[1:02:04] muscles across organization unlike ever before to get get that work done. But also, you

[1:02:08] know, I think lots of moment hat reflect and say, you that there's progress. I do think,

[1:02:16] you know, I think Michigan sings at one time like we're bailing as fast as The water

[1:02:21] is coming in. Right? And so I think it's a moment acknowledging the hard work,

[1:02:25] but also a very humble moment for our community to go. We cannot let our eyes off of

[1:02:30] this. This is weren't. We're not able to but for not this investment. Where would you

[1:02:38] today? And so I just I think this is that a subdued start of measure because it it it's

[1:02:45] good. But it also recognizes the importance the work that has to continue. S thank you,

[1:02:51] Doctor Olson, and I know a lot of you are aware of are huge. Yeah, it would be like feel

[1:02:58] like we're just kind keeping up with with the baseline. Honestly, to sve, save unit

[1:03:04] honestly in some ways. Right? So thank you. So I just want also say And I think about

[1:03:12] your presentation in whole conversation that we're having.

[1:03:15] >> Around housing, affordable housing, homeownership, homelessness. whole piece and

[1:03:21] you know I know the line between, you know, see the housing stability. I don't

[1:03:31] know what that is like you know, are we that innovative already envisioning a

[1:03:36] partnership or investment? That also support growing population of homelessness,

[1:03:45] you know. And you know, whether CD HR AED a cdb or will housing stability in, you

[1:03:53] know, hitting home Ramsey County, how we looking at the whole continue working in

[1:03:57] partnership with something that really growing very quickly, right. Holmes says

[1:04:04] and as we think about, you know, that the market is not keeping up with Mason gound.

[1:04:12] We made some incredible graham and it's incredible investments. But the market is

[1:04:17] not just not keeping pace with knee. We have limited inventory and I was just

[1:04:22] looking at, you know, we looked at housing stability for Haitian around average,

[1:04:27] coordinated entry, weight, which is 181 days. So we have people family so I at a

[1:04:35] standstill for 881 days and just think, you know, as we think about the whole

[1:04:40] continuum and I think the conversation row homes herd is a lie about, you know,

[1:04:48] community of the everyone I want to move from the a place where people can call their

[1:04:55] home right feel safe and take ownership of that so that we can create pathways. And how

[1:05:00] can we look at? You know, we have a nice conversation around tiny homes. What would

[1:05:05] that look like that we are investing in pulling dollars from these different places to

[1:05:10] create those basis? Well, we can begin to be of people that horse taking the wrap around

[1:05:19] services so that they can move through that continuum for think the increase basis for

[1:05:22] the next one to come in so, you know, can you share with me? You know, as you look at

[1:05:30] your world, you know any thoughts about that expansion of how w can, you know, and

[1:05:34] that's in other ways, too. Yeah, I think a couple parts, I think.

[1:05:40] >> I have a great benefit of having a very strong Understands this area and

[1:05:48] areas of competent opportunity and connection with, you know, our departments that are

[1:05:53] housing, stability, work force, you know, and other parts of the county. So I

[1:05:58] think one of those is I think >> knowing I think we now have a little bit clearer pcture.

[1:06:04] I think using performance measures. I know housing stability.

[1:06:08] >> Very clearly laid out in their presentation to a week or so ago that they want to

[1:06:14] reduce that. That coordinated entry That's going to take work from our side to help. As

[1:06:21] I noted year earlier to support the sticks and bricks side of development because in

[1:06:26] most cases, those units don't just exist in the marketplace today. They have to be built.

[1:06:32] They have to be funded and other places. And so I think partnership is key. I think,

[1:06:38] with own departments within the county, but also our departments across the county

[1:06:42] that are in cities wo have very strong roles to play in the creation.

[1:06:48] >> As well as preservation o units. I think example I just offer and it's kind of

[1:06:55] connected to my last slide. But I'll just jump ahead and say it, you over the last

[1:07:01] couple late last year or so are CD department has started to invest in a program.

[1:07:07] Neighborly that allows us to track our projects over on the stretches of time, something

[1:07:14] that has his challenge. When you start to have, you know, dozens and dozens of projects

[1:07:18] that you fund every year. But it also creates kind of process or a structure for us

[1:07:24] to collect other information. We have because we are required in some cases for

[1:07:32] projects to collect rent rolls, collect information on who are the individuals and

[1:07:38] families who taking advantage of these programs. We just have never really had the time

[1:07:43] and space to kind of actually take that information and move to help us make better

[1:07:50] decisions. How we can kind of work collaboratively with other departments, including

[1:07:54] housing, stability, to say are we seeing individuals and move up in that through that and

[1:08:02] move through the house and continue into a place of stability and wealth

[1:08:04] generation wealth creation. So I feel like first I this is a common theme that on the seedy

[1:08:13] side like because they're such a new department and I know housing stability is new

[1:08:16] department and we're starting to learn to work together more directly. But like we're

[1:08:22] starting, we have begun invest in those systems that allow us to actually be able to kind of

[1:08:28] have those things more at our fingertips in a way that we never had before. So that, you

[1:08:33] know, certainly an advantage. And I say we we we invested in the system because we wanted

[1:08:39] to make sure for accountability and transparency. We had those

[1:08:42] those loans and those things tracked. Well, after many of us retire.

[1:08:50] >> But also that's >> we can actually utilize that system to kind told us in

[1:08:57] other ways. >> And I like that saying you know, as continue to have my

[1:09:04] conversation with individuals in the philanthropic community, who because this is

[1:09:08] not just a government problem is like all of our problems. One of the hear over and over

[1:09:14] again finding ways to strengthen to housing homeless ecosystem. Aiming for

[1:09:20] Minnesota where every person have us a stable home that they can afford what we have

[1:09:24] to mobilize those resources. Right. And we have to build infrastructure for that. It is

[1:09:29] not It is sitting. Dormant would wait times like way too long and just throws people

[1:09:35] off into return. System, right when not even to be self-sustaining. many people

[1:09:43] that want to be self-sustaining. I don't want to have to depend on the

[1:09:48] government. All right. And so whether that's at 30% of the am I that makes it more

[1:09:52] affordable for that to happen. And how do we create that? But for sure, they is definitely

[1:09:59] lack and we do a great job of building infrastructure, investing in individuals back

[1:10:03] we have to mobilize the resources together and how to build the infrastructure that

[1:10:07] is so desperately needed. And it's like a all hands So you want to presentation. Mary

[1:10:19] confusion over Thank you. Madam Chair, just thank you so for all of your work and your

[1:10:24] departments. >> When I first got elected here, which wasn't all that

[1:10:27] long ago over 10 years I said, what are we doing about housing? And they said that's

[1:10:34] not what county, know, we don't d this. that's what city, you know, other people

[1:10:38] do that. And you have come so far and it's just so amazing exciting that That the

[1:10:46] community development has done. And I I Madam Chair, that just need more housing

[1:10:53] stock many more funds. It's going to affordable housing and, you know, you were

[1:10:57] talking about 2 different layering, you know, and there's different programs you

[1:11:04] know, have different qualifications. And then there's the availability of

[1:11:07] different look, fun funding sources, then you've got to find the people who qualify

[1:11:11] for all those different things. And then, you know, having the housing stock

[1:11:16] available for the different programs. So it is matching all of that up. And I think

[1:11:20] you're doing an amazing job. And I think we just need I was going to ask you, what do we

[1:11:24] need more of? And we probably need more of everything. You know, we we need more of all

[1:11:27] of tese all of these areas where housing set more programs tough and it, you

[1:11:34] know, more connecting of people. So I just want to say thank you. And if you want to

[1:11:39] comment on that because and while you're commenting on that, just noticing this. You

[1:11:47] know, whenever you see a chart of performance the and the variations hurt, noticeable,

[1:11:52] you know, and 21 7% 31 37 16, 20, know, it kind of goes up and down. Just can you comment

[1:11:59] a little bit more about that? just I'm and just grateful that that come SoFi and in

[1:12:10] this housing. And the housing area. And I think always was county. You know was good for

[1:12:18] counties to step up? mean, it just became more of what was supposed to do. So I am so

[1:12:25] grateful the legislation creating as one of things that happen that, you know,

[1:12:39] >> Madam Chair commissioner require, I think you know, I think it's easy to say that

[1:12:42] more resources will allow us to continue to to make make more impact. And I want to

[1:12:49] diminish that goal. I think what we are as it connects to this these numbers, I think

[1:12:56] we're at a place where we're stabilizing, right? I don't think it's going to be another

[1:13:00] big jump in funding around the corner at least next year, 2 years or 3 years. And so I

[1:13:06] think it's really now a renewed focus on on values as well as where those areas

[1:13:10] importance. And so, you know, while we've identified a goal that actually is stable over

[1:13:15] the 2 years. That's intentional because it's not to suggest that we don't view

[1:13:22] that. That number going But I think we're trying to strive to a number that makes sure

[1:13:27] that we are going through these wild fluctuations between funding that.

[1:13:30] >> Deeply affordable unit creation and preservation is a core focus of our

[1:13:35] solicitations every year. It's a core focus of our partnerships with new

[1:13:41] developers and emerging tourist development program and other partnerships with

[1:13:44] cities. And so we're going to need our communities and our partners to kind of help us do

[1:13:49] that because we don't create the projects. >> We often are one of the

[1:13:54] last funders of projects and often instances. So, you know, we we need alignment there and

[1:14:00] we need to kind of support them. Yeah, so that that's in part. I mean, the fluctuations

[1:14:06] I noted here are. >> part because we had these one time moments. And we may

[1:14:13] strikes. Real production was made in those moments support of different projects,

[1:14:18] supportive housing units, deeply affordable units projects that folks who

[1:14:24] leaving homelessness just projects normal market rate projects across the county

[1:14:30] where we've been able to embed affordable units within notes, just said, you know, a couple

[1:14:36] units at a time, but important moments. So I think this is our kind of signal because

[1:14:44] he's a noted the beginning of my talking points. We start. We've been at 0. We were at 0

[1:14:46] for a very long time. And so now we're moving to a place where like it's a normal

[1:14:53] consistent part of our unit production. I To. I think. Commissioner Kevin sings point

[1:15:01] and county manager backers point. The housing spaces dynamic and so there's the

[1:15:09] analogy that was presented. There's also the analogy of a bucket with lots of holes in

[1:15:12] it. Where we try to clog We try to pour into it and it's hard to know if that 15,000

[1:15:20] number that we presented in our UCI plan remains the 15,000 number today. I think

[1:15:25] we have a great opportunity where we're updating the plan in this next year that we

[1:15:30] began to kind of see if that all of the 1900's, units that we have impacted over the last

[1:15:37] 5 years are making a serious dent in that number. But one thing we very clearly learned

[1:15:42] over the last 5 years, there's a lot of housing in this county that is of what we call

[1:15:49] a natural court and naturally occurring affordable housing that don't show up on a lot of

[1:15:54] different metrics and a lot of those projects are in dire need of supports ensuring that

[1:16:03] folks can stay in their homestand their communities and live with dignity because

[1:16:08] we have seen and witnessed art staff has witnessed firsthand. Some of these units that were

[1:16:12] beginning to step in and support. Are in severe of of, you resources to preserve.

[1:16:21] We're thankful that the owners, the developers of those projects terrifying.

[1:16:28] These projects need But there's individuals who within these units in often cases. So

[1:16:32] yes, so this is. Trying to get collect that information and try to help support the

[1:16:41] housing infrastructure across the county is a full-time across the entire community.

[1:16:47] And it's dynamic. We have you for time. >> lot of that over. We all

[1:16:56] that with cmmission adenosine. Yes, I just want to say to the point that that

[1:17:00] we're all talking about about the role of the county and the newness of the emphasis on

[1:17:06] this. The idea that we talk about Saint Paul MN suburban Manzi County. But just a

[1:17:12] reminder that unit see a Ramsey County is made up part or all of 19 unique

[1:17:20] municipalities. >> Where local zoning code, planning Commission's all the

[1:17:25] different dynamics within the multitude set, neighbors and calls and wants of the lcal

[1:17:30] community come into play. When we talk about, you know, getting shovels in the dirt

[1:17:33] and and housing bill. And so I really appreciate that. You talk about new data

[1:17:40] opportunities so that we can work smarter. And I I again, to earlier comments about

[1:17:46] seeing you working in partnership with our City like sharing urban 3 data ust -

[1:17:52] sharing some of demographic data being able to assess current housing stock. I think

[1:17:58] about, you know, some of my communities that they haven't what what would be captured

[1:18:06] into that naturally occurring affordable housing not even realizing that if if we were

[1:18:13] to somehow create a grid of parcels across the community, that the neighborhoods they're

[1:18:17] in are the very things that trying to recreate so that the first generation of the next

[1:18:21] generation of homeowners can can live in the same types of neighborhoods that that they

[1:18:25] have had the opportunity to live. And so I just encourage to continue to use our role as

[1:18:31] a convener to share data into plan alongside or local communities so that we can

[1:18:36] collectively meet the needs of Ramsey County, because I know that that that it is a

[1:18:41] partnership on the local level. >> yeah, I mean, all a rest on

[1:18:50] this last slide. Just I think I touched on a few of these already.

[1:18:55] >> But I I think one thing that I'll mention because this stretches back to my budget

[1:18:59] remarks last year. >> Where we quite in terms of where federal funding

[1:19:10] >> was going to directly impact. You don't see these budgets.

[1:19:15] >> I think we have at least a little bit of good news that because of the passing of the

[1:19:20] 21st Century Road to Housing Act that diminished to some of the urgency P But I think what

[1:19:28] I would would also share so we don't anticipate cuts on the cdbg home side, at least for

[1:19:33] the next year. But I think what I would share with you, though, is that.

[1:19:42] >> We've been on on a chart trajectory. >> About moving our resources

[1:19:49] where we control. W have better control over those on at the local level that we can

[1:19:54] in a dynamic, but also a multitude of ways kind of began to kind of address

[1:20:00] multiple needs. And I, you know, it's easy for me to go back to the well that is

[1:20:06] emerging. Diverse developers is a unique example where we're supporting a business

[1:20:12] entrepreneur. At the same time we're helping to build and sustain affordable housing are

[1:20:16] great examples of where the kind doing our best to kind of work between the gray areas.

[1:20:20] >> Of disciplines and gray areas. Markets. So that is an area of focus as we kind of

[1:20:26] look forward to the future. I think we certainly touched 2 core areas of CDs, team.

[1:20:37] >> in homeownership programming as well as a portable housing development.

[1:20:41] But we have host. We have another sides for team to help in that real estate

[1:20:46] development side redevelopment programs and then emerging area of around business. And

[1:20:49] so I just wanted to kind of close by saying that is our next area. That is our our new

[1:20:56] area data collection to kind analysis is going to be a key part of that the same way

[1:21:03] that it kind of trolls. Many of our successes over the last years in developing our

[1:21:06] programs and refining them. And s we're going to do that. That's kind of part of the

[1:21:13] We're going to do that in concert with our partners and >> I think those those.

[1:21:21] >> Cdt meetings on the road as we call tem are great opportunities for the whole

[1:21:25] team. See the team to kind of witness and understand core issues and pick up on those

[1:21:29] little bits of data along the way where we did. We walked away as a team saying 10% of

[1:21:36] all units and little can deter and manufactured home communities. Well, that's

[1:21:39] going to be a core focus of where our programs going to kind of fitting in.

[1:21:45] >> You know, and I think that's gonna be the last part just going to add other than

[1:21:49] to say that like housing, as I noted earlier, is a dynamic space. We're trying to do our

[1:21:53] best to to use an analogy, I guess and full of them always. But to be a ship and rocky

[1:22:01] waters so that we can kind of understand the volatility are funding for the Hre Levy. And

[1:22:08] now with housing sales tax has certainly become. A place where folks come to like a

[1:22:14] safe harbor for projects because we look at that. >> You know, in a way that

[1:22:21] >> ensures that projects are best position, not because of what their needs are, but like

[1:22:26] how that money lines perfectly in and helps to accelerate a project, help out the door. So

[1:22:34] I think all wrap up there overtime sauce. >> Well, want to thank you for

[1:22:39] your presentation today. It's very insightful weaver to that and, you know, it's always

[1:22:43] great to hear the good work that we are doing, nor that this other work to do. But we

[1:22:49] are making a I feel like the next year. So we may have to defend off just being able to

[1:22:57] maintain what we have possibly try to take it away from us. You know, but great works

[1:23:00] great. thank you. Thank you. Okay. Next we have. Okay. going to gym Parks and

[1:23:13] recreation. According commissioners. >> Thank you for your time

[1:23:25] today. >> And just like to start by thanking the person leadership

[1:23:32] warmer. Flynn, Crystal Coast, you Justin tells and for their work on this budget as well as

[1:23:37] a performance measures. as well as the finest team. We're an entire block for their work

[1:23:43] of this budget. With >> came to be. Presentation. As you know,

[1:23:58] >> Person Recreation operates, right? If facilities, including a level I stream is

[1:24:02] Kelly Prks, 6 regional parks and trails for golf courses. Special use areas including

[1:24:07] temper interest center, but create when recreation area water perk and we oversee the

[1:24:14] resources management of over 7500 acres of owned and managed lands. So residents

[1:24:21] engage with these facility as of right of way is anything from renting of facility is to

[1:24:26] self-guided recreation, things like renting a partial for or ice We're playing around the

[1:24:32] Gulf to participating a facility staff wuld programs or working with our soil water

[1:24:36] team to install stormwater infrastructure practices like that of the residences or

[1:24:43] places of business. So all take a moment. And in a second talk about health benefits,

[1:24:51] also want to mention that there are other other benefits besides that with parks and

[1:24:56] recreation. >> For example, those who live in close proximity look

[1:24:58] adjacent to Parkland, all the residences, roughly see a 5% increase in the value of their

[1:25:07] home. through those benefits as well, providing access to parks and recreation

[1:25:12] facilities. Resources is really about improving the quality of life. So staff are

[1:25:19] maintaining your minutes report is that are making a port facility and make sure

[1:25:22] it's clean and ready for use or natural resources. Staff are stewards of the land that

[1:25:27] we oversee or program staff working directly residents. >> Our staff are really deeply

[1:25:32] committed to being inclusive and welcoming and raising the quality of life for residents.

[1:25:39] We know that people need food, housing and health care, but they also the parks and

[1:25:44] recreation. It's kind you know, for better or worse. Couple Byrd rains. The

[1:25:48] COVID-19 pandemic him what we saw during tat time. But it's always a good reminder to me

[1:25:54] you know, the massive numbers of people that we saw go out and parks and recreation

[1:26:00] facility is to really stay was there physical health and mental health and well-being.

[1:26:05] >> And so we saw whole social. These services are for residents. If you will have

[1:26:11] more in information or take a look at other websites. We've got the link here over can be

[1:26:18] followed at Ramsey County dot slash sports. >> got into our first or is

[1:26:24] the overview of our strategic priorities corresponding performance measures. Walk

[1:26:29] through each of these of the first measures that we have a line that will give them more

[1:26:36] is the number of culturally specific community-based engagement sessions that are

[1:26:40] helping each year. So as state's this performance measure really demonstrates

[1:26:45] the department's commitment to working with represented segments of community to lift

[1:26:52] up their voices and help ensure that the recreational wants and are being address.

[1:26:58] the next measure of total acres of restored and enhanced away. And today it is a hyper

[1:27:03] that alliance with the county's private equity actual work. as one largest

[1:27:08] landowners in the county, we have a responsibility t be good stewards of which

[1:27:12] includes this restoration work. In final measured tracks, the number of

[1:27:18] culturally specific facility or skews me facilitated programs. There are offering

[1:27:22] to parks and recreation staff and partners. And this measure was put into place is a direct

[1:27:29] result community feedback. We've heard from underrepresented populations

[1:27:33] about their concerns with safety and inexperience and outdoors and wanting to help

[1:27:38] staff facilitate programs rather than just be so corrected. So this is

[1:27:42] important increasing engagement and participation and having all well, all

[1:27:45] residents feel welcome into the park system. To look at our first performance measure

[1:27:54] here. You can see the number of culturally specific engagement sessions that are

[1:27:58] held each year and as a system that are of this measures important intentionally

[1:28:05] engaging with residents was their feedback about design. The facility is types of

[1:28:11] recreation offerings on the people lake, the amenity the amenities of work system. know

[1:28:16] that more affluent residents with power their influence over others intend to be the

[1:28:22] loudest voices in communicating their desires. So it's really important that

[1:28:24] we be intentional and go out and seek opinions lift up voices so that there's a broad

[1:28:30] spectrum of what we're hearing from our community to ensure that there's a wider park and

[1:28:36] recreation options. But those are heard. It's a key examples of engaging with community

[1:28:43] from the phase through implementation in construction would be to courts that we

[1:28:48] constructed. You're going kill regional Park Battle Creek Water Park that renovated

[1:28:55] reopen the summer and the minister its golf course that was also renovated and a grand

[1:29:01] reopening somewhere. I would just the goals that this is perfect measure. So the number

[1:29:09] of engagement sessions, Israeli partly dependent the funding that we have available

[1:29:12] through vrious resources to develop and enhance facility. And so what happens to be a

[1:29:20] time look, a few years ago, there was more money aailable to states and recipients of

[1:29:22] some of those funds. doing a lot of projects and doing a lot of engagement work when

[1:29:28] those resources are as bill is available, then we have was projects motion. But I think

[1:29:36] it is important in tracking again to ensure that we're doing our job engaging with

[1:29:39] community. us the next measure that illustrates a number of acres that have been restored

[1:29:50] to in the person recreation system. So this measure again aligns with our strategic

[1:29:56] priority focus on resident Saturday, holistic support and also aligns the Clay County's

[1:30:01] climate Equity Action plan. It that he did claimants more natural way that's focused on

[1:30:08] managing coming lands to reduce greenhouse emissions and natural ecosystems within

[1:30:14] the county of to after the impacts of climate change. tracking your progress of

[1:30:20] restoring lands. Hlps us measure our progress and mitigating climate change and

[1:30:22] increasing wildlife habitat. So you can see here that we restore under 1500 acres of

[1:30:28] land to date of the 7500 acres. The county manages and owns about 4600 are eligible

[1:30:38] for restoration. some of that land is is just active use. There is to various areas

[1:30:43] where people actively recreating. And so that's bill all eligible to be restored.

[1:30:52] You know, impacts of climate change are pros are recent articles from just this past

[1:30:56] summer where this is one of the hottest and driest summers on record in Minnesota.

[1:31:03] >> And s along with wildfires is making for really challenging conditions of for

[1:31:08] natural resources, work that we need to do to be construed Islam. Or Stephen Bill. The

[1:31:14] excellent job securing tat Kelly resources, restore snce 2011 they've secured around

[1:31:23] 4.3 million dollars for this restorations and also work for several outside partners and

[1:31:28] agencies to determine prioritization for the restoration work.

[1:31:30] >> And to conduct these restoration. So some are key partners include AmeriCorps,

[1:31:35] the Ramsey, Watershed District of writing watershed districts and work nonprofit

[1:31:41] organizations such as Tree Trust. We have a strong relationship sports is

[1:31:45] continue to advocate also with our fellow park agencies at the state Legislature for

[1:31:50] funding to address issues like invasive species of disease that comes along with that.

[1:32:04] >> performance measure of tracks the number of culturally specific

[1:32:09] facilitated programs and services that are offered through parks and recreation

[1:32:12] staff and contract partners. You'll see here that there's been fairly significant growth

[1:32:16] over time in this area. Again, when when perks conducting communities where we just

[1:32:23] found a number of residents support us, concerns are under-represented. Populations

[1:32:27] will feel comfortable jst going over the prchase Monroe or if you they want September.

[1:32:33] Preferably someone you know, represent community was reflective of community. So

[1:32:41] facilitate a program walking through things is uncomfortable. It's also

[1:32:47] stayed on the slide that we utilize funding from the state through the state's parks and

[1:32:51] trails Legacy amendments to hire operate programs as well as purchase equipment. like

[1:32:58] lakes, archery, equipment, fishing here, cross country skis and more to reduce

[1:33:02] barriers to access. So these programs been successful in reaching new audiences

[1:33:08] throughout county and we expect to grow continue to grow the number of programs

[1:33:12] over time. >> You have a question here Commissioner Call. Start. So

[1:33:23] we go back to our first side of the number of public specific community engagement.

[1:33:27] Sessions held a kind of a couple questions. What one, what is that engagement look

[1:33:32] like? And how did that change the way we do the work? So do we know if this engagement

[1:33:38] encourage communities of color who we were engaging with 2 participate or attend some of

[1:33:43] these these locations. >> Like I've been a better many times water part. I know

[1:33:50] that makeup of the people who use it, but like Manager Ridge Golf course, right? Like.

[1:33:55] That, encourage more communities of color to coming utilize our golf courses or

[1:34:01] they still continue more or less being used by outside residents rather than Ramsey

[1:34:06] County residents. So I guess I want to do more about this engagement, peace and to you

[1:34:09] have numbers if we held, you know, 41 sessions, do we know the attendance of those those

[1:34:17] engagement sessions and who made up those attendants? Because no one session we get

[1:34:22] held and it could be 5 people. But they really care about this golf course. And they

[1:34:25] really want, you know, their golf course to have that, you know, that greenery or

[1:34:29] whatever. >> If the commission Miller, I would say that it's yeah.

[1:34:35] There's a lot there and bring up a lot of the places say it's challenging in the kind

[1:34:44] of collection of demographic data for people that participating in engagement.

[1:34:50] So yes, kind variety. Like what does that look like? So engagement takes place a

[1:34:54] variety of ways. Anything from. >> Sending like electronic

[1:35:00] survey it will have signs parts of the QR code and people walk onto their full on

[1:35:06] and give us feedback that way to Like Point Intercept survey is where we've got staff out

[1:35:12] in te field so they may be at both golf course or water park and just walking up and asking

[1:35:17] people if they would like to get their feedback regarding upcoming projects or specific

[1:35:26] like different sessions held events that are occurring throughout the community were

[1:35:29] stand alone like. >> We want of you know, we're holding events at this

[1:35:35] facility at 7 o'clock at night on Wednesday. We'd like come out and give us give you

[1:35:37] giving us your feedback. So a variety different methods to try to collect that

[1:35:44] information, I would say public trust. You it kind of ebbs and flows right now. It

[1:35:52] is fairly So going out and asking people to do of identify and give their

[1:35:57] demographic information like. >> Some people offer that and some don't. So I would have to

[1:36:03] go back talk to development team who conducts the majority of engagement to find out like

[1:36:09] what's of that data that we know. >> We had over or report what

[1:36:13] we have that we could some belong to. >> Yeah, those are some of

[1:36:18] those are some of the challenges I can just say that know from the evolution of

[1:36:24] what I've seen working with the pope will be the director Department has gone from staff

[1:36:31] in a room, kind of making decisions about what doing, too.

[1:36:35] >> You know, going out maybe doing online survey and then >> making decisions or in a

[1:36:42] closed room to really like working with our Park Commission, really going out

[1:36:46] and talking to community recording that the demonstrating likely to

[1:36:52] example, but it is community members would go outside to every step of project and

[1:37:00] verify backs like, yes, this is what we want. And we bill, our making tweaks o And I can

[1:37:08] just I I can speak from experience to say that it's much more. Genuine. And I

[1:37:14] think really see those results as far as the late President, Hugo Chavez, the golf course

[1:37:21] we are. So you know, we can we can look for we are ran to help residents. The diversity

[1:37:29] of users that we're serving. I think that is something that we need look into further and

[1:37:33] has to do with programs and reduction barriers to see like how do we get a wider variety

[1:37:38] of audience to participate programs that make sense? Thank you.

[1:37:42] >> And then the total acreage for the next slide you give us some examples that, yes, you

[1:37:51] do partner with other organizations. But can you give me like a where's this

[1:37:55] where we're thinking like when you remodel the golf course, we added in some of that more

[1:37:59] of that natural landscape in that area is is that the space we're talking about here or is

[1:38:04] it more going into our parks and >> not mowing it or, you know,

[1:38:08] plenty more natural or >> commissioner Miller, it's it's bowls. So I would it's

[1:38:18] dead. A kid you know, looking at specific restored acres of land and within our golf

[1:38:22] courses, for example. >> There are there are acres of land that we've taken that

[1:38:27] you know. trf part of being in play and we take him at all to play and worked with like

[1:38:38] all of us society, other partners to go and do for Mike Restoration work and plant

[1:38:44] native prairie and pollinator habitat and things like that. So it would include acres from

[1:38:50] of golf course land as well as of county and regional Parkland and oftentimes tied

[1:38:57] to specific grants that we've applied for. That tends to be in Parkland space, sometimes

[1:39:03] partner with watershed in. ricts are also invested - >> Making sure that we have

[1:39:10] more natural lands. So that may be a golf course. Like an example with the Colts forced

[1:39:16] but otherwise like the state's funded grants tend to be look at a regional park system that

[1:39:21] we would take an area that, you know, maybe with them morning for a long time for

[1:39:26] this is kind gone feral and restoring that back to what the more original condition.

[1:39:31] Okay. >> And then I guess my last question here goes last slide.

[1:39:40] Do we have attendance data who attended these culture specific facilitated programs.

[1:39:45] I mean, I think it's wonderful that we host of them and we contracted with people. But do

[1:39:49] we know who attended them and how many? And just that that work being fruitful. And it's

[1:39:57] actually meeting the needs the community Commissioner Miller. Let's say we we are tracking

[1:40:03] the attendance of the programs. As far as the who attends. There are some

[1:40:06] programs that are like pre registration that we have a record of who attended. There

[1:40:11] are others that are lke pop up kind of like if you'd like to try fishing, you know?

[1:40:17] >> Whatever part at this at >> fishing pier. next lghts you just show so staff are

[1:40:26] asked like how many people participated things like that. But we wouldn't recording

[1:40:33] people's Demographic data at pop-up events. And 3 cracked before a of book. These

[1:40:43] programs are free and there are some that we charging and I feature 4. But the large

[1:40:47] majority of it has been free. We have been tracking like attendance numbers.

[1:40:52] >> And then when we charge the fee, do we charge the fee straight across anybody who

[1:40:56] wants to attend them? So it whether you're a Ramsey County resident, whether your non

[1:40:59] resident to participate in them, it's the same a lot. And we ask that because like I

[1:41:05] want to know county park for my son's birthday. Let me tell you, they charge for

[1:41:10] everything. I'm just saying like. >> You know, at what we have

[1:41:16] similar fee structures where we're charging non-residents and different fees for using

[1:41:22] our services commission something with the county manager's discuss with through

[1:41:25] some way. And we are >> looking to evaluate that as we move forward. right now, we

[1:41:30] do not have resident and nonresident but that is something the mask explore and

[1:41:36] see where that makes sense. >> To create a few structure that you know, the one rate

[1:41:42] for resident another 40. I would be in support of that just knowing what other and to

[1:41:46] also to learn what our neighboring counties do as well. I've heard similar that

[1:41:51] they charge for use of their dog parks, a charge for use of parking. Right. And I'm just

[1:41:55] curious at how >> much revenue that helps generate that can go back into

[1:42:00] programming ice on a slide ahead that you haven't got to that some of the funding

[1:42:05] challenges to restart Lanza's that maintaining And if this is area that we could use to

[1:42:09] offset that costs and help with that. So we're still following our climate equity

[1:42:12] plan. But we're also being, you know, fair and equitable to our residents as If

[1:42:20] Commissioner Miller that's exactly what we've been asked to take a look at, we have

[1:42:24] them liberate. Look at other agencies. I can speak to. >> Everything specific know I

[1:42:29] would say most of what we're finding is most are charging a resident and nonresident rate

[1:42:36] for their services. But full look and see where examples that exist and what you said.

[1:42:41] That's something that we explore tickets for >> Thank

[1:42:46] >> For oe quick course of the round invasive species. What are we seeing out there? And

[1:42:55] sort of inch or 6 PC. So in season's we're seeing a I would say number.

[1:43:04] >> And so for tree species probably was what will last for. So that's, you devastated

[1:43:09] our Ashley population and you public courses dealing with boulevards and things like We

[1:43:17] have about him active spaces parks, recreation lands. we got through and done tree

[1:43:25] inventories and are doing everything we can to remove that there's a Dutch elm

[1:43:30] disease was a big thing. The world quilts that is is going through oak tree within the

[1:43:39] aquatics Syria. There's a lot of invasive species that popping up a our various

[1:43:47] waterways that we of help to manage. And so that's a very natural resources. Staff is

[1:43:53] working doing programs likely waters where we operate a number of boat launches. And

[1:43:59] so having people on site that are checking to see that boats and trailers are clean when

[1:44:04] they enter the water and when they leave the waters that transferring more speeches.

[1:44:09] But it's i's a big challenge. And, you animals, transport seeds spread disease people

[1:44:15] people do. But again, gven what we've seen in the where climate changing and diseases

[1:44:25] that are taking over, it is a major problem and growing problem.

[1:44:30] >> And so there's a cost associated with that when when we see increase. In trying to

[1:44:35] control, that's free. It. So I I see you say that you have been working fellow agencies

[1:44:42] at the Legislature for additional funding. Are you getting additional funding

[1:44:47] from agencies? Are you thinking about? requests next session to additional funding

[1:44:55] I'm sure I would say that >> funding that state primarily has allocated or

[1:45:02] that we've been recipients of along with our other Metro for key agencies has in of

[1:45:08] replanting. Of of some areas with of what we've had to remove and things like It's

[1:45:20] less the actual removal. So still have a big issue and trying to obtain funding to be

[1:45:28] able to remove a word. But there's been some replanting funds that are out there and

[1:45:31] we've been recipients of that. We work with our fllow partisan says of throughout

[1:45:37] the legislative session to advocate issues. And that's been one of them that we

[1:45:41] continue to advocate for. So I think that'll be something we'll be talking our agencies

[1:45:49] again on coming year in our life, a cycle in our lobbyists, correct. And

[1:45:53] working with working closely with our government relations staff to commit to It's all

[1:45:58] interconnected. okay? Great. >> We have commissioned think March 8. Thank you. Madam

[1:46:04] Chair. >> thank Director McCAbe for the presentation. couple of

[1:46:09] going back to the cultural specific community engagement. As you look towards the future

[1:46:15] of the next few years. Are there any specific groups, organizations or even graphics

[1:46:19] that are hoping to increase engagement with. >> Well, commission with

[1:46:26] really good questions. So think. Partly it kind of what we're working where where

[1:46:37] that's taking place. So we tend to look at demographics of the community in which

[1:46:43] project taking place and try to go out you know, reach out engage community and hope and

[1:46:50] have that banks hve representatives that are coming to talk. It was over

[1:46:54] the place represents of the population that lives in that area. So, you know, it's a

[1:47:00] population that's 50% white and we're getting 95% white respondents were not reaching

[1:47:08] that audience. that's we look at person's like really like to make sure that we're

[1:47:14] reaching more of what store of other residents. >> kind of follow-up that,

[1:47:22] have the F you all as department utilize some of the different communications

[1:47:27] platforms thinking specifically off among TV or launch of the new podcast.

[1:47:33] Ways Too further folks in the community. >> Commissioner closure just

[1:47:40] great segment where a lot TV among TV summer, a cycle of water of or communications

[1:47:47] that has has a nice job of connecting us to those different audiences. And we

[1:47:51] have some like regularly occurring segments on TV and some of the other compulsory

[1:48:02] specific communication, almonds. And can we do better probably. But we're certainly

[1:48:06] where bowls and of work of our communication. to get that word really try to be targeted

[1:48:10] in our community. >> Right. That's that's right to My next question is around

[1:48:16] the culturally specific programs saying that. You know, residents not feeling

[1:48:23] safe comfortable to participate activities. You know, a piece of that. I

[1:48:27] wonder they want to get your perspective is maybe a lack of their representation in the

[1:48:35] specifically of the makeup of of those were coming up with these different ideas and ways

[1:48:44] engage in to come up with a different program which you say that there is room for us

[1:48:46] to go to ensure that our staff park staff. Really reflects the of the as commissioner

[1:48:57] Yeah, yes, that's the. >> Because overall goal of being reflective of the

[1:49:03] community that we serve it, were on that continuum, where of apartment a few years ago.

[1:49:08] This was prior performance measure. I think started as sure of or as department

[1:49:16] director. I want to say that our staff something like or forces something like 90 4% 6%

[1:49:26] people of color. And now it's something like 70% >> Why the 20% people color.

[1:49:33] making progress. We're not there yet. I think an area that we've been more

[1:49:38] >> successful in being a more rapid and increasing the people color among the

[1:49:44] population, having that be more reflective of the population service that are

[1:49:46] temporary employee staff. So you look like Lakers that water works, for example, or

[1:49:57] we'd have purchased number of the internship programs, right track in terms other programs

[1:50:03] like that, that we've got much more like racially diverse audience there in the longer

[1:50:09] program summer, I would say we have nice job being reflected community. But yeah,

[1:50:15] absolutely. I think that that is what we heard is that it's not just about having a

[1:50:20] person. >> help facilitate its having something that you feel

[1:50:23] comfortable with. reflective you know, the community residents are part of and

[1:50:29] that's ongoing work that we need to do continue improve and help people feel

[1:50:33] comfortable. >> I think that's that's encouraging to hear know

[1:50:36] you'll be focusing on. It's great. And then I just bringing up because as we

[1:50:43] think about, you know, some of trepidation by residents. Of course, was preventing

[1:50:49] important piece. I want make sure that we're thinking that, you know, the steps for that

[1:50:54] of like who's in the room making the the and coming up with the idea is to ensure

[1:50:59] that they, you know, reflect the challenges that concerns the different areas that we

[1:51:06] know. We can build excitement with with certain communities and to make sure that those

[1:51:11] folks who reflect those communities in heart of those communities are also in the

[1:51:13] room. Making recommendations. So I'm glad to hear that that you get that there's still

[1:51:25] work to ensure that are having a staff that's reflect the ball. You know, the person at

[1:51:28] the county Thank Thank you. >> ISIS Morant. I mean, a little bit more. Why? What are

[1:51:36] people saying this? Making feel uncomfortable? >> Madam Chair?

[1:51:43] >> we got a lot of specific data are why? But it was more kind of barriers to

[1:51:52] participation, whether people >> do participate or not. And then why And some mid summer

[1:52:01] spots, I don't know the kayaks on Royal King or so I don't feel I don't feel safe of the

[1:52:07] park. And I think our staff during rules have try to flesh that out a bit. And some of

[1:52:13] it. Susan, we got survey right now that is about our overall system plan and we're

[1:52:18] collecting data on that. I would that the other day and one of the things that I think

[1:52:23] the most frequent item that people said would make them feel safer was white. So

[1:52:29] adding lighting in parking lots along certain trails, things like that. So so if

[1:52:35] there's there's probably a variety reasons as to the why. But those are some of the

[1:52:40] things that we've heard. I didn't a lot of like. I was the part I, you had a really

[1:52:47] bad experience or something happened to me. And now I don't go back. It's more like

[1:52:51] seems like kind of trepidation, a boy. I'm not sure. I want to try that. I

[1:52:54] don't no, but I feel safe, you know, going into is really like bourbon residents who

[1:53:04] don't have as much experience like being out in more of kind of like a wilderness area some

[1:53:09] more perks can feel like if you're trail, you know, it can also really feel like you're

[1:53:16] not in the twin city and like what is We're used to wildlife concerns like concerns about

[1:53:24] head-on. I don't feel safe because I'm afraid afraid of, you know, other types of

[1:53:28] wildlife. So thick of right things. But it is important, too. understand the why behind

[1:53:33] it. So as we move forward and that is I'm Fay so OK, well, Whiting was mentioned the

[1:53:39] number of times here. So we should all be touches of you know, having staff facility,

[1:53:47] the program really helped us know feel safe and people were reflective of the community

[1:53:49] that report of Why is certainly important. >> very important because we

[1:53:56] want to parks and recs where people feel safe ways inviting where we are seen as being

[1:54:04] inclusive. So I think it's really important that we fight in safe and comfortable 2

[1:54:11] different things. And so it's really important that we get to figure out what's getting

[1:54:16] the way of people feeling comfortable. It makes sense. Commissioners, can

[1:54:24] >> Yeah, I really appreciate that. You're looking at chair. I come from a park and rec

[1:54:28] background when they worked an older adult services and even really well intended, folks, I

[1:54:32] think that there's a reason why you know, football and soccer fields for

[1:54:39] accommodating to each other and pickleball and tennis courts have been accommodating

[1:54:43] to each other. It's because the park and rec department know that their parents and

[1:54:45] their kids are engaged in those sports. And it may be why perhaps culturally, you

[1:54:51] know, we don't have bad man and volleyball together is easily or cricket and baseball

[1:54:56] fields coming together so easily because we don't have the folks who are in those

[1:54:59] rooms who are naturally. So seeing that these to ways to make the space is more

[1:55:05] inclusive and welcoming to all different kinds of folks who want to use those spaces. So I

[1:55:10] appreciate the farm's measures to talk about engagement and and and rental property rental

[1:55:15] equipment and all the different ways that you're trying to address those needs.

[1:55:18] I encourage that we continue that. My question is have more to do with the idea of how are

[1:55:25] you seeing are perks and amenities in greater sense creating communities where

[1:55:31] people can survive and thrive. And in some of our other partners and and some of our

[1:55:35] other coal. So we have a PC with us about 4600 acres of eligible land for restoration

[1:55:44] and alongside the other acreage of Parkland dimension also. And I think we all have

[1:55:50] a sense housing and houses by parks have an increased market value. So we have a choice as

[1:55:57] a as a county as to where we decide to invest and really make sure those perks saying

[1:56:02] for those neighborhoods and what kind of an equity lens are we having? We're looking

[1:56:05] at. Across the county in those in those acreage, are we, you know, paying the most

[1:56:11] attention to is it lifting up neighborhoods in an equitable way?

[1:56:19] >> To church commissioners have saying, yeah, I would say that has been the charge to

[1:56:26] department for some time, though, is making sure that looking at areas concentrated

[1:56:31] poverty, that we're taking a look across whole park system and not being kind of skewed

[1:56:38] and how these investments are being made. So as you are well aware of your district, having

[1:56:43] a lot of Parkland, there's areas within the county that have or can't Wake County

[1:56:52] property rich in parks and others that ae, but say within the city of Saint Paul,

[1:56:58] there's large, you know, about Parkland that is city of Saint Paul Parks, property. so

[1:57:05] residue doesn't really distinguish between those 2 and what is available as we

[1:57:07] try to look at those gaps and then try to like, where are those needs and how can we

[1:57:14] invest? So I just feel like the budget cycle you know, the board obviously approved in

[1:57:22] the capital improvement program. We asked for funding for renovating Lake County

[1:57:27] Park, which is in one of those areas that would say, you know, a lower-income area and

[1:57:33] has some cuts are part of the property is amenities at the park or not same level as you

[1:57:41] would see in some our other facilities. And so trying bring that up, too, a more

[1:57:46] equitable standard. This is what working on So I would say that yeah, it's a big piece of

[1:57:51] how we're evaluating the privatization o funding requests and then try to go

[1:57:58] about, you know, egaging with community and getting the type of

[1:58:03] >> And that's my my a follow-up was just the idea alignment of park and park and

[1:58:10] amenities against the other opportunities within the community, whether it's a

[1:58:13] municipal park, whether it's school district, you know, parks or playgrounds, whether

[1:58:18] it's a private or nonprofit, you know, is there a big YMCA that has really great

[1:58:23] amenities in the neighborhood just to make sure that we're using our investments in the

[1:58:27] tax payers dollars and creating, as you know in it, you know, collective space to

[1:58:33] say to ourselves not only where there are gaps that we can feel where the

[1:58:35] duplications or we could back. And and just making sure that we're doing the best with the

[1:58:42] dollars that we have in us in smartest way we can. >> commissioner, I'm saying

[1:58:47] that something that we've been like. We try to weed with being strategic asked to do

[1:58:53] that. And there are certain like pork happening says that I would say a municipal parks

[1:58:58] and recreation department has versus Kelly Porter creation. So we are, you know, really

[1:59:09] close communication or other partner agency leaders really try to be mindful as we look

[1:59:14] at to who were visiting and mapping And we do have a map that shows like, yeah, we're a

[1:59:27] community center where YMCA is where or how parkland minutes before a planned. So not

[1:59:29] trying poke so things like community centers. That's not something are county is in the

[1:59:37] business. So Where's Saint Paul operates a number of community centers. And so what

[1:59:41] are going out to try to duplicate or youth sports we don't tend do Cities tend to

[1:59:48] offer that type of programming. But may not have the type of like a natural

[1:59:56] resource base programming that you see camera center try to move out into different parts

[2:00:00] of the county. And so trying to again, try to try to have that for it. But you mention.

[2:00:09] >> Yeah, and just say knowing that you within our building stronger together where we are

[2:00:12] doing our best to to to look at, you know, what is the best use of all of the things that

[2:00:16] we have? How are we maximizing a benefit to community and so I appreciate that strategic

[2:00:23] coordination. >> Director for up to Saint Paul few times. I know I don't

[2:00:30] have any county parks in my history. any county. In rates in Saint Paul.

[2:00:36] >> Med, I'm sure there are the Boyd County, example, is city, all of the portion of it is

[2:00:47] what Maplewood. The Lake County Park, the and there are same thing about vision for

[2:00:57] It's right border numbers of Maplewood sexually made in Saint Paul.

[2:01:00] >> Mostly Maplewood, maybe. >> It never write on the board. Yeah. There's rid of

[2:01:05] the board there's a number arena facilities that are in the city of Saint Paul that we

[2:01:13] operate. But as far I mentioned those couple examples. most of in pig's

[2:01:23] eye, which is part beneficial for portions, about in city of Saint Paul that we operated.

[2:01:28] So there is there are Saint Paul Parks recreation has a large number facilities,

[2:01:33] really great system has property throughout this city. Where Winter? Kelly is fairly

[2:01:42] limited in this Okay. Thank Commissioners on. >> And thank you. Madam Chair.

[2:01:49] The first I just really want to say, you the work day I got apartment so dynamic in terms

[2:01:56] of facility is the camp, the amount of work. So that's why probably choosing some of the

[2:02:04] performance measure is difficult And I also wouldn't say that it's reflective of

[2:02:09] the work that you are doing in terms of the engagement and also using that engagement to

[2:02:16] help inform the programming and the work that you're doing. So I just want to say

[2:02:18] thank you for doing that. A suggestion I have is, you know, I I think you're on this

[2:02:27] track already about the number specific community engagement Sessions is that, you know,

[2:02:33] you're not hearing from other communities and Ramsey counties. So that's you're

[2:02:37] leading into that. However, I would encourage the new to consider where we currently

[2:02:45] have liked large programming investments, such as I think about large regional spaces

[2:02:50] like the Tamarac Nature Center. TC all Sports arena, like looking their the program

[2:02:59] and that we have there. And is creating a space communities of color or EU members feel

[2:03:07] like they can utilize that space or utilize the programming. And they're able

[2:03:11] to access it. So I I don't know if have anything to add or like the specific to

[2:03:20] programming at T Arena as well as tamarac. >> Commissioners so. Yeah, I

[2:03:25] would say to us. >> One of the >> benefits and challenges

[2:03:34] that we tend to see users from areas like close proximity to facilities. to that's really

[2:03:42] close to white Bear lake, we have a lot of weight for Lake residents that are utilizing

[2:03:47] or technicians there. What township, a lot of residents from from area. Good news that

[2:03:56] the that heard this before of just like, Gee, this is amazing program. Like how

[2:04:00] residents from Saint Paul use that, you know, are where can we take the program bring it

[2:04:05] over that way? So there's I think some of those obviously hopeful tougher in the ice

[2:04:10] surreal. I think something that we do. We formed a partnership with Saint Paul

[2:04:17] School district their early childhood education for Rams now have the opportunity to

[2:04:25] all do a field trip to Tamarack. So I could get the numbers that but I want to

[2:04:29] something like 30 different classrooms of childhood students came to temper this

[2:04:33] past year and had and experience. And so that's I think those are ways like 4 in

[2:04:40] those partnerships. And then, you know, baby offering incentives like transportation

[2:04:45] or, you know, we can do for having come this far do. The transportation has been

[2:04:50] something to like. How do we know serve other residents? Not just from like the

[2:04:55] surrounding community at those facilities? Yes, that's And then that T Co or some of our.

[2:05:03] >> I don't know than the other big ones. But TCL is the one that comes to my mind. But I

[2:05:08] know that we have like open skating I feedback are like what I've experienced 2 and

[2:05:15] also heard is that folks don't We haven't I skated like even though we have ice That's fee

[2:05:21] Folks don't know how you set. So is there like an intro course orders some programming

[2:05:26] that you can introduce and that this is intro course or just hour to learn basics of

[2:05:35] how to ice skate through committee. finishers for him, pulled into state of day. We

[2:05:41] have >> of. And is a bill that summer facility for that exact

[2:05:45] purpose. And then I would say just some of field house that measurements of to sports

[2:05:52] garden. So of was kind of funny that took office. We try to do a few years ago full

[2:05:57] tough times. It's just like toddlers that are Walker also in winter time with families

[2:06:03] with in the wintertime where we had, you know, people are indoors. They're cooped up and

[2:06:09] things like We just had some daytime use that was available and open that up for free

[2:06:15] time. And like the word spread like crazy. And so. >> It i a really interesting

[2:06:20] to see what was growth exponential growth like every day care center. or just

[2:06:28] individual families are going as you wasn't walk around or have like open play time. And

[2:06:34] so 2 point try like. >> Not just like it's important, generate revenue.

[2:06:40] And, you know, so this time. But where there are opportunities like, how do we

[2:06:45] kind open open that up for success ability and wider audiences to purchase? yes,

[2:06:52] absolutely. And my other one is just around kayaks that you had mentioned, too.

[2:06:57] >> You know, there is a barrier for like just to be able to have to right? Like if

[2:07:02] you have a kayak, you need a big You need storage. And do we have rentals available for

[2:07:10] kayaks to are we looking at our regional lakes in areas where it is accessible or up

[2:07:17] to the standard that we have in other lakes throughout the commissioners are so yeah,

[2:07:22] just to think this is just our second summer of working with a vendor that has a

[2:07:28] >> stations at various for facilities where we've had like rental kayaks, socially

[2:07:32] kiosks to go and then you can stand. skin check out a kayak for a couple hours and then

[2:07:43] return it. And we've hosted with our staff report says some like learned to kayak

[2:07:46] because we've also heard that like such as they do have on its south of Florida. How so

[2:07:52] having some times where, you know, we've got out especially resources to like read those

[2:08:00] kayaks and that offer their free program where a program that's up a program. But we're

[2:08:04] offering staff in color. >> into program. those are resources that we've got kind

[2:08:11] of scattered throughout a helpful part right now. >> Okay. Yeah. That that is

[2:08:14] great to hear. >> And then finally, I just want to name at that in for

[2:08:22] your culturally specific facilitate programs and services like here. I just

[2:08:27] want to highlight and uplift You know, these are things that are considering and have

[2:08:33] been doing such as purchasing equipment program, equipment, such as by archery equipment,

[2:08:38] fishing here, cross country skis to reduce barriers to I think it's just really

[2:08:45] important that we left that up and about how you know, you're taking the feedback. They are

[2:08:50] ready hear from community members and implementing it. >> Thank you. Commissioners.

[2:08:54] would say it's going, you know, we've got it on our website and trying to kind of

[2:08:59] make known. But that's not going like educational piece to is just making sure that

[2:09:03] people like if this is available, if you can rent a kayak or we do have archery

[2:09:09] equipment that you can try were bikes that, you know, you can take out on trail. So

[2:09:13] there is a lot in just trying to like make people aware that's even an that they can.

[2:09:18] You us. >> Thank you. is 5 11. We have 2 more speakers. We're going

[2:09:26] take a quick break. Have there. at commission and commended that crispy. And if

[2:09:34] you're going to come back to do a presentation on public works in because I know

[2:09:38] director ice and he's so much to share with >> And so

[2:09:43] >> Why thank In a chair. Just thank you so much for your presentation for all the work

[2:09:49] that you and your team are doing. director McCAbe and you have it's a challenge to be

[2:09:56] balancing. You know, all all of the different needs of our community. And you know where

[2:10:03] our parks are making facilities available for everyone in every way. And I

[2:10:07] think working on it and thank your continued work in that just who I am. I so appreciate

[2:10:13] questions of my colleagues and I just want like that. I appreciate that. You're

[2:10:20] available to partner with committee. With community comes to you. And so that's a

[2:10:24] that's great thing to do. community brings funding to you. Your your always

[2:10:28] available for that. Some communities are bringing funding to you and so is

[2:10:33] always have to be aware of that. And that's going to thank you fr, of course, the

[2:10:38] community. All those cuts could use years. You know, they really wanted place at

[2:10:45] Battle Creek they wnt to the legislature. We wnt to the legislature that money get

[2:10:48] funding for it. And it's an amazing facility actually getting gratitude from all

[2:10:55] people that use it. It's well-used area and they do provide, you know, I think you

[2:11:01] do have free equipment for people and, you know, on certain days that they can

[2:11:04] come learn to ski and use it because it's in the community. Why don't you know skiing? Has

[2:11:09] it been, you know, as a recreation? So I just appreciate that you're doing

[2:11:15] that. I know out in Cairns, like which is one of our part you know, the community want

[2:11:22] to put some art there. So they've got a grant to put except there you worked with

[2:11:27] us. We put mosaics. there's a park. Every part wants it now. But, you know, they're just

[2:11:32] has to be some funding. So, you know that you're you're you're just so willing to be

[2:11:36] creative in and work with community and we get it encourage community come for

[2:11:41] funding the parts were there because and Sen, you That funding for that? You know,

[2:11:49] it's not like we can do everything as a county. We have to get these partnership

[2:11:53] funding sign. I think we all can encourage members of our community to say, listen, we

[2:11:57] are willing to partner help us with funding help us. France and we will do this work. You

[2:12:04] I just appreciate so much. Your willingness to be open to that and doing all that work.

[2:12:10] So thank you so much. And you brought up something tat it that I know we dealing with

[2:12:16] that this trust is community with government. And I think Metro really contributed to

[2:12:23] that and it does impact even whether people want to engage in community like People don't

[2:12:28] want to go you know, any government funds sponsored sessions for fear of what they

[2:12:34] might find that. So I you know, know that that's just something we're going to have

[2:12:40] to keep stressing the community. meeting with us is a safe is a safe place. And

[2:12:47] you know, we we want to engage in community and I appreciate that. You that brought that up

[2:12:52] and we do need to keep continuing to have, you know, forward thinking community

[2:12:58] engagement, Sessions, where we don't just sit in a room wait for community to come to You

[2:13:01] know, we go out community and I I've notice if you're working hard to

[2:13:06] to get that to happen. And for the parks that are in my district. I appreciate that.

[2:13:10] You're working with our our city partners. You know, you should partner with Rolesville

[2:13:17] recreation when we have a park there. You know, we have the park space. They have the

[2:13:20] recreation pogram and I appreciate that. You're working on that as well

[2:13:23] because those are all great. Great down its great value to our residents to do all that.

[2:13:30] So just thank you for trying to balance everything in for listening to community and us

[2:13:35] and we'll just keep working working with our community on that as well to get our people

[2:13:40] checked to work with us. So thank you so much. Thank Madam Chair commissioners I just

[2:13:46] want to 6. They haven't quite seen a slide >> Summarizes the conversation

[2:13:51] probably as well as director McCAbe, strategic Outlook Slide. So a final You kow,

[2:13:57] that parents will continue to seek partners to effectively engage residents. Staff will

[2:14:01] continue to seek opportunities to lobby the state legislature commissioned. Why are, as you

[2:14:06] just noted Stephen Work and growing partnership to expand program offerings, introduce

[2:14:11] various because Patient Commission for in partnership finance parts will explore the

[2:14:18] resident nonresident fees. And then I will just add as a complement to the slide. You

[2:14:22] know, to Commissioner Jeff sings Point, making sure that we understand where to invest,

[2:14:26] why we're investing and how are investing across the geography. That is Ramsey

[2:14:28] County. I just wanted to let that office under. McCain been very insightful, thoughtful

[2:14:34] about that as well. So county manager yeah, I'm I'm just going to be one 0nd. I think

[2:14:41] it's just that first bullet around seeking partners to engage residents. And this is

[2:14:47] mark. I really appreciate that. The evolution of the work of the department over

[2:14:50] time and it's made a lot of strides on that first flight. >> It's something I'm

[2:14:54] encouraging every department, though, like 1, 1, way we can keeping engaging as people who

[2:14:59] are actually coming in our doors and actually are involved in county programs.

[2:15:01] So I would encourage, you know, partnering with other departments like as this

[2:15:06] measure evolves. I would love to measures how many engagement that we do in

[2:15:11] partnership with other county departments. Wre you at the mother's first baby shower

[2:15:16] where you at 119, occasionally where you at the service center like to me

[2:15:20] actually being at the park and doing the engagement, feels a little bit like those people

[2:15:23] had to get there. But they are coming to us in a variety of ways. And our crew forced

[2:15:28] location. You know. So to me, it's like, how do we do that with a little simply as one

[2:15:32] Ramsey County? And that's not just on parks and rec, think it would limited resources if

[2:15:37] we're trying hit populations that have high need. Those are the ones actually coming in

[2:15:41] our doors. So thank you. All right. We thank you for that. You want

[2:15:49] >> It? Sure yeah, because your calls win over things here. But to have a couple slides,

[2:15:55] we didn't hit. So just use a just to wrap things up. >> one thing that I just hit

[2:16:05] just reviewed recently that I think are taxpayers can feel good about our board can feel

[2:16:09] good about looking at percentage of the fund's that's of this department

[2:16:17] receives for sins of our other partner agencies like Saint Paul, County for the Scott

[2:16:20] County Washington. >> They receive anywhere from 35% to 65% o their revenues

[2:16:28] through levy funds where our levee phones 30%. And so meaning that we're generating

[2:16:35] 70% of our revenues through fee-based program. So, >> you know, being pretty

[2:16:41] officials as compared to our other partners that more reliant on why the resources.

[2:16:46] So I think this something we can without them feel. feel really good about

[2:16:54] >> Difficult >> as your calls mentioned a few other things, but ongoing

[2:16:58] challenges that we have a I think she covered >> Pretty well programming and

[2:17:06] people's recreational. to evolve over time. So we do have to continue to be, you

[2:17:09] know, open to new things continue to evolve. I don't know if like AI bots looking

[2:17:17] up like my presentation, whatever. But I saw mass culls hierarchy of needs popped up

[2:17:22] on computer screen the other day very base level. It's like you're, you know, people need

[2:17:25] their physiological needs their food, water, shelter. And then the very next level

[2:17:30] actually was like health and talked about what the benefits of, you know, things like I'm

[2:17:35] It doesn't speak specifically to purchase creation, but the benefits physical and mental

[2:17:39] well-being. And so that was interesting of permit and going up the skills like,

[2:17:43] well, this is really foundational the people's needs is the things that we

[2:17:49] do. And so again, I think that really contribute to our residents overall, health and

[2:17:55] well-being really take that role very seriously. And I think staff as well. So thank

[2:17:58] you for your time. Thank you. resists lows by saying. >> Commissioner who does not

[2:18:06] any county partially lifts in district. That I've gotten over

[2:18:15] because on a cause, when our parks and Recs our suburban areas have had impressed by

[2:18:27] him. >> Well, keep the engagement, program means that is is

[2:18:32] taking place within those locations. >> You it's not often that I

[2:18:39] see in Urban core and defeat. live in court in the suburbs. >> What you rent to bikes and

[2:18:45] archery equipment and fishing here in Kos country just doesn't happen in the same

[2:18:47] type of way. In my experience is very in Al Parks and Recs in Saint Paul. But I clearly

[2:18:56] see the the investments in the work that he's put into. So the county's parks and recs.

[2:19:01] And so I just want to thank you for the work that you do to keep them up to people who

[2:19:07] diversify into engaged a community members and how to continue to improve our parks

[2:19:13] and recs. Across Benton County it. It makes a difference when means a lot. Thank you, Madam

[2:19:23] And we're continue work closely with safe. Also, I know I know what's going on,

[2:19:27] would say says Riviera >> But thank you so much. It's going to take break. A 10

[2:19:35] minute break. And we're gonna come back. 11. 25 and we're going to die for it to have

[2:19:44] public Director ISIS. ? ?

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[2:31:33] >> we want to get, you know, a formal welcome. >> I feel hopefully my

[2:31:45] presentation live up though, locally in for And I'm grateful discuss with Public

[2:31:49] works and all of the measures that we have to Public works. a group of

[2:32:02] >> somewhere around 160. Plus fabulous individuals. >> They are engaged in

[2:32:09] managing over 293 miles accounting rules or see construction maintenance, snow

[2:32:14] removal and environmental services. >> And multi-modal planning.

[2:32:21] is responsible for the development maintenance of a multi-modal transportation

[2:32:24] system that prioritizes the needs of pedestrians, bicycles, buses, trains, cars

[2:32:28] and trucks. The growth and maintenance of the system enables people to connect to

[2:32:36] the places that they want to go within and outside of the county. While enhancing the

[2:32:40] safety and functionality of the counties, transportation of work for all users So they

[2:32:49] all speak to you about a couple key performance measures that we track and

[2:32:53] public works as well as how these measures advanced key initiatives just building

[2:32:59] stronger together. The delivery of an expanded construction program by a

[2:33:02] board of a directed redirect the funds to expand multiple facilities. Across the county.

[2:33:12] on the The measures that we are here to discuss today. They weave together number of

[2:33:32] both operational and capital. >> And pardon is for us in business. The measures

[2:33:40] represent the overall health of the infrastructure and how our operation impacts health

[2:33:43] and safety. The health and safety of the residents and So we'll we'll speak to rating of

[2:33:52] road pavement condition percent of system in poor condition, which I know all of

[2:33:54] you. Scott's regularly will talk about the rate of crashes on the county road system. And

[2:34:02] then chloride levels and Ramsey coming weeks. These measures are are important in

[2:34:10] terms of identifying the places where we make the improvements in our

[2:34:13] transportation system. And approving on these measures, improve the quality of life

[2:34:18] for him county residents and the environment that we all enjoy here. The first lady

[2:34:27] speak to is a rating of county road pavement condition. For sense of system important. The

[2:34:37] council local results reports Pima conditions as a payment quality and the As an

[2:34:41] assessment of the condition of the overall roadway network. Individual payments segment

[2:34:47] conditions are combined into an aggregate number representing overall network

[2:34:49] condition. This measure provides the state of our payment and modeling can

[2:34:55] estimate the anticipated impacts. >> Of various investment

[2:34:59] levels allocated to people progress. This foundational element and forms pavement,

[2:35:06] rehabilitation projects based on current and future project in conditions to achieve the

[2:35:10] goal of having 12%. Or less of the network poor condition. Poor condition is defined as a

[2:35:17] segment of roadway that has significant crack in potholes and other issues to the point

[2:35:24] where the structure of the roadway is visibly deteriorating. A goal of 12%

[2:35:28] of the network means that at a point in time there would be roughly 35 miles pavement in

[2:35:33] poor condition. This goal is roughly consistent with peer transportation agencies

[2:35:40] allowing us the benchmark for system in comparison to others. And as a benchmark all

[2:35:45] say conversation with our friends Metro. With similar classification to the county's

[2:35:54] roads. goal for the poor condition is 8%. They ae projecting to be at 14%. And

[2:35:58] so. >> gives you a good sense for where we are relative to me. 2

[2:36:04] others. >> Ramsey County invests. Across all the ways to

[2:36:12] optimize pavement conditions. This includes reconstructing roads that are in poor

[2:36:17] condition as well as doing strategic pavement treatments to keep pavements in good

[2:36:20] condition. Several poor condition roadways are program for replacement, which would

[2:36:25] lead to a reduction in the miles of roadway in poor condition over the next 5

[2:36:28] years. Public works also analyzes for payment to ensure conditions are equitable

[2:36:33] across the county. worth noting maintaining good payment cheaper than

[2:36:40] addressing poor pay and considering we don't have the resources to reconstruct every

[2:36:43] segment of Roma County in the next 25 years, our program will need to be a balance of

[2:36:48] those strategic investments notable reconstruction. Recent weather trends, a proven

[2:36:56] challenging and maintaining pavement conditions temperatures hover around the

[2:37:00] free-fall thresholds. That is a dramatic impact on pavement conditions. And pavement

[2:37:07] condition. This One of the most frequent hear about and the such remains an important

[2:37:14] indicator for Let's we'll talk to a ball rate of crashes on the county which Again, the

[2:37:32] council on local results reports the actual number of crashes. Our emphasis for the

[2:37:38] last several years has been on systemwide crash rates. The crash reported in crashes per

[2:37:43] million vehicle Miles traveled. The system wide view reflects broader changes.

[2:37:49] We've implemented from the work we're doing converting 4 three-lane facilities

[2:37:54] implementing calming measures like roundabouts. The goal is to drive the overall crash

[2:37:57] rate down across the system. We continue to track both crashes and data points on a

[2:38:04] segment basis is that is important to design at a project. What we're doing a

[2:38:10] lot to affect safety changes for safer roads segment designs and quarter approaches

[2:38:12] to reduce peace. There are challenges we continue to see higher average speeds on the

[2:38:19] overall road network which contributes to both the frequency and severity of

[2:38:21] crashes. We also see a continued incidents of distracted driving resulting

[2:38:27] in crashes that unrelated to sites. The crash rate, a number of crashes have

[2:38:34] plateaued over the last several years and 2019 1851 crashes reported on Ramsey

[2:38:42] County Roads in 2025 there are 1490 reported crashes. Crash rates are calculated by

[2:38:50] dividing the number of crashes by the annual traffic volume. To develop a crash rate per

[2:38:55] million vehicle miles traveled on roadway. Investment in rebuilding roads that have a

[2:39:03] high crash rate way, specifically Ray Street, which had the highest crash rate in

[2:39:05] the county. It is anticipated these investments will result in an overall reduction in

[2:39:09] crashes in crash rates going forward. Measuring press rates on the county road system

[2:39:16] provides a lens as the 4 rows are for a range of transportation. recent this 5

[2:39:22] years ago, Ramsey County had the second highest crash rate for county roads in Minnesota.

[2:39:27] This means our system puts our residents and users that a disproportionate level crash

[2:39:31] risk. Public works has been making strategic investments to systematically address the

[2:39:36] crash rates on our system into its. >> Addressing locations on our

[2:39:40] road network with the highest pressure. It's. making changes to the roads in favor of

[2:39:46] designs with much lower likelihood, precious. specific example of this is

[2:39:52] transitioning four-lane road 3 lanes which have an expected 50% lower crash. based on that

[2:39:58] design. Fresh rates decrease with each invest. Although you'll note the raid to Very

[2:40:07] incremental in terms of its change. Safety improvements are funded through a variety

[2:40:14] of means including local, state and federal funds. Depending on the project

[2:40:17] needed funding eligibility. Public were still continue to transition. The transportation

[2:40:23] network toward safer designs and the data is trending in the right direction. Some of

[2:40:30] the continuing challenges to improve safety conditions are related to distracted driving

[2:40:32] and higher average speeds. The public works continue. Seek partnerships with various

[2:40:38] agencies to read the speeds and improve conditions to address distracted driving. it

[2:40:54] comes to poor levels. the county leaks. Higher salt usage on paved services in the

[2:40:59] water should leads to higher salt concentrations. Tracking chloride. Concentrations is

[2:41:06] relatively recent development response to rising concerns. Well, water quality more

[2:41:08] general. The county aims to use less salt were possible as less than the core of impacts

[2:41:15] were water bodies for tax or aquatic organizing organisms overall or fall. Poor levels

[2:41:24] fluctuate based on other factors on a variety factors. But the overall trend is that

[2:41:27] the levels from 2025 and beyond look to decrease. The number reported is the average

[2:41:34] milligram level of chloride leave. Future work to maintain performance includes working

[2:41:41] with county staff to devise management strategies decrease all views over time. And using

[2:41:48] technology to accurately track soldiers shun and weather patterns as a planning tool

[2:41:52] while staying updated on new innovations in snow and ice control and collaborating with

[2:41:56] other county departments. State technical experts, Watershed District Partners.

[2:42:01] In an effort to help teach and advise on management differ. To do a quarter Frankel

[2:42:10] management resources to folklore rides will be beneficial to our budget. In

[2:42:12] addition to having to helping to ensure that a waterfall. As a reference. We are in the

[2:42:20] process of purchasing 9,000 tons of salt for winter use tissue. Which will cost

[2:42:28] somewhere in the neighborhood of $600,000. So the degree can manage that resource. It has a

[2:42:35] real fiscal impact for us. Some of the challenges will be balancing public desires for

[2:42:43] optimal winter road conditions against those levels. And assessing implement. The

[2:42:47] public works represents it's. Potential other sources. And as we've talked about with the

[2:42:53] board and others. Public works is but one contributor to the overall Cora news. But still

[2:43:02] important for us to manage you both for more financial perspective as well as for

[2:43:05] environmental impact of the county. We will continue to work closely with watershed

[2:43:14] districts and watershed management organizations as well as with partner agencies

[2:43:17] to manage levels. Alright levels and are impacts and we continue to make strides in

[2:43:22] terms of. Types project resources that we implement with our projects to address

[2:43:30] what call roll. course, is in the process. Of implementing a number of technologies. When

[2:43:46] it comes to improving measures. you think of or transportation planner

[2:43:52] transportation plan and gauges. A lot more scientific approach to where and how we

[2:43:58] address things. What are the levels at which we're managing the the overall system? She to

[2:44:08] be live will be our asset management system. We're expecting that to come online

[2:44:11] sometime next. You. And that will give us a much more refined picture, both

[2:44:16] geographically as well as condition was where assets are and or most efficient terms of

[2:44:22] addressing. Infrastructure issues in the right places at the right Also as we key

[2:44:36] initiatives that we've spoken to such as building together in the overall program, these

[2:44:41] investments will also improve these measures. terms of ongoing challenges. One of the

[2:44:49] key issues will be about weather, weather, weather, weather weather trends will

[2:44:53] continue. >> moderate. Ugly enough when we have a long cold winter, it

[2:45:01] actually those less harm to our system, then that those that have water temperature

[2:45:09] which hovers around the freestyle point. Last year. I believe we had 38 different

[2:45:15] snow events where our folks were on the roads. Whether they were plowing or just

[2:45:19] applying salt. So that's another We have more people on the road times with more. More

[2:45:25] things. So that's a a key issue for us. All wrap up by saying. rcognize the context

[2:45:39] in which we're living. Resources are and these hard times for everyone and

[2:45:47] stewardship of cost savings are important. We're part of the county like everybody

[2:45:52] else. So. We'll continue to seek other funding sources to supplement our work. We've

[2:46:00] great success over the last several years seeking a variety of different funds and

[2:46:05] we continue to have that success. And we'll keep working on that. With a goal

[2:46:16] of minimizing our impact on our general Levy. When it comes to asset management

[2:46:24] technology, very optimistic in terms of having seen these systems employed and what they

[2:46:28] can do for the operation of the organization. And really refined picture of. The assets

[2:46:35] and their conditions so that your really optimally timing where you are, where you're

[2:46:39] working. impact to the public. wear and tear on better management of the overall.

[2:46:47] Assets. When it comes When it comes to fleet. I think we look forward to that over the

[2:47:00] coming year or so. Looking at. How we Update that model. And I think that getting into a

[2:47:10] new model of fleet and having provide the level of services that the county, variety of

[2:47:16] county departments need. going to be important. But it's going to take a lot of

[2:47:20] creativity. And it's gonna take technology and fleet a little further down the path

[2:47:25] in terms o technology, which I think is going to help us. going to take all that to to

[2:47:30] see those changes come Just as a point of reference, I think. any given time Fleet is

[2:47:36] providing service to somewhere 12 of the 15 departments in the county. So there's there's

[2:47:42] a lot of Liege in terms of providing services to the broader county. With the All

[2:47:52] right. Thank Commission a real life. >> Good morning. Good morning.

[2:48:00] >> OK, my question goes back to let's go to our first slide of a couple questions.

[2:48:03] >> So rating of county road pavement and I understand that 17% of our county roads are in

[2:48:12] poor condition are rated in poor condition. My first question are these roads that

[2:48:18] we maintain our they just in general, all roads in Ramsey County just a measure of Madam

[2:48:24] Chair commissioner. This is just a measure for county roads. Those sort of roads

[2:48:27] that we may. We may not our county roads that like the city of Saint Paul maintains

[2:48:31] or includes going gets that okay. >> And then my next one goes

[2:48:34] to. >> Is the future investments that we're making and the

[2:48:40] plans we have to fix some of these roads. Is that help us reach our goal or bring us

[2:48:45] close to our goals of 14% by 2028. And then 12% of for 2030. Yes, it does. Okay.

[2:48:52] >> And then I. >> Does this also like how does that work with the

[2:48:58] transfer of roads? I kow that we've transferred a few roads into our system where we've

[2:49:01] transferred a few roads out of our system over the last 6, 8, months. How does that also how

[2:49:08] does that also tie into? And I know I can white bear lake like we've made it very clear

[2:49:13] we will not tke over ownership of that road until it is fixed rate cell right?

[2:49:20] >> So it's a it's an interesting question. From a performance measure

[2:49:23] standpoint. >> So typically, if we were to take on the road, typically

[2:49:26] take a road win. It >> New conditions right? And so that would be. Kind of a

[2:49:34] net 0 to our And so far is that it would ongoing liability. At some point we

[2:49:43] would need to maintain it to a point where it would stay either.

[2:49:47] >> In good or fair poor. When it comes to. A system. And one we.

[2:49:55] >> Fix up a road and turn it over to a city. It's a little bit of a strange thing that we

[2:50:00] invest in that for it to be in good condition. And then we give it to someone else. And

[2:50:03] so the benefit of that is that over the long term, we no longer have that maintenance

[2:50:08] liability. And there's larger conversation of all who's going to get the right level

[2:50:16] of attention if it's not road that really belongs in county system. So that there's it's

[2:50:20] complex picture. But I. >> It is a a I don't know how I would characterize it in

[2:50:29] terms as net benefit or detriment to our measure. Bt >> it would look like we've

[2:50:33] invested in segment of road to get in good condition and that it would disappear fom our

[2:50:39] system. So it makes sense us. Okay. >> And the last point it says

[2:50:45] the data collected by MIN DOT every other year. W do. am assuming do that. We do our

[2:50:51] own data collection assessment on our roads as well. Are we just taking Collection and

[2:50:58] what do they do with that information? Is that like score like a Ramsey? You're up

[2:51:02] here at 17%. But Hannah that 20 or nope, is that 14 right? >> Madam Chair Commissioner

[2:51:10] disagree question. And this is one of those places where I always say that we were here

[2:51:13] for your detailed needs, a new step through that door. So the second interesting question.

[2:51:22] So the way that it's >> Mendota assesses assesses road conditions through.

[2:51:30] >> A very high tech fan. and they drive a certain they drive with a certain way with

[2:51:37] a whole protocol. And there's a there's a very sensitive device in van that helps us

[2:51:42] understand. >> Okay. And so. >> The value of that is that

[2:51:50] it's a consistent approach statewide. It's all men doubt about it, which there's their

[2:51:55] roads. That's how they do it for some cities. Not all cities do that. most counties

[2:51:59] do that as well. It's a little bit of an oddity that the only to every other year, which

[2:52:07] means of our data can look a little funny from time to time and it's not current. we don't

[2:52:13] mean not that w don't understand what the road condition is. What we That

[2:52:17] level of data collection. It's something that we're looking for a variety of reasons.

[2:52:23] There are Curiosity's terms of all say the van and and I collect that data is probably

[2:52:34] more accurate and consistent. For freeways than it is for the types of rooms that we

[2:52:41] make OK, like things are normal for a county road like whether it's manhole cover or

[2:52:51] some local part of the system. That's part of road. And that doesn't deal with very well.

[2:52:56] And so it starts to look like every road needs a lot of work but were able to. Sift through

[2:53:03] make determinations on Thank you for that detailed information

[2:53:13] >> I'm going to skip not to the 3rd sign on the current level. I know that this is the

[2:53:18] average across all Ramsey County Lakes. Are we seeing higher nmbers in certain

[2:53:25] areas? And sir and why and are we targeted approach for those areas?

[2:53:31] >> Madam Chair commissioner, that's a great question. I don't have the to but I would

[2:53:35] be happy to dig into that for you, OK? Not Yeah. And then. I know like this talks about our

[2:53:42] usage. But how do we partner with our cities to know their usage as well? I have a few

[2:53:48] constituents that we judge me about this topic often. So >> A familiar with some of

[2:53:52] this information and then with our benchmark, are Ashley Kaiser water, quality

[2:53:59] benchmark we're trying to get to versus the usage of the chloride.

[2:54:06] >> And better for sure. It's a great think that. We're tracking towards a Ramsey

[2:54:16] County specific goal. At moment. There's like a national standard of the

[2:54:18] benchmark that for. When it comes to your question of do we?

[2:54:27] >> Do we have an understanding of or Partner City Are employing I will say it's

[2:54:34] really broad range. Yeah, I know that. Some Ramsey County cities and townships will have

[2:54:43] very specific thoughts of all the level of salt use around specific water bodies. Others

[2:54:51] are less circumspect about that issue. And I don't know that that's really well

[2:54:57] understood outside of a very small number of people in terms of what cities and

[2:55:03] ordinances that are specific to salt used the our folks are aware of. There are places

[2:55:07] that. Expecting that will be very Todd full of purse or application. Of course, right

[2:55:17] around some of the And then when we do. >> Like rolling updates are,

[2:55:23] you know, I'm sure we take into consideration like the water runoff and where, you

[2:55:27] know, the wastewater. >> You know, enters the system at and how can we prevent

[2:55:31] that? You know that spread as well. So, you know, maybe adding a curve and use the

[2:55:38] sewer, you know, making sure it gets into where it's supposed to go.

[2:55:43] >> That's I really appreciate you raising that point. That's another emphasis area for

[2:55:47] actually leading into storm drainage and modernizing its system. And that's a big part

[2:55:53] of it. I know it's fun, though. A big conversation with some of our cities. I

[2:56:01] think you can see places around the county where we've done some more creative things

[2:56:05] when it comes to treating the water before it hits from water bodies. And I think

[2:56:08] we'll continue to do >> plays an important role in our capital investments for

[2:56:15] sure. >> OK, perfect. Thank you for that. And I just want to also

[2:56:18] say driving on Wade Avenue is so nice thank you very much getting that person to the

[2:56:26] music of the same. And yeah, that's exactly why U.S. so that I have further course,

[2:56:31] is. Commissioner White. really appreciate line of questioning Commissioner Miller it goes to

[2:56:41] some my questions as well. >> Yes, I love it. after the county has done a road and us

[2:56:49] I love being on that road one of my constituents had a had a monitor measure. He would

[2:56:56] write to me and say my teeth are rattling you know that So now it's raft measures. So

[2:57:05] when I'm driving on a and I really appreciate the work that you're doing because as

[2:57:13] much as you know, we get a little frustrated detours worst. I'm so excited that

[2:57:17] county, there's a detour and I'm I'm on a county road and we're getting some work done.

[2:57:23] So thank you. Thank you for that. I'm happy to do the have that extra time to hlp our

[2:57:30] roads be safer for residents. So thank you for that. And just thank you for all of your

[2:57:37] responsiveness to my constituents. You know, I had have constituents and live in

[2:57:42] senior kind of that. That's next to role that we're redoing and they're very

[2:57:45] nervous that the role that we re doing is uder construction now, but that there may not be

[2:57:51] a bike pedestrian walkway, you know, that's there until they're going to the community

[2:57:56] engagement. They're talking about this and and I just appreciate that. You're being

[2:58:01] responsive. We may or may not be able to do a nice, big pedestrian by what pay a on

[2:58:07] road that we have. But we're going to do our best. And I appreciate your willingness to

[2:58:13] really listen to community and try to work with them on what we can do. And I just want to

[2:58:19] say that we've been talking about health and we just had parks and rec that it that

[2:58:23] this that community wants to be out and about. They want to be walking. They want to be

[2:58:28] biking. They want to using our parks, using amenities and so Thank you for, you know,

[2:58:36] helping that be a priority when we do our community engagement on our roads that

[2:58:40] we're looking at the trails and at some point like in the future, love to see us have a

[2:58:46] connectivity measure like how are we? How are we connecting our communities to the

[2:58:51] amenities that we have with pedestrian and bike ways we have a flight plan. We have a

[2:58:59] bike PED plan that do with our community so that we are connecting our trails it's

[2:59:05] inside culture, active living, you know where where, you know, we get this information.

[2:59:09] But this is something that our residents really do care about. And so love to see how

[2:59:15] we're doing on that. And I know you care about it and you're and public works.

[2:59:18] Cares. And just that I'm I'm grateful that you're paying attention to that. But I'd

[2:59:27] love to see a measure about how doing a pedestrian and bike plans as we want mobility

[2:59:35] for all and our communities and then chloride retraction. This was an issue that I was

[2:59:43] not that I'm aware of before started going to recommend to county local governments. We

[2:59:49] have a collective action working that's been meeting all year on call right

[2:59:52] reduction. And I'm gonna give our options a big shout out because they've joined the

[2:59:57] Ramsey County League. And I think together we don't know what issue is it something

[3:00:00] that we can actually do something about? What issue can we all learn more about

[3:00:04] into the water should have been instrumental all that the city's art care about this.

[3:00:09] The county has been involved in these work. I'm on that because claw, the collective

[3:00:15] action working anybody is invited to hear them. And we we we're on a zoom meeting

[3:00:19] every second Thursday of the month. And we learn all of all what's important to play right

[3:00:25] direction, which big because it's going right into our water. All the salt that we're

[3:00:31] putting on and so working with businesses big parking lot, working with cities. The

[3:00:36] county to really reduce that level of salt in the water was an issue I was not aware of

[3:00:40] and I'm learning a lot more of and so is the Ramsey County Lake Tahoe CA Gov or months.

[3:00:45] And as I said, Manatee County has been a part of that. And I appreciate that. yeah, we just

[3:00:51] need to keep working on the things we can do to really improve our water quality. But

[3:00:55] it's just one of those overarching see interconnectedness of of the

[3:01:02] county that we have public works with and public health working with. you know, it's

[3:01:06] just everything connected. I appreciate that. You're taking this on. Also to be a

[3:01:14] measurement because people that know about this they're like, oh, my God, yes, we have

[3:01:17] to worry about that. So with that, I just I just thank you so much for for work that

[3:01:25] you're doing and we do get a majority of our calls about a robot. So thank you. You know,

[3:01:30] it's what constituents, residents CN care about and we appreciate your dedication to

[3:01:36] the county wide approach to that. I do have one other quick question. You just

[3:01:41] expand on the second highest crash rate. You said it's so It's not just that we have

[3:01:46] more roads than the second. Probably the second highest number of roads in It's hard

[3:01:52] to say could be a bigger counties. So sure commissioner is proportional.

[3:02:02] >> It It's a function o exposure. And as we rank were second highest.

[3:02:07] >> County and the state still. so it just because of just is headed in the first is that

[3:02:17] the second just because times that you can so that There's a number of factors to think of

[3:02:23] Yeah, and some of it is of call it we have a system that's evolved over a longer

[3:02:28] period of time and soul. Maybe a little bit more complex movements of access different.

[3:02:35] There are other places where there are roads are much more highly managed in terms of

[3:02:38] access, which is key criteria for crashes. some of it is about. The designer, the

[3:02:47] setting. it just evolved. Istanbul. And I really appreciate that. I will say

[3:02:53] that probably off field felt this is why when you get a new development or redevelopment

[3:02:58] in your area and then the entities want to put put at the entry level the driveway.

[3:03:01] >> In and out of the county vote and we say ever, engineers say no, you can't

[3:03:07] because it's not safe. >> because they said no, but then you can't get into our

[3:03:11] business. We well, you have to go this way and that. So we haven't a number of

[3:03:15] developments in my area. I'm sure we all do where, you know, we've had to say, you

[3:03:20] know, here's how have to redevelop this because as you said, we're an older county.

[3:03:24] We have a lot of access points to our votes that are not the right distance first for as

[3:03:29] much safety. S I thank you for that. And I've been experiencing it. I'm always

[3:03:35] talking to my cities and the new businesses that want to get in there to explain to

[3:03:41] them. We're trying to balance safety versus access your business. thank you for

[3:03:43] bringing that up. Thank you for thank you commission requiring consent to your

[3:03:49] constituents. We have way Missouri. >> Within that we moved

[3:03:56] Carolina Isabella measure. Okay. Commissioner Jeff Missing.

[3:04:05] >> And thank you, Madam Chair. So given that that this is an issue that we hear from

[3:04:09] residents all the time, could you just very concisely remind folks that constituents want

[3:04:13] to know how their neighborhood roads have been raided and when they may be next schedule

[3:04:18] for placement or pavement, where should they go and how do they track projects that

[3:04:22] are ongoing in their in their neighborhoods? >> Fed chair commissioner,

[3:04:25] thank you for that So they go to the public works website for current and planned

[3:04:32] projects which will take us all 5 So te credit. >> We will be coming back to

[3:04:37] in November with a tip. Ad of that will be. So it's annual cycle. So to be able to see

[3:04:43] that. If they had specific questions about a specific segment road, they could

[3:04:50] certainly and they could pose the question to ask Pw. It is link at the public works

[3:04:57] website and we can get that information to folks. Generally not going to be

[3:05:00] something that we're going to post all the segments and all the conditions. So it would be

[3:05:06] on a as needed basis. And I'm going to say. As interested as you all are in this movement

[3:05:12] of if you're an club, when the terms in terms of the number of people who ask questions

[3:05:16] about the condition of their pavement, >> thank you. And then if

[3:05:22] there is a project ongoing, is there a way for them to get updates if it is a So think

[3:05:27] that Mr. >> So there's very easy typically on our public works

[3:05:35] website or if the project is on the public subside, there are ways sign up for emails

[3:05:39] and I think I find them to be hopeful even for me and I work in the building, te folks who

[3:05:43] are doing these projects. And so there they're I find the some reason the emails to be

[3:05:50] concise and hopeful in terms of. Practical advice about what's happening with the road

[3:05:55] and what they need to know. And there's always opportunity to ask more questions. like we

[3:06:00] said, we're always here for more details. Should you desire? And that's true for

[3:06:04] all of which is General. Thank. Thank you, Commissioner.

[3:06:11] >> came question, Mr. thank you. Madam Chair. >> I just have a question rate

[3:06:17] of crashes that when you vote system too, is that data that's available on our

[3:06:24] website to the public access, this information. >> Madam Chair commissioners,

[3:06:32] and that's great question. I know we don't publish of. We tend to work with men died

[3:06:39] that is kind of gate keeper of all of the crash data statewide. Because it comes

[3:06:44] public safety and threw dog. I don't know if all of that date is. Publicly available. It's

[3:06:56] it's a great question. back to you about whether it is know that our folks, our folks

[3:07:01] access OK? >> And then for county road pavement condition. Do you

[3:07:10] have list order of priority for this in the work plan that you have addressing it?

[3:07:18] >> Madam Chair commissioners, it's another excellent question. So I think. A way to

[3:07:23] think about it is. So we have projects that were planning on and then we we have

[3:07:30] system-wide data. I think you could expect that at any given time. There's probably a dozen

[3:07:39] 2 dozen, 3 dozen places where we could go would have a similar pavement condition.

[3:07:44] And so then it's about what are the other criteria that we explore in terms of why we

[3:07:49] choose that versus another one. So then we get ito the types of things tat we talked

[3:07:55] about in our transportation plan about what are some of the other aspects or why we

[3:08:00] would some of evolve where it is somewhat of all. What are the other assets that need

[3:08:03] work in that area? Is there a crash from is there a sidewalk or some other multi-modal

[3:08:12] facility gap that should happen at the same time. And so that's part For lack of

[3:08:19] better term like the sausage-making of how we get to. Those areas. will say that

[3:08:26] again, that's probably not something that we publish in terms of every every payment

[3:08:30] segment and its condition because of those change. But it is part of the process of

[3:08:36] looking at a variety of sources. So priority would look like a variety of

[3:08:41] factors. terms of how we would decide where to next. >> Yeah, I just tried tie also

[3:08:53] just a performance measure here not only the building stronger together. Once I get

[3:08:59] identified that. Transportation chance of plan as That's I don't know if

[3:09:08] we'll get like yearly. Your annual update on But I just wanted to make sure that, you

[3:09:16] know, the public can tie it. you know, these performance measures with that plan as

[3:09:18] well to that. It's a living and breathing document. >> metal chair commissioner,

[3:09:26] we've had a number of conversations about how best to report back to you on the

[3:09:29] progress of things we even talked about as a potential measure here as a measure.

[3:09:33] It's a little weird, but I think did I hear the concern as can can and we keep you up

[3:09:40] to speed in terms of where we're at with some of these projects. And the answer is,

[3:09:44] of course, absolutely would be happy to do that. I think it's just a function of whether a

[3:09:49] workshop or some other kind of report where where providing you milestone information

[3:09:55] similar to any other project that we have our tip line. We can. We can provide you

[3:10:01] information about how the project is progressing in. If are issues that are popping

[3:10:06] >> And then the last point is just like, I don't know if this would be measure that you

[3:10:12] would consider, but just around community engagement around the projects that

[3:10:17] really day making sure that we are community members that are reflective of the community

[3:10:24] there as well as you the different types users on our facilities. I know that of at

[3:10:32] least for the White Bear Avenue corridor you know, that I'm seeing good results that

[3:10:38] engagement, but I think those are equally. It's equally important to keep track of as

[3:10:48] to the plant, but also to secure an additional funds that's outside of the county

[3:10:52] of Levy and county sources because and now that the Met Council has the community

[3:11:00] considerations. You know that that that that trying to achieve is that are we

[3:11:05] engaging the communities that we are serving? And so it's just equally important that we

[3:11:09] are keeping track of that for all of our projects that we're working on.

[3:11:13] >> Madam Chair commissioners I really appreciate you raising that point. A couple of

[3:11:18] thoughts. relative to my councilman community considerations. know that

[3:11:22] that's a topic right now. Home tell. I will say. In conversations that we have

[3:11:31] with my counsel relative to our work and they're familiar with our planning efforts and

[3:11:34] our levels of engagement. They've told us. >> That we do a very good job

[3:11:39] of that. And so we would be consistent with whatever ends up being the scoring relative

[3:11:42] to engagement. No, they specifically spoke of or transportation plan and the

[3:11:49] degree to which that lead on some pretty last engagement. So that's noteworthy. As a

[3:11:57] measure really struggled with. And I think Director McCAbe did a really good job of

[3:12:03] speaking to some of the challenges of over in Josh's will a vote. The combination

[3:12:10] of the role of government in certain communities makes pretty challenging. That being

[3:12:18] said. >> we're we're exploring and a lot of different avenues and

[3:12:25] whether it's a >> You know, work with Mary Margaret on trying to expand

[3:12:30] my personal network. So that more engaged with a lot of different communities. To

[3:12:39] working with people who consults on engagement for public works projects and

[3:12:43] working with them to say how do we get better as an industry? How do we get better

[3:12:49] results? How do we really touch more more people that really are struggling to

[3:12:54] engage with our projects. But all of that is in the context of our folks. That is an

[3:13:01] expectation that they are meeting regularly. And if if there's ever something for

[3:13:04] you. Hearing that that's not the case. I I definitely want to know. But like I think our

[3:13:09] folks are well versed in. They age men for a lot of different projects. I think that they're

[3:13:16] accustomed to that and they Explore a lot of different things. Some of our projects

[3:13:21] go farther because of the type of project they are where they are. And Ray Street, I think,

[3:13:27] is an excellent example of the types of things where we can. Do better. And as a part of

[3:13:33] that, when we engage with things like floor punter or why there and grateful that

[3:13:39] you're seeing bearing because as we talked to the consulting community about that project,

[3:13:45] we said this was our experience on race street. These are the types of things

[3:13:50] that we got out of and the level to which the community understood what we were doing

[3:13:55] and were engaged in that decision making. We want to see that replicated here. And

[3:14:00] so if you come to us with a plan that doesn't do that. You're not going to get our

[3:14:03] business. And so. It's i's kind menu of different options to try to get out the various

[3:14:12] things. But having tried a number of places where you do. demographic information to try

[3:14:20] to prove the people who you've been speaking to. That's even weirder than it was 10 years

[3:14:25] ago when I was trying to do that from ended like it's just gotten uniquely challenging.

[3:14:33] From a variety of perspectives that get to Okay. Yeah. Thank you. And the

[3:14:39] >> Madam Chair, just the last point and also for consideration for a metric and

[3:14:44] the next 2 years for next couple of mental I know that we moved some of the

[3:14:52] contracting and who wear contracting whether that be like a small women minority

[3:14:57] owned businesses for construction is that we we should be able to track that

[3:15:04] as well for our public works department that I would like to see us because it connects

[3:15:11] and you know, our strategies around building intergenerational wealth. And

[3:15:16] it's something that's across departments as well. >> Madam Chair Commissioners

[3:15:21] and excellent point. It has been measure that we've had in the past. I think we continue

[3:15:26] to track it. We just haven't reported it here. And as a sudden before relative to

[3:15:31] that. our record sorry record as well body. >> When we have a prime, that

[3:15:40] is a a >> served maybe the WB. Then they tend to bring others that

[3:15:50] are in that same category. And so. >> The numbers go through the

[3:15:52] roof with those projects. If it's not the case with the prime contractor than our

[3:15:59] record is not as good or pledge my point we made up a slight policy change will

[3:16:06] about best value ride and we were starting public works. So that's why

[3:16:09] >> I wanted us to start measuring that. >> For sure. And I think we'll

[3:16:13] continue to explore better ways to employ that based on board direction best value

[3:16:20] will be better way to get there for Thank Thank you. >> commissioner, Thank you,

[3:16:26] Madam Chair. And I don't mean to say of New York 12 11, I was hoping that we came in at

[3:16:33] 12, 15, 15 going, I'm just going to this out Thank you, Madam Chair. And it's going to

[3:16:37] put this out there because if we're all trying to resist the temptation to talk about all

[3:16:40] things from we laid it in for me, its all things like active living parks and trails. But

[3:16:45] I'm just gonna put it out there because this will probably come before us and

[3:16:49] the pet package. I hope this this new phenomenon that's affecting our trails? Walkers

[3:16:58] and bikers is the motor bikes. It really fast like that young kids are using and they're and

[3:17:04] impacting people's a willingness to go on a trail south. We're going to have

[3:17:07] these. Walking trails. These are faster bikes that young kids use, I mean, other than

[3:17:15] bites more seniors people use so well, you're anyway, we're going to have a conversation

[3:17:22] about it and they don't know when we will have that. But I'm hoping we can have some

[3:17:26] legislation that's going to regulate that a little But I have talked to director. I I

[3:17:30] know tough, what we can do about But it's just an issue that keeps coming to me now.

[3:17:35] I'm sure commissioner anything. I think it's an emerging and I think we're

[3:17:39] relatively early. we've had some conversations internal. I think we'll probably want to

[3:17:42] have conversations as an industry. >> I think that's the crew

[3:17:48] mission. That would be my guess, probably have a lot bases for that. think is

[3:17:56] mostly about it. issue that I will say people that other trails feeling it as well. You

[3:18:02] know, any interest on the right, those to to talk the media they know and to be a

[3:18:06] fun >> The emerging issue, though, is the People are saying.

[3:18:15] >> But it can become very complicated, to, because 90 patrol you are controlling

[3:18:21] bites in moving vehicles and what will be the penalty if you do that. So it gets over

[3:18:28] into that for some Yeah, I don't like I can and I don't take away life. But but we

[3:18:35] knew NSC, some regulation or whatever. We may think legislators will be dealing

[3:18:37] with. It will probably doing with it. >> Just wnted to present it

[3:18:39] as an issue that I think we're going to have to work on because we want people to have

[3:18:46] to be for Okay. All right. Okay. Are you have you completed everything and you

[3:18:54] need to close. I could just take the next half hour to talk

[3:19:03] >> Really, really, you can take that. We good faith. Appreciate the time. Folks is

[3:19:09] a great conversation thank you and thank you for yur work. And again, you that vision

[3:19:15] and. >> the leadership showing here and then for thinking really

[3:19:21] appreciate and having safe rows and rows are not bumpy. You know, don't we can get

[3:19:26] there is that we have to do some construction. All right. And so we appreciate the work

[3:19:30] information. So thank you. All We are going to break. swear 15 and will come back at one

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[3:27:29] ? ? All right. Want to welcome

[3:27:45] everybody. Back to Ramsey County Budget presentation. To the county board. We're going

[3:27:52] open up with our county assessor. >> Pat Chapman, so directly

[3:27:56] Jetman, you want to introduce yourself in. started. >> Good afternoon. Madam

[3:28:01] Chair, thank you. Commissioners County manager backer first. I'd like to

[3:28:06] think a few members of my office that have put a lot of time into these performance

[3:28:09] measures and the budgeting as a whole. My deputy Corey Erickson has been instrumental

[3:28:14] in helping me through this process along with Aaron Theon and our office was developed a

[3:28:20] lot of work with the performance measures. he sends unmet, Selmer, provided a lot

[3:28:25] of other work in our office aid in this presentation. So I'd like to thank them very

[3:28:30] much too. I'm not going to be much pavement but I know Brian is probably a little sad about

[3:28:40] that. But the rest of the county assessor's office consists of 54 employees

[3:28:47] across 3 divisions, residential commercial assessment service U.S.. We're

[3:28:52] a county responsible service. And responsibilities are established through chapter

[3:28:59] 2.73. Of the Minnesota statutes. Also statute 3.83 a 0, 0, 5, and we have 141

[3:29:09] statutory responsibilities. Our work is evaluated annually through the Department of

[3:29:14] Revenue. And we consistently meet or exceed the high professional standards

[3:29:19] required of our office. We maintain complete records of all property in the county our

[3:29:26] office. Researchers analyzed all sales that take place in the county. also annually

[3:29:32] calibrate mass appraisal models to ensure fair and defensible property about

[3:29:36] this. Many times. The assessor's office is the only contact a resident will have

[3:29:42] with the county. And we pride ourselves on being a positive interaction with residents.

[3:29:51] more information on that that I that I'm about to speak about today. You can find it

[3:29:56] in our assessors report on the Open data portal on the county website. The department tracks

[3:30:05] 3 key performance measures. To longer-term one and one shorter-term. Want try to

[3:30:12] capture all of our work. The first one is a suspect, quality and equity. The next

[3:30:20] percentage of properties campus for restrictive racial covenant discharge. And the

[3:30:25] 3rd is percentage of staff with advanced professional certifications. I'd like to

[3:30:30] highlight 3 men, a measures. Under operational excellence. The first one. A suspect,

[3:30:41] quality and equity, which i the core mission of the assessor's office. The

[3:30:46] department measures the a suspect quality using 24 nationally and internationally

[3:30:51] recognized standards established by the International Association of

[3:30:54] Assessing Officers. And monitored by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. These

[3:31:01] measures evaluate the accuracy and equity of assessments across residential apartment,

[3:31:06] commercial and industrial property throughout Ramsey County. Fair and accurate

[3:31:11] assessments are essential to maintaining public confidence ensuring an equitable

[3:31:15] distribution of the property tax burden. And providing stable tax base for local

[3:31:21] governments. In 2026. Department of compliance with all residential and commercial

[3:31:30] assessment standards. Well, accurately valuing approximately 165,000 parcels.

[3:31:38] These results reflect our continued investment in staff training evaluation, modeling

[3:31:42] quality assurance and data driven assessment practices. Our goal is to maintain this

[3:31:46] level excellence. Well, continuing. To respond to respond to challenging market

[3:31:51] conditions. Our next. Our measure is restrictive racial covenant canvassing

[3:32:06] discharging covenants. This is a shorter term. goal for the office and it's kind of a

[3:32:14] finite period of time, which is is nice measure every once a while to get get something

[3:32:19] that, you know, tracks your your daily work to something that impacts guys gals in the

[3:32:26] office directly. And that short term, nice to see that little window.

[3:32:30] >> This initiative measures the number of properties campus each year to educate

[3:32:35] homers, homeowners. >> About restrictive racial covenants and assist them in

[3:32:40] discharging these illegal and unenforceable provisions on their property. In 2025. our

[3:32:47] office completed its first county wide canvassing effort. We visit the 1319 properties.

[3:32:54] Those conversations help increase covenant discharges from 3, 8380 in 2024. to 685

[3:33:00] in 20 25 the largest annual increase today. More than 5500 homes in Ramsey County contain

[3:33:11] these historically discrimination discriminatory covenants. Although removing

[3:33:16] although dscharging them is not a statutory responsibility of assessor's office, it's

[3:33:19] meaningful work. That Advances County's commitment to equity and public service. The summer

[3:33:27] we expanded that effort through a partnership with Saint Catherine's University.

[3:33:33] Students joined our appraisal staff during the canvassing on July 14th and 15th. Allowing

[3:33:37] us to reach. Students. providing assessors with valuable community engagement.

[3:33:45] Experience. We also continue work closely with the Ramsey County recorders Office. The

[3:33:53] Examiner of titles and other community partners as we move toward completing this

[3:33:55] initiative by 2030. Partnerships, cntinue to be one of our strengths and the

[3:34:03] assessor's office. In addition to our cooperation with the recorders office examiner of

[3:34:07] titles in Saint Catharines University. We are working closely with the community and

[3:34:13] development team and the building stronger together initiative. The assessor's

[3:34:18] office is helping identify opportunities to return ad are utilize county owned

[3:34:22] exempt properties to productive use, supporting housing, economic development

[3:34:27] neighborhood revitalization. All right. So our next measure here is a percentage of staff

[3:34:38] pursuing and achieving higher level licensing and designations. This measure is

[3:34:44] at 51% and we're trying to get towards 60%. This measure is tracking the professional

[3:34:50] development in the office above and beyond the rigorous states set standards already

[3:34:55] in place for assessors. create a highly educated and knowledgeable staff. It's also

[3:35:01] should increase the public trust that their values and classifications are accurate.

[3:35:07] Fair, essential to the county's goal of operational excellence.

[3:35:28] So let's talk about some of the strategic outlook. Looking ahead. I want

[3:35:35] to highlight emerging opportunities and challenges facing the assessment offices

[3:35:39] across Minnesota. Not only Ramsey County. With the assessor's office to grow

[3:35:45] their knowledge, defend assessments, keep momentum in this space and get a higher

[3:35:49] level of licensing for assessors. The education portion of our budget is

[3:35:54] essential and required by statute. This helps us maintain high level of

[3:35:59] assessment, integrity and knowledge. The county has made. investment to update

[3:36:05] property tax videos and the 5 main languages are spoken in county in the county and these

[3:36:12] updated video should be available in the next year. Now, some of the challenges we

[3:36:18] are seeing a rapid growth of artificial intelligence driven property tax appeal and

[3:36:23] service. These companies are increasingly filling filing large volumes of appeals that

[3:36:32] often receive little or no professional review before submission. Many charge

[3:36:37] property owners, contingency fees for a process that's already available for free

[3:36:42] from the from the county and some require lifetime contractual commitments. The

[3:36:52] office is engaging our professional organization, the Minnesota Association of

[3:36:54] Assessing Officers to seek legislation to limit the ability for this to impact the

[3:37:01] assessor's and the residents of Ramsey County. will also keep the board and Ramsey

[3:37:07] County last legislative liaison surprised of opportunities to collaborate

[3:37:10] in the space. Additionally, our office is working hard to interpret historical volatile

[3:37:17] market. To create fair and equitable The assessor's office is working In the

[3:37:36] stewardship area and we want to expand the use of the online homestead application

[3:37:40] and make it as convenient, accessible option for all eligible recipents. The goal

[3:37:47] is to make the process easier by reducing barriers and simplifying how residents can

[3:37:52] apply. It also helps us streamline our work by reducing. The manual process

[3:37:58] and making applications easier to manage ultimately live. We're looking for better

[3:38:04] accuracy, consistency and faster attorney turnaround times since October. When we

[3:38:10] implemented the online application, 50% of the homes that applications have already

[3:38:14] been submitted this way. Making the process more efficient and staff can spend

[3:38:21] more time focused on other important office initiatives. The in office submissions are

[3:38:26] are benefiting from the use of the QR code at our front desk that directs them right to a

[3:38:34] place to leave their documents and cutting down on time there, too. In closing the

[3:38:40] Rams County assessor's office is well positioned to continue delivering accurate, equitable

[3:38:44] and professional assessment service. We have consistently met or exceeded the standards

[3:38:49] established by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Well, taking on additional

[3:38:54] initiatives that advance the county's equity and economic development costs. This budget

[3:39:00] will support the office and all of them mentioned endeavors. Can you continue to

[3:39:05] provide this level of service? We need stable funding for all authorized positions and

[3:39:10] continued investment in people. Technology that support work. Thank you very

[3:39:12] much. stand for any questions that you spank. Commissioners on.

[3:39:19] >> Thank you. Madam Chair. let's see I just had first test question around the time.

[3:39:30] The first measures, the assessment, quality and equity percent prioritize compliance

[3:39:33] measures I'm curious from 2024 to 2025. a help make that change. 200%.

[3:39:45] >> Madam Chair commissioner. >> A lot of work. >> In in the commercial

[3:39:54] modeling space is what really got us up to 100%. We're having some. This is inside

[3:40:02] baseball. We're having some PR the problems. Price related differential problems inside

[3:40:08] commercial properties. So we dug into the commercial models. Did some more

[3:40:14] segmentation of different and aggregation of different property types. So so made the

[3:40:18] group's smaller to look at. And it made our assessment better.

[3:40:23] >> Okay. Okay. Great. And then for the a restrictive covenant discharge here. And I'm glad

[3:40:32] to see that. That's what you're working towards. >> Of canvassing and meeting

[3:40:38] with all the property owners, they think that's a good measure for us to continue to

[3:40:41] look at that. The other one, a for consideration for performance measure is

[3:40:52] actually property tax refund. The Homestead property tax refund because we always hear

[3:41:01] from rsidents about, you know, our property taxes. But it's also a low-income

[3:41:06] household seniors and even veterans would be eligible for a 2. And maybe this is a cross

[3:41:12] departmental work between veteran services and other areas where we push use and

[3:41:20] utilization of the property tax refunds. >> Madam Chair Commissioners

[3:41:25] are thank you for bringing that up. I like to say it every time give it a

[3:41:29] microphone. The property tax refund. If residents just go to Putin, any search engine m

[3:41:35] and space PTR and hit enter. You will get in Minnesota proper tax refund website give

[3:41:43] you all the information on that. And many people are eligible that don't think

[3:41:47] they're eligible. So put your information and see if that happens. The challenge,

[3:41:51] commissioner, maybe what you're asking us. We're more of the outreach arm instead of

[3:41:57] the research arm at the end, that's a state program. So we get data way behind what it

[3:42:03] is. So think about how we can analyze some of the outreach that we do in that space to

[3:42:08] make sure that we're reporting back to you on what we are doing now. How many years

[3:42:12] behind is >> So when we get that data, we probably hear about 3 or 4

[3:42:19] years ago because the window to apply for the property tax refund is very wide. So to

[3:42:25] review you can read like this fall, you can apply for like 2 years ago as property tax So

[3:42:35] the window stays open for a long time. So by the time the state has the daddy of that

[3:42:39] available for us to analyze, it's significantly older. Yeah. Okay.

[3:42:44] >> Yeah. And I don't where this lives which department lows, but I know that there

[3:42:49] was an effort by the county, you know, a few years ago, encouraging residents to

[3:42:56] utilize a website about where they dollars and actually collecting it. Right. I don't

[3:43:01] know where the action live, but where where we can continue to measure that. But

[3:43:05] that's essentially money that's left on the table that our residents are leaving. I

[3:43:09] just want to make sure that we continue to monitor and or find a way to continue to

[3:43:15] promote that. >> then, yeah, I can just add a little bit. I don't think

[3:43:19] they're related necessarily because, again, those state dollars are probably in a spot

[3:43:23] that we don't have access to information when you're falling out on. Funds that

[3:43:28] have to do with county related Com County funds. So not have so still eists that I think I

[3:43:34] don't for people look at a report if, you know, do you have any unclaimed funds from

[3:43:40] Ramsey County? Be great. If there was something like that, you know, beyond us, but we

[3:43:43] don't can only control what we have information on. But I think we could know maybe

[3:43:48] through your assessors group, if you bring, that is an maybe between all of them with a

[3:43:55] similar interest in wanting people to maximize and also would wonder government

[3:43:59] relations. That folks, because I wonder. In different seasons where we've pushed for that

[3:44:06] could be legislated. I wonder people haven't gotten some data as a way to make that

[3:44:11] case. If that makes maybe some research has been done by the stay, you know, and the House

[3:44:16] the Senate are there some reports or something that's just a thought. Can you share

[3:44:24] again one to to apply for the Homestead rebate? rebates. >> Madam Cair? Yes. If you go

[3:44:33] to the assessor homepage the Rams County website, the link to online homes that will be

[3:44:36] right there. Right about the property tax videos and the 5 languages. And everything's

[3:44:45] right on our Splash Pages homepage. Yeah, the county assessor and Ramsey comes

[3:44:47] Thank you. >> Commissioner, why thank you mentioned. Thank you. For all

[3:44:54] of and you're. From great work directorship. Many really appreciate it. Cause we do get

[3:45:02] calls from residents about the fact Texas and their values and, you know, they have a lot

[3:45:06] of questions about maybe if they've gone after not because they've done some work on

[3:45:10] their house or maybe person next target? No. So I appreciate that. You are

[3:45:16] answering all those questions and are helping our residents understand their differences

[3:45:19] in values. So first published, appreciate that >> applaud

[3:45:28] >> your efforts to deal with the restrictive covenants discharges. I said before we

[3:45:34] have in house and I was mortified to find that out. I would have loved discharge it

[3:45:37] before we so so we just didn't about it underwear. that's a bold. I love the goal of 100%

[3:45:47] in 3, 3 more years. >> So I'm grateful that you're reaching out to other

[3:45:54] campuses. And Saint Kate, you mentioned and maybe others will help. I think this is a

[3:45:58] great learning tool students to do this kind of outreach. So kudos to you for finding

[3:46:03] those partners and and I do like personally knocking on the doors of these of these

[3:46:09] people of these residents and then talking to them. And if they're not home, you leave

[3:46:14] something. Is that how that works? Is that you reach reach that many more people? Madam

[3:46:19] Chair, commissioner. >> Yes, literally. I've been out on a canvassing effort 2

[3:46:23] years ago. I went on the first one and I liked your child home and knocked on the door.

[3:46:29] >> So for but yeah, our assessors along with a student.

[3:46:36] >> in neighborhoods and Saint Paul and around the county that have restrictive

[3:46:43] covenants and we provide information to the resident there. And it's not we leave a

[3:46:48] sticker with a QR code on it next to our code goes to the page that gives all of the

[3:46:54] information on how to just charge the covenant and the process for So we've had a lot

[3:47:01] of success with interactions. The interactions have been very positive for the most

[3:47:07] part. And so it's been it's been it's a unique opportunity for assessors to really. Get

[3:47:16] into equity field and make a difference that you can see. So it's it's it's a fantastic

[3:47:22] opportunity. It's a great connection to communities really angry.

[3:47:24] >> Just being out there. I think helps people feel listen to her like someone is paying

[3:47:30] attention. Okay. So thank you so much for that. know it's not one of your measurements.

[3:47:34] Just curious. You know, about calls to assessor's office regarding their property tax

[3:47:41] values. You know, is that pretty much? Is that pretty much stay about?

[3:47:46] >> Standers, you know, the same or times that that's been way higher than others are.

[3:47:54] this is called about value having this. Madam Chair Commissioner.

[3:47:59] >> Yeah, we track all of that. >> as you guys are aware, but the residents listening might

[3:48:05] not be aware. The appeal season starts in March and runs through June. So through

[3:48:11] that period, we our calls get elevated because people can call and ask about their

[3:48:16] >> value. At that time. And they can interact with an assessor and we can come out

[3:48:23] and and look at teir property and make sure their value accurate. It ebbs and flows a

[3:48:31] little bit through the market this last year was kind of down year as far as calls go.

[3:48:39] And tax court petitions are taxed for petitions. We received about 100 less than

[3:48:43] the year before and we annually receive somewhere around 800 the year. And so we

[3:48:51] were there are 700 than we were 800 this year and our phone calls were down a little

[3:48:56] bit. I have all the numbers back in our office. And if you guys want to see a history of

[3:49:00] that, I can certainly provide that. And so but we we handle thousands of appeals may be.

[3:49:11] >> You don't have to have happen. >> 1000 1500 1000, the 1500

[3:49:21] informal appeals phone calls to the assessor's office during that March June period.

[3:49:27] And those are all great opportunities for the assessor to interact with residents. I

[3:49:31] would say most of the time they're looking for information. And somebody

[3:49:37] talks to them about the process, what their options are, they they can feel

[3:49:41] confident and move on. Some want a review of their property and we go out to

[3:49:46] their property in review the property with them. And then some are still not satisfied

[3:49:54] they can go to the next level. The special Board of Appeal in the position. We have 2 people

[3:49:58] attend that. Tax court. They can go to tax credit for that or they can skip Henrico to

[3:50:04] the tax part process. But there are a number of informal free appeal options that

[3:50:08] happened from March. To June. And that after June them, their only option the

[3:50:15] Minnesota expert. And I just want to say appreciate We're stressing that, you marched in

[3:50:20] June because we do get calls. >> At the time that they're paying their property taxes,

[3:50:25] which is now coming up this fall December. And so we get calls about their values. Then

[3:50:32] we say, no, no, you've got you know, you've got to do this from March to June. So I think

[3:50:35] we're all working really hard that making sure that people understand when they need to

[3:50:41] ask us questions about their value when they need appeal it. It's not when they're

[3:50:45] paying when they get their property stat statement in March. So we'll just keep

[3:50:50] saying that it's as we can. And I know we're all putting it in all of our newsletters.

[3:50:55] But I so appreciate that that that you're doing and then I just have

[3:51:00] to give a shout to station board, which is people that its that that's what it's

[3:51:07] called Court of in position. You know? Yeah. So we all we appoint people to that board a

[3:51:10] part of our residents that look at some of these appeals I know I've appointed someone

[3:51:15] from from right and Patrick time, but they sit on these boards. These people that that

[3:51:24] city that are residents of ours, that volunteer, you know, instead on these boards.

[3:51:29] So thank you. Thanks to everyone participates in I think mentioned that

[3:51:35] corrective Thank you, Madam I just really want take a moment and

[3:51:39] >> I 3.0, 81, it was now. >> I wanted to just thank you, for the board. Just to know,

[3:51:46] you know, similar elections. There's different seasons and moments in the history of a

[3:51:51] community that things become focused on. And I will right now, property taxes are a big

[3:51:58] focus. extra work for the assessor's office, too. Be the subject matter expert show up

[3:52:05] that meetings. Do extra analysis. I know I've talked to Pat, you know, a lot more

[3:52:09] than probably other times in history of time. And just got ask him questions like so. And

[3:52:14] then I also think appreciated him mentioning that building stronger together. I think

[3:52:19] this positioning of assessors any gci has been so opportune while the work that they do.

[3:52:25] And I know the first measure was really about all these license or it is so precise

[3:52:30] and legislated. And we really appreciate that. Technical. asked facts of this very

[3:52:37] important work to do accurately. And you guys are obviously doing that. It also

[3:52:41] provides us a chance to think strategically because we have an ability to have a subject

[3:52:45] matter expert, you know, statewide one at that pack that can help us think about

[3:52:49] things differently and knowing what you know is like a sideline that we don't

[3:52:53] actually didn't have any DCI that directly. So really thank you for adjusting to that

[3:52:58] service team in Cary for, you know, working on that in the last one is just appreciated

[3:53:02] what you mentioned. Commissioner require we intentionally have tried I

[3:53:07] brought in the year of the budget and D couple things that shouldn't necessarily go

[3:53:11] together because then they confuse people more. You might recall many years where we

[3:53:16] would now to the county manager budget and then we would do a workshop with. Pat

[3:53:20] and Tracy. And then we would talk a little bit of a patchwork in that race he

[3:53:24] would do on the property tax impacts of Everyone would be kind of a little muddled and

[3:53:27] how those 2 time together. Instead we started the couple that it's more Tracy's show

[3:53:33] that at that time because we're talking about property tax impact from the previous

[3:53:37] year's assessments. But we also make sure pets like always in the room in case

[3:53:42] there's questions and all that right sometimes it's not just about the process. People do

[3:53:44] have some questions about what's happening in downtown or whatever right. But then

[3:53:49] we've tried to put an intentional focus and we will continue that in that March 2,

[3:53:55] I do in timeline. You know, we will have again, you know, Pakistan there again, to like

[3:53:57] probably in early and mid-February at a board. Just a quick little presentation.

[3:54:02] Talk about the open book meeting. Remind us about what the things that has to be at

[3:54:05] the right time of the year. So you guys can sort of amplify and the county can amplify at

[3:54:12] the right moment. So we understand there's a little bit of a delay. And when

[3:54:14] people feel doubt the property tax pressure you want to immediately, you know, make

[3:54:21] your case or talk about it. But that's not how timeline works. And we have and we

[3:54:25] don't want to make it more confusing. So headed for all those things. I want to thank

[3:54:29] you. It's been really great to learn from you and I appreciate the way Leanin but

[3:54:33] also how you've made some things that are pretty complex, a little more

[3:54:37] understandable for us. Like, you know, we really are trying understand tax exempt

[3:54:41] properties, how they were, what you know, even you know, when we think about our

[3:54:46] redevelopment opportunities, we want to know OK, well, if we decide to do this like what

[3:54:49] is the benefit to our tax base and to understand that you actually assessed every

[3:54:53] property regardless of whether we're getting property taxes. So the path to actually

[3:54:58] assessing a lot of properties that we actually that aren't necessarily cats pit. But he

[3:55:03] that he's and understanding of them. So thank you so much. I hope that was just a little

[3:55:06] context of the work of this department that I think just the measures themselves do. I

[3:55:12] totally eliminate as as deeply as impact. So thank you, Pat. Commissioner

[3:55:20] >> I want to >> go back a craft that I know I did.

[3:55:27] ? >> And the first slide. Thank you so much for hat. Can you

[3:55:37] me understand this equity peace? A little bit more on the 2. I know we're in

[3:55:42] compliance. I know we're at 100%. I appreciate that. I also appreciate commissioners

[3:55:46] on question on what changed to get us there. But with these 24 measures, how are tey

[3:55:52] assess? Because they're not ours right there. They're the. >> The U.S..

[3:55:57] >> The state's system measures that we measure. >> So how are those like where

[3:56:03] is the equity in that piece in? Across like different neighborhoods in property

[3:56:11] values writes, like, how does that work out or are we just meeting this call? That the

[3:56:17] department, Minnesota revenue puts on? >> Madam Chair, pressure. Yes,

[3:56:24] I won't get too nerdy, to stay little bit above. >> But let's talk about how we

[3:56:29] look at the measures. >> The state measures us. >> By.

[3:56:35] >> Jurisdiction. What that means is by city level. Ehsan assessor's office. We measure

[3:56:42] ourselves almost down to a neighborhood Okay? Because we want equity across the entire

[3:56:47] value call. So we generate the statistics that are required for that like, say, the city

[3:56:55] of Saint Paul by every jurisdiction in Saint Paul, the so that we make sure

[3:56:59] everybody is being treated the same. Some the names they most of them measure.

[3:57:08] >> Value equity in the value call. >> So the low value of houses

[3:57:13] are being treated the same way as the higher since they used things like sales ratios and

[3:57:19] court officials of dispersion to do that. >> But we look at the whole

[3:57:25] complete picture. We don't just say Saint Paul means that. So we're we want to know

[3:57:30] that every neighborhood and every area Saint Paul is being treated fairly. And so we

[3:57:36] drove down in our office as far down as we can go to make sure that everybody's been

[3:57:42] sites. >> And so do we see that across different

[3:57:45] neighborhoods? So in different areas and how do we? Maybe I'm >> Off to the back to say what

[3:57:57] I think like, do we? So we try to sow. So I'll try to give you and example, maybe that's

[3:58:00] all. Clarify something. So like let's say sales ratio, which is the easiest one to

[3:58:07] understand bunch of sales happen in area. You take the median sale price against the

[3:58:12] median. >> Assessments and see if they match Okay. And so that'll

[3:58:20] tell you if that neighborhood is being treated, how that neighborhood being treated

[3:58:24] now, if you just do that on a global scale, you got this big of thing and we're judge in

[3:58:30] this box. But if you take little segments of that whole value column and look at.

[3:58:37] >> Now, years suddenly doing that to every piece inside of the big picture. So when you

[3:58:41] make sure the little pieces are all being treated, the same, then, you know, the

[3:58:45] whole picture is being treated the same instead of the where you just look at the big one

[3:58:50] and assume the rest of the same. We actually look at the little pieces to try to make

[3:58:54] sure. >> Thank you. That's very helpful. I appreciate that.

[3:59:01] >> I have a question in regards to that. So sales versus increases in property

[3:59:08] in property taxes. Wisconsin assessor's office. All rght. And another department.

[3:59:19] >> The evaluation Madam Chair, that we have all the assessments like the valuation

[3:59:23] case. We don't really have much to do with the tax calculation piece for the tax

[3:59:30] base other than we set the value classify the property which sets last rate which

[3:59:35] will create the tax capacity that. >> Well, eventually lead to

[3:59:40] Texas. So I don't have. Like you could have properties if every property in the whole

[3:59:48] county went up 10% in the budget and changed over these taxes with change.

[3:59:55] >> And so that's kind of the law. The metric, right? I deal with values and classification

[4:00:03] and then taxes paid come from. >> Budgeting and needs. >> Okay. hope my one with.

[4:00:13] Yeah. That'd be perfect about commission. Ortega. >> talk a little bit more

[4:00:19] about AI Think you were talking about. >> And Madam Chair,

[4:00:29] Commissioner take I thank you. >> This is something that its really probably in the last 5

[4:00:37] to 7 years. We've been seeing some AI appeals where a company puts together a value

[4:00:43] model. And if picks sales and creates a value and they send it to us and they say you're

[4:00:48] over valuing these properties without any expertise. Looking at the AI model without local

[4:00:56] knowledge without any professional oversight of what is developing that value.

[4:01:04] They're getting more and more prevalent more and more full. Last year. We got a company

[4:01:12] that filed bunch. Of appeals on us in this manner. Now. Appealed the wrong year. They

[4:01:24] don't have all the to do it, but they do have the potential learn. And so they're going to

[4:01:29] figure out a few of these things and they have the potential to overwhelm the

[4:01:32] appeal system. If they get enough people to sign up on their website and they just

[4:01:39] send us 100,000 appeals from residents. We have to handle all those with just the staff

[4:01:45] we have it really has the potential to overwhelm a suspect office. our

[4:01:54] professional organization is taking very, very seriously. It's it's a. It's an

[4:01:59] interesting conundrum because we're right at the cusp of the new technology that's, you

[4:02:05] know, anytime there's something new in a space people try to figure out

[4:02:08] what's going to happen. So we're hopeful that we can. Minnesota. We have a few

[4:02:14] protections. And inspection required for an appeal. If you don't like the value model

[4:02:23] appeal and you want to appeal your value, I come to your house, but I have to do an

[4:02:27] inspection because I have to verify that my dad is correct. That is extremely important in

[4:02:33] the valuation process. These AI companies don't have any of that local knowledge state.

[4:02:39] All inspecting these properties. So they're making a lot of for instances.

[4:02:47] >> So let me as does Some of their assessments of a different from just what I'm

[4:03:00] hearing. that correct? And how O has that been decided either through the appeal process? I

[4:03:12] mean, to what extent have they been correct? >> Madam Chair commissioner, a

[4:03:20] lot of in the past, let's say before this last they would send us just these pile of

[4:03:24] houses that they got an engagement letter from somebody say you can do this

[4:03:27] for me. >> And soon as I tell them, I got inspect their property and

[4:03:31] I'd like them to be there so they can show me what they're thinking. It the appeal

[4:03:36] because the company is not going to come from New here to inspect the property. They're

[4:03:41] going to get to the point they're going to come to do the inspection and then we're

[4:03:45] going to have to deal with it. Deal with the appeal, what their models are doing. The

[4:03:55] cops election process inside of modeling is super important. So if you took

[4:04:00] Highland Park House and didn't choose properties from Highland Park to value of that

[4:04:04] House. You could get a very different result. If you chose the real comparable from

[4:04:13] Highland Park that needed to value about homes. So that's where their biggest gaffe is.

[4:04:16] They don't. They look at like Saint Paul is one big thing. And so they just you know,

[4:04:23] they pick the the lowest sales from the area applying to that house and say that's what it's

[4:04:30] So they don't have the institutional. And I and >> I'm trying to down the road

[4:04:38] of concerns If you get 100,000 appeals. And 50% correct? >> Well, they will become

[4:04:46] pricey. What you're saying? Yeah, I would say wreck, let's say 50,001 and inspection.

[4:04:52] I've got 54 people how my going to get to 50,000 inspections? No, and some time

[4:04:58] to get to a couple of >> And 1, one is that maybe the slightest qo isn't the

[4:05:06] best model to begin with And if in these change. >> Then how do we learn from

[4:05:12] what? What's in the economy in and get ahead of curve instead of trying to yeah, because you

[4:05:20] might be fighting a losing war here. >> So I'm I'm trying to get a

[4:05:24] sense. if am the same, the mechanics but and then the other piece is one equity have

[4:05:36] does impact. Is this a plus to a folks that are lower income can't afford to go through

[4:05:45] process. Is that all more economical route for them too? Take out take advantage with

[4:05:55] use. The system has its and tendon, right. And that is to appeal. Most of the the low

[4:06:01] income communities on that APD. >> Madam Chair Commissioner, I

[4:06:07] understand your question. More fully know. >> So as far as the as far as

[4:06:12] the affordability of it. All they have to do is call our office and they're going to

[4:06:16] get the same the same treatment whether they have this AI company do it or not,

[4:06:23] they're going to get the exact same treatment. And we're going to look at the product,

[4:06:26] the house with the exact same lands. So they're going our from yeah. They're going to

[4:06:33] lose have to do But the homework before to get to you is is part of

[4:06:39] >> the Well, for the for the appeal, all they have to do is call us. They don't have to

[4:06:43] have an appraisal or nothing like that for open book. They can just call us and we'll

[4:06:49] look at their property and go out inspect the property. And if there's an unjust war 2,

[4:06:53] we're going to make it weather. And so if this AI company comes and they are

[4:06:59] charging them 30% of whatever those perceived tax savings is which they still can't figure

[4:07:04] out because they don't know how our tax system works. That somebody is value for good on

[4:07:09] their taxes could go up the next year. They're paying someone to do this, but

[4:07:14] they're getting the same treatment just because they came with an AI thing that

[4:07:18] shows something that's a Roni but says their values lower. not going we're not going see

[4:07:24] its cover act if it would be correct, we would lower it whether they have the

[4:07:28] information or not. >> this something missing in with the value? Because

[4:07:42] someone in the Tony got 54 people and I don't think you can cover the waterfront.

[4:07:46] right >> correct. Commissioner saw. But everybody has the

[4:07:55] opportunity to appeal by just call. They can just call and you in the opportunity. I had

[4:08:02] a lot of opportunities. A lot of things doesn't mean get there, right? Yeah.

[4:08:08] >> to your other point, commissioner, about the AI and what we're doing with that

[4:08:12] we're evaluating and I right now our industry is evaluating a I.

[4:08:15] >> To make sure that is there a way we check our models with AI to make sure that our

[4:08:24] models creating credible and that's what I'm getting to. that's what we're doing. A lot

[4:08:31] of money utilizing that trying PD. >> And to circle back

[4:08:35] completely those measures that the Department of Revenue grades assigned are in rubble

[4:08:40] into telling whether you're suspense online or offline. Commissioner McMurtry.

[4:08:53] >> But thank you, Madam Chair. to put things one. I just wanted to go back and

[4:08:56] highlight again, like you have. At the importance of property tax refund program

[4:09:05] commissioners on to point something that I think we should for sure on our and do

[4:09:09] what we can to continue to gain exposure to the program. Also, I think it's it's an

[4:09:16] important thing for us to continue to push AMC to make sure that this is a statewide

[4:09:24] effort, especially as we push that think should continue to push for making an automatic

[4:09:30] through the state legislature. So I just wanted a name that do think it is bigger than

[4:09:33] just a Ramsey county, something that counties across the state should be

[4:09:40] encouraging the residents to take advantage it. I think it behooves us to make sure this

[4:09:44] is something we push and see to continue advocate for as we look towards the next

[4:09:51] legislative session. One question I had is around the professional development and

[4:09:55] looking at, you our role to encourage staff to get advance licenses and destinations out

[4:10:03] of curiosity. Are those different life, insurers and defamation designations there.

[4:10:12] Costs associated with them and none of them. If so, do fist with helping pay for those?

[4:10:18] They get this development. >> Madam Chair commissioner, thank you for highlighting the

[4:10:25] PTR thing as always. I should wear just assign Pell fan. PT are designation in in the

[4:10:35] course of each licensing sites cycle which the county pays for for the requirement of

[4:10:42] their license. There are opportunities to take advanced courses that count for their

[4:10:46] current license, but also the next slice. the sort answer is yes, inside of my education

[4:10:53] budget, there's opportunities for people to do this in the normal course taking their

[4:10:59] education for their next Reno cycle. They can take the next levels courses and make double

[4:11:07] for pretty licensing for the next license. >> And also continuing

[4:11:10] education for the current So we're double dipping every opportunity we can to keep

[4:11:17] people advancing and then coaching them to get higher designations.

[4:11:23] >> Commissioner, you haven't >> Yes, that actually that was the question I have what kind

[4:11:28] of support we're giving the staff that we're expecting this greater in a professional

[4:11:32] acceleration. So thank you fr that. Following up on the question listening to you talk

[4:11:40] and having have question raised earlier this spring around the generation of these

[4:11:44] letters, my mind just goes to the generation of any kind of thing. I mean, the idea that

[4:11:51] any that that anybody can just decide to say sign up for this and we'll send out any

[4:11:54] possible request to any a government agency it a possible moment.

[4:11:59] >> Don't miss in the fall. You of just completely waste of time and everybody. Something

[4:12:06] on the off chance that maybe somehow somehow nickel that attributed your account, know

[4:12:12] your spending all your tax dollars at every level of government in pursuit these AI

[4:12:15] requests. Just saying that allow. So I think it's bigger than this tax tax tax

[4:12:21] assessment. just wondering if the work, if you all were the canaries in the coal mine with

[4:12:24] those first initial letters, we may need to amplify this higher than just this.

[4:12:30] >> Madam Chair commissioner, thank you for that. And I think you're exactly right. I

[4:12:36] was sitting with a state representative the other day talking to him about this

[4:12:38] exact issue and he was worried about the things that you're worried about. I'm just in my

[4:12:46] little space worrying about the card. I'm pulling all of these other spaces. And he had

[4:12:52] mentioned that there is state I board. That I was unaware of and they are. They're looking

[4:13:00] at these issues at a state. But I mean, at the legislature this year, I can see that just

[4:13:07] very committee, the tax committee, all of the major committees. Looking at AI as

[4:13:13] real. Really something that they got to take him to because there's opportunity

[4:13:20] to. Really impact a lot of various. >> commissioners, if had on

[4:13:28] that, I think what commissioner taking was describing is maybe a lack of

[4:13:33] trust since we are the entity that's taxing. >> You know, for an individual

[4:13:38] to call and say, hey, can you take a look at my property? Are you sure you you have

[4:13:42] right? Knowing that we're also the entity that's taxing and therefore it might be more

[4:13:47] attractive, you know, entity to hire a third-party right to do that review. And so I think

[4:13:54] >> this does reflect this may be an exercise and trust building communities so that

[4:13:59] they gain insight into the process. All now you ation to the extent possible so that

[4:14:04] they can feel confident that when they get that, you know, first notice that they've got

[4:14:11] gain some insight into the process and go, yeah, they're they're probably within really

[4:14:15] solid range. You know, as I think about this kind of AI phenomenon, you know, I see it

[4:14:21] as you know, somebody coming in to a home that they want to buy and saying I'm not paying

[4:14:26] what you put in your listings below. Tells me this. The deal is is very Just takes these

[4:14:33] cops, right? And then it's like to probably this right. And

[4:14:38] >> of course, you know, somebody saying, well, no, you haven't seen the home. Let me

[4:14:42] show you are improvements and that kind of what they're describing you need to see the

[4:14:45] home and one, even not easy. But like solid kind approach that director transcribing is

[4:14:52] that in-person inspections. Because these are kind of like, you know, bought kind of

[4:14:58] letters going out. >> There's pushback as to why this 3rd party should meet at

[4:15:07] a house and do an inspection the property because they're probably sitting other states

[4:15:10] just kind of watching them out. That's one way around that. But it's going to take a

[4:15:14] lot of work and research self. >> shouldn't give us And I just want heavy further

[4:15:23] elaborate on that appeals process that there is a I. >> community board, a part of

[4:15:31] that our that our colleagues and residents outside of us that are part of that process

[4:15:36] the city. Can you explain that? Because that's another level of trust that it's a

[4:15:40] it's a cut peers that are Commissioner. The the end of the informal appeal process is

[4:15:45] the special board appeal in position and that's built residence.

[4:15:48] >> Throughout the community and they are the final check and balance on our system.

[4:15:53] >> and let's talk about. How the office plans to deal with this, right? Because I'm

[4:16:00] bringing up an issue So I'm just going elaborate a little bit on this next spring. It's

[4:16:06] going to take a concerted effort by my office and the communications department to

[4:16:10] put the message that people don't need to hire these outside people that are going

[4:16:15] to take money for something that we're going to do for them for free. So w're

[4:16:21] already developing a communications plan about the timing. Where to Munger 80 on

[4:16:31] that or Facebook page. All of the different communications. You might see me on the news

[4:16:37] will know it's it's got to be something that we have to do to communicate to people that.

[4:16:43] We are open to your questions about our process and our value. You do not have to hire

[4:16:48] someone. That's going to take some of the money. If you are old. We will do it for free.

[4:16:54] Contact us first. And so it's just going it's going to be a communication outreach that

[4:17:00] we're going to do. So if you talk about trust, because not everyone trust government.

[4:17:06] >> Even if it's free, they don't trust. Always trust India. But thinking about

[4:17:12] their restrictive covenant. chart. Europe. Lofty goal do 100% in 3 years 5500

[4:17:25] properties to to complete. It's probably that great partnership that you have same

[4:17:31] case in the young people who's knocking on doors that people can sometime truss more you

[4:17:39] know, colony to government talking to government. Expect that and interaction that

[4:17:46] happens with he's for real people, So it is that the stat want to part of your to

[4:17:53] continue to engage with communities, to go out and then that that was doors to

[4:17:56] talk about. The company just 2 weeks ago. 2020. >> Madam Chair. Yes, that is

[4:18:05] key. Key piece is. >> entities and the community are together with the same

[4:18:14] message bring stronger, that's for sure. >> And I would say also part

[4:18:18] of the messages for that. the message, but one of goes you can say Build that trust. Yes,

[4:18:31] need it. All right. People saying we do this. can we do it free. All right. I have

[4:18:37] many messenger of the message that comes from the community is in the community to be a

[4:18:39] part of tat message. >> Yes, Madam chair in the past, I've been to a lot of

[4:18:44] the Frogtown neighborhood network of spoke at a number of community places and that

[4:18:50] always helps. That always helps build the trust. >> All right. if you close out

[4:18:58] or done what, thank you so much for presenting here to give us a lot of good

[4:19:01] information you. Work. So we want to move on are not director. And directly yea. So

[4:19:20] welcome. I couldn't resist introduce yourself. you can start with you

[4:19:23] >> Good afternoon, everyone. Can you all hear me? I always feel a little insecure

[4:19:31] whenever the mike is about, I had pursue we're here. I protect a little bit to reach

[4:19:40] the that for There's a sign that says do not move the microphone. Okay. Good

[4:19:49] afternoon, everyone. anything I'm honored to be to share him to county library supplemental

[4:19:53] budget performance measures for big. And I want to Dixon some deep appreciation to the

[4:19:58] team of ? >> I want to some deep

[4:20:09] appreciation to the team of one Hudson, 30 passionate library employees that make

[4:20:13] these performance measures happen. >> addition to that, I want to

[4:20:17] acknowledge the individuals to help bring this presentation together. I really love

[4:20:22] Director Director Greenlee the Collins among several other people. The helpful just

[4:20:28] together. >> So Ramsey County Library provides services at 7

[4:20:35] suburban locations across Ramsey County. We also provide services online and out in the

[4:20:41] community. Driven by community engagement. Our collections programs, services and faces

[4:20:49] reflect a wide range of interests and needs to connect children, teens, and adults to

[4:20:55] access support for learning work, creativity, personal growth. So the Ramsey County

[4:21:02] labor, overseas collections and resources for public use, including books, DVD's, a

[4:21:07] library of things when resources. also host programs for growth and development

[4:21:14] such as story time computer classes maker programs. And then we also have our

[4:21:20] facilities which include spaces such as study meeting rooms, areas facilitate

[4:21:25] engagement opportunities. Our work is guided by Ramsey County Strategic Purdy. He

[4:21:30] engaged, through the Rmsey County, Library Advisory Board and further informed by

[4:21:36] gauging community to develop the library strategic. The performance measures cover

[4:21:46] today, but Ramsey County Strategic priorities of racial and health equity and share

[4:21:52] community power, which you'll see in the profession like a materials purchased that

[4:21:55] reflect racially and ethnically diverse communities cover operational excellence,

[4:22:00] community connections per One-thousand Ramsey County residents. And then residence

[4:22:07] entered holistic support. So suburban Ramsey County residents with the library

[4:22:10] card account. We have some measure down there, which is Ramsey County residents with

[4:22:15] electric current account. The performance of a strong library system is reflected by

[4:22:21] how and who we serve and rents county community through or acquisitions are transactions

[4:22:26] incurred ownership. Lively measures are community indicators of utilization such

[4:22:31] a circulation. The amount of times people are taking real responsiveness to resident

[4:22:36] request relevant. The programs that we're facilitating in the books that that are being

[4:22:40] checked out as well as on informing our partnerships with key community Partnership

[4:22:45] Partners which identifies who we're serving addresses, who we must prioritize and then

[4:22:51] also who we are missing. Our first master. Our first mission that we're going to be

[4:23:01] looking at is live or materials purchase that reflect. That was like

[4:23:06] racially and ethnically diverse communities. One of our most important assets

[4:23:11] behind our team and our spaces is our collection, our books or DVD's. The park's snowshoes

[4:23:17] said that director McCAbe left State Park books among several other items we strive to

[4:23:25] provide a collection that is diverse. That is relevant. That is reflected the

[4:23:29] community. It serves and spans a wide range of subjects, voices and formats and

[4:23:34] enriching lives are experiencing food. The collection that Evers that is

[4:23:37] relevant to and end is reflective. The metrics that you see here specifically

[4:23:45] reflects any new materials purchased within that given year historically about a 3rd

[4:23:51] of our new acquisitions of materials are fire about people of color. People check

[4:23:58] out and use our materials based on how relevant it is. A popular it is how accessible

[4:24:04] it is and the selection of the material is done. Extremely intentional. Right now, we

[4:24:09] have staff that work directly with specific publishers. Well respected curators of lists.

[4:24:15] They are reaching out to partners like culturally zones at school districts

[4:24:20] recommendations as well as partnering with some of our internal community partners.

[4:24:26] We have a program with the Rams County Correctional Facility and we go in there

[4:24:31] and really cable kind of books. You want to check out. And so. They give us

[4:24:35] recommendations and we have curated a collection that an extremely high circulation.

[4:24:46] I feel strongly that the metrics that we are at are actually very good. Even

[4:24:49] though this represents only a 3rd of our collection there's where we're projecting a

[4:24:57] slight incline. And 28 our 30 publishing industry still he - catching up. So. As they

[4:25:08] continue to catch couple things that I want to both are is that in 2025 alone, checked

[4:25:14] out over 3 million items the public checked out over 3 million items. And that

[4:25:23] essentially means that every single person suburban Ramsey County checked out book at

[4:25:27] least once a month. 2 thirds of the items that are checked out, our physical materials

[4:25:35] and one Thursday materials, half of the all of the items that have been checked out,

[4:25:39] our children's materials, which highlights the importance of continuing the

[4:25:43] reflection of community. And we're pretty much back at our pre-pandemic level of the over

[4:25:50] 3 million circulation. A handful of challenges that we face are keeping up with.

[4:25:58] Existing demands holds ratios. How many people are waiting for popular items. How long

[4:26:05] are they? We like to keep that ratio a little bit low so that people are not waiting years

[4:26:07] for a book. And then just in addition to tat inflationary costs high high costs for

[4:26:15] print materials and high costs for content. We do benefit greatly, though, through a

[4:26:20] partnership with Elsa Pace for Levy, which is the that we use for circulating e e-books

[4:26:28] audiobooks. We continue to be the number one circulating consortia in the full world.

[4:26:33] And in addition to that, our partnership Ramsey County Library, Friends help

[4:26:36] supplement budget. Our next performance measure is community connections per

[4:26:45] One-thousand residents. This is our newest measure. So anyone whether or not they

[4:26:51] have a library card, it come visit the library utilize. I'm Eli researchers and look at a

[4:26:57] book off the shelf back the shelf for the that a table for us to collect route. And

[4:27:06] that's the And this is where. We have 2 parts to this metric. We have our physical

[4:27:13] library visits and are partial. Every this is that we have combined together. In

[4:27:21] 2025. physical library visits accounted for over 100,000 individual individual walking

[4:27:28] through our doors like literally walk and Raiders. So that means every single person

[4:27:35] in suburban Atlanta County visited the library at least 3 or 4 times a year in 2025. it

[4:27:40] kind of in gauges are large the most important asset. Our staff. They ask for stuff

[4:27:45] about History. project. Were that recipe they can find maximum, maybe a specific

[4:27:51] tractor. Tonight from 1915. That's a very real question. And I have received before is

[4:27:58] like a very specific tractor they wanted. They wanted to paint. You know, they come in

[4:28:03] and they look for help finding jobs resources. One-on-one tech help. During the fall

[4:28:09] last fall of 2025, there were a lot of applause for food resource distance remarkably

[4:28:15] during Metro are notary services Motor country boat. And then they also come to a

[4:28:20] 10 programs connect with partners start times kids for school connecting with

[4:28:25] community connecting with all of our other partners that come in with us to do services

[4:28:32] at the library work for solutions. The service center, public Health and the public

[4:28:39] health department bring parents to our maker laps. love the sewing machine. They

[4:28:43] love creating. then also get engaged with our community resource advocates. They also

[4:28:51] come into our LIVE reports spaces 2 years. Our copy. Facts can computer machines to

[4:28:59] 3 D printers. what is rowing is our study room usage gathering spaces and meeting

[4:29:03] rooms which the reservations have more than doubled since 2015. And so that was one

[4:29:08] metric. The other one is our Web site visits website visits account for overtime million

[4:29:15] visits in 2025. that essentially means every single person in suburban Atlanta

[4:29:20] County visited our Web site. 40 times in the yes, almost every single week to access or

[4:29:26] LeBron catalog or calendar of events or our digital library, which is a resource of over.

[4:29:32] 95 databases. That include academic in peer reviewed medical journals and articles.

[4:29:40] I like him or car repair manuals. Ancestry genealogy databases.

[4:29:45] This is a pretty imperfect measure, though. I have to say there are some things that it

[4:29:50] does not doesn't count whatever we do out. Reach us. So our children's librarian

[4:29:57] visit over 100 kindergarten classes every single fall. They visit over 2500 kids.

[4:30:05] That's not included in here. When we visit the Ramsey County Correctional Facility

[4:30:07] making a checkpoint there. The numbers are not committed here or earlier this spring when we

[4:30:14] engaged every single second grade students across 2 school districts that's also not

[4:30:17] counted in here. And it doesn't include, fortunately, hits to our Ramsey County

[4:30:24] Library app or the Libby app. this measure is pretty a pretty great example our

[4:30:36] services. Now looking at our library card accounts, suburban Ramsey County

[4:30:47] residents with a live report. And I want to I want to make sure that I a separate the 2

[4:30:52] Ramsey County is served by 2 separate library system. Saint Paul Public Library system in

[4:30:57] Ramsey County Library System. Ramsey County Library system everything exclude e anything

[4:31:01] in fall? It's a popular every absolutely wonderful library system. Everything else is And

[4:31:11] so while people are not required to have live record accounts, almost half of

[4:31:13] suburban Ramsey County residents to hold active Ramsey County Library Card

[4:31:18] account, which we strive to increase some of the benefits include the ability to access

[4:31:23] the live resource, take home the Bucks. But the 95 databases that I was chatting

[4:31:27] about then also access to our partners so they can go to Saint Paul Register their live

[4:31:34] record over there, utilize any and all resources that they have over there or across any

[4:31:40] of our Metro Regional Library systems, they also get access to enter library loan, which

[4:31:46] is the ability to borrow books from libraries across the nation. So in general, we want

[4:31:55] to make sure that we are also removing obstacles to barriers for getting a library card and

[4:32:01] then also barriers accessing our library resources in general. So trying to to limit

[4:32:07] requirement to have a live report out to get to our resources. We provide passes

[4:32:12] for folks that want to use the computer. We do require people to check in with their library

[4:32:17] card account when they come to a program, et cetera. So while we track this measure, we

[4:32:21] should really look at all 3. then I'm just briefly review of this mine. I'm not going to

[4:32:28] go very much and death, which is Ramsey County residents with a live report out. This

[4:32:32] just means the Saint Paul residents that are registered with their library card

[4:32:37] account in the Ramsey County Library system. So about 10% of all Saint Paul residents

[4:32:42] have their cards. Com registered suburban Ramsey County Library system. So

[4:32:52] looking at improving a performance measures here specifically to the first

[4:32:59] measure. Every materials purchased that reflect racially and ethnically

[4:33:01] diverse communities. I want to know that we are overall constrained by inflation. Eric

[4:33:06] Haase, for fiscal materials and limited by restrictive language around materials

[4:33:12] increase inflation cost for fiscal materials are essentially 20 to 50% level.

[4:33:20] So a book that would have been between 25 to $30 in 2020 is now 3 to $40 or a little bit

[4:33:26] more than not materials cost between 3 to 5 times the cost of their physical

[4:33:35] counterparts. So let's say in audio book might have cost, you $45.50, $1 when we're

[4:33:44] looking a the audio version of it, it's 100 and something. It's almost $00. And thing

[4:33:48] about the the E material is that there's only 2 different ways that we can license

[4:33:54] materials econ times. You can either do it by timeframe. So you can have it have it for 2

[4:34:02] years or you can check it out for 20 to 6 times. And so once you have exceeded either that

[4:34:09] time frame or that circulation yet disappears back into the ether. Whereas for the fiscal

[4:34:16] counterpart, we might keep it until it falls off the seams or we might repair it.

[4:34:21] Actually, that's extremely popular that I will toss it back to Michelle. So we have

[4:34:27] an opportunity pursue legislation that perhaps trying to keep looking digital

[4:34:31] audio book, contract language looking ahead, I would really recommend reviewing in

[4:34:40] supporting legislation to cap the costs for content of this would provide more purchasing

[4:34:45] power, essentially also For the next bullet. Also believe that partnerships with key

[4:34:55] organizations will only improve our connections with communities. We recently

[4:34:59] partnered with the Roseville and Mount the school districts to grow home Lively's second

[4:35:04] graders and this was a project that was supportive by the Ramsey County Library,

[4:35:09] friends, these types of connections, are they extremely meaningful that

[4:35:14] bring students and more users into our libraries? In terms of ongoing challenges. I mean,

[4:35:25] when usage has extremely. Flying off the chart earlier, I noted meeting room bookings

[4:35:33] has essentially doubled since 2015. this this will require a capital investment

[4:35:40] essentially. When we look at our buildings and we look at our structures, people come in

[4:35:46] for books for staff, et cetera. And the people also come in because we are the C

[4:35:52] or we are the community heat. so while we have large attendance is while we have

[4:36:01] people utilizing the resources, some people are really just looking for a

[4:36:04] shelter, a place to stay during that day. Sometimes they use our study rooms to

[4:36:09] tonight and Sunday. Now you can go to that poor hearing or the interview for the medical

[4:36:15] appointment or that tutor them enter lake. We're studying, like sometimes are just there

[4:36:23] to exist. And so as the volume continues to increase, like we're going to have to. Really

[4:36:30] think, and her ties are capital investments and stasis. In addition to that.

[4:36:36] Libre's continue to see challenging and or complex conditions and situations, the

[4:36:44] incidences experiences that happen in our communities also happened. Ivories. The needs

[4:36:49] in our communities are very high right now. People experiencing asked leading

[4:36:54] mental health conditions in our communities. They come into our libraries. Staff have

[4:37:00] to manage these situations and the very public space and then also at the same time, ensure

[4:37:04] the safety of the public and their colleagues. The on this staff are managing complex and

[4:37:10] highly nuanced situations that require several referrals to nonprofits partners such as

[4:37:14] rubbing them to family collaborative housing, stability, financial

[4:37:18] Assistance Services. And so I just wanted 10 shutout to. Kudos to direct deputy

[4:37:26] director a lot whose reviewing and assessing lot training and support opportunities for

[4:37:30] staff to connect with experts and colleagues around this type of work. But then on as

[4:37:36] as we continue to move forward, we're going to continue to. I need to figure

[4:37:40] out some solutions for supporting a our staff and the public. So in terms of

[4:37:51] operational changes to improve efficiency, we have been reviewing our processes,

[4:37:54] procedures and practices to identify operational changes. You may all the receiving

[4:38:02] library notices via e-mail or phone. also have a camp people who are very committed to the

[4:38:08] print mail home. in the past few years in the past year, we've been working on

[4:38:15] individuals, either tough se - phone or, you know, notices that's actually saving us

[4:38:20] quite a bit of money. And by part of that money 500 bucks a month, which I'm gonna say

[4:38:26] like, ? >> This is saving us on Post

[4:38:34] says and this is saving us on printing as well as staff time. In addition to that, we

[4:38:39] also procured a new integrated library system. And last integrated library system is

[4:38:45] essentially a database that manages by record counts. And then every materials and that

[4:38:49] the relationship between the 2. Folks who a as a highly regarded out probably would

[4:38:57] call in July when I'm like, hey, there's going to be a little bit of pause and

[4:39:02] services, but then it will be coming back up July 2026. Was when we transitioned our eye

[4:39:08] last and the last time we did it was 25 years ago. This is resulting in a cost savings of

[4:39:14] about $50,000 every single year. And then in addition to that, we also adjusted our

[4:39:21] staffing structure for the 26 27 year. We essentially eliminated are budget. And so

[4:39:28] we use a lot of those steps to ensure that we can operate buildings and have staff and

[4:39:31] the public we transition to long-term subs and supplement supplemented those in phase 5

[4:39:41] vacancies to ensure that jurors can remain open for public service. As we look

[4:39:46] forward, I didn't know for the spot. will have to strategically review our

[4:39:50] compliments of facilities. And sure that any capital investment that we make is the

[4:39:55] right investment for presidents for the next few Considering the increase

[4:40:01] requests for meeting rooms, high foot traffic anticipated increase, use, we'll pursue

[4:40:07] facilities vision to ensure that we are moving in the right direction. And then will

[4:40:12] also continue to maximize our relationship and partnership with France County Library,

[4:40:14] friends. Previously they contributed probably half of a percent. And now looking at a

[4:40:22] contribution of one percent, which finance portion of our programs. There is significant

[4:40:30] opportunity for us to continue to expand. The support is. And so with that, I'll conclude my

[4:40:35] presentation and stand for questions. >> All right. Thank you.

[4:40:40] Commissioner Miller. >> I think you Director for everything that you and your

[4:40:44] staff and somebody that has 3 libraries and I districts and who visits the monthly, I each

[4:40:51] and every one of your staff into their space monthly. >> My first line is going to

[4:40:58] go our first side. My first question goes with this is great scene and I appreciate

[4:41:04] the effort to purchase more culturally and racially and ethnically diverse material.

[4:41:08] What is it you do? What is the utilization on the material that's being purchase.

[4:41:13] >> So is a difficult metric to track partially because we do not. Well, we flag it at

[4:41:20] purchase. We don't track it after. Okay. I can tell you that we For a moment of time.

[4:41:29] We did track utilization of the books purchased that were referred and recommended to us

[4:41:34] by Ramsey County Correctional Facility. Inmates. And that can take that was extremely

[4:41:39] high use like it like there were some books that we are essentially like. Let's just

[4:41:43] keep it there. can we do? Need a couple copies because we're just I couldn't see it back

[4:41:48] again. And so we there's been some microcosm of tracking some of that. But then there's

[4:41:52] really no way for us to. >> then my as we are purchasing those materials, I

[4:41:58] just want to make sure just like I just want to add the note in to make sure that

[4:42:02] we're producing materials that are written authors that are reflect what they're writing.

[4:42:09] So I know often time the native community. >> Non native people like to

[4:42:12] write about us. >> But it's just better to purchase it from an actual

[4:42:19] native for that's an example of that. I was just wanted to give.

[4:42:23] >> really appreciate that. Madam Chair commissioner, I we believe in own voice and so

[4:42:31] on. That essentially is what you're speaking And so partner and we work with France books

[4:42:39] actually to ensure that the matter is that we're purchasing our reflectors and

[4:42:42] is reflective of and that take that be great. not just for the native crafts for all.

[4:42:50] Yes. >> Okay. And then my question, I did have a big question on

[4:42:53] the slide, but I did see it. That's on the next slide. >> So when we go to the

[4:42:57] performance measures, can you talk a little more about these challenging and complex

[4:43:03] incidents that that you're that you and your staff are experiencing, maybe give us an

[4:43:07] example would be helpful. And then how are your? How how do you respond to that in real

[4:43:14] time, right? if you you mentioned here and you said in your presentation that, you

[4:43:20] know, you requiring more staffing. are you know this or partnering with service

[4:43:24] centers. So and then I'm going to are you seeing the incidents at the library

[4:43:31] having with library patrons, people utilizing the library? Are people utilizing?

[4:43:37] >> The space for a safe place to be or more utilizing the library because there's a

[4:43:42] service center there as want to make sure that one that there's right type of people

[4:43:46] in that right type of space. So if we maybe don't mission be at a library staff

[4:43:50] responding to it, maybe it should be a social service staff or a service center

[4:43:54] staff helping respond to that. Instead. How can we help in that area? And I'm sure

[4:44:01] commissioner, all of the above. I think every single situation has been extremely

[4:44:04] and hiring once. >> In terms of the needs of the complexity of each

[4:44:07] situation. In August, there was a situation of in-house family, right, 3 generations

[4:44:17] of families that essentially parked themselves outside of one of her life we had to

[4:44:21] employ as many resources as we could to provide that the support for for those family

[4:44:25] like that family. >> And so on that relocation was mounds view and it did not

[4:44:33] have all of that right. And the mom library is very well loved by the community for a

[4:44:39] handful of different values. It's not a gigantic library. It's not intimidating, you

[4:44:45] know, with the staff is every single day that you're walking in there. And so then you can

[4:44:49] build a relationship built trust with That something that you don't really experience,

[4:44:55] let's say Roseville on to because they're so large there. So many people that

[4:44:58] work there. For that particular situation like we had to call multiple different

[4:45:04] partners. We connected with housing stability. We connected with service

[4:45:07] centers. We connected with as many resources as we could. connected with the city as

[4:45:11] well to just try to get support. But then that's that's one incident. And

[4:45:16] that's one scenario. then we also have other scenario such as and individual who is

[4:45:22] experiencing a mental health crises that what we need to do is de-escalate ensure that the

[4:45:27] individual is safe. Ensure that staff and patrons are safe and then actually just

[4:45:33] get them out the door to the support that they need. Right. And that's not going to be

[4:45:37] ice. I'm a true believer that. We cannot be the expert at everything. And and as much as

[4:45:43] we no people and try to develop and gather resources. We won't know everything and

[4:45:48] we won't resources until then. Those are sort of the types of situations that we do just

[4:45:54] hand off and pass it off to other experts, such as like our public health nurses are

[4:46:00] the mental health unit of a police department to say like, hey, we really need your

[4:46:06] support all hands. Let's let's wrap around this individual. outside so that whatever they -

[4:46:13] can, whatever they do return to the library that there's very clear set expectations.

[4:46:18] But, you know, to your point about what happens at the time up. It's very difficult. You

[4:46:25] know, staff are having to make some judgment calls for situations that have never

[4:46:28] happened before. And so every single situation is extremely different and extremely

[4:46:33] nuanced and Kerry's varying levels o weight. And and so I really appreciate the staff

[4:46:41] that are managing the situations. >> Flower on staffing. Can you

[4:46:51] did mention in the last slide, the steward in savings. You did mention the update on the

[4:46:56] sub system. >> And I'm just see how that has changed. How is that as

[4:47:02] someone again, who was in the library's 3 different libraries, monthly? I can kind

[4:47:07] of see. And I can kind see how busy it sometimes it really is. And so I'm just curious

[4:47:13] how the subs are working and if that's successful, that has actually played on Earth.

[4:47:18] That's something that we need to reconsider. why I say that is because I don't want it to

[4:47:23] get us into a situation where. Now we're utilizing more staff and rather than filling

[4:47:30] positions and then staff feel overwhelmed, work burnt out. >> You know, whether it's I

[4:47:35] can take time off, some just going to call in sick and then kind of get that fll staffing

[4:47:42] issues. Madam Chair, commissioner, >> The transition that we made

[4:47:47] from 2025 to 2026. Is that we no longer have folks that are on call. That just picks up

[4:47:53] one shift and then lets it go a complete that shift and then they're done until they pick

[4:47:59] up another ship. Now we have transitioned it to long-term subs to ensure that they

[4:48:05] there's a regular cadence. Some of the work that they're doing. We're still trying to

[4:48:09] fill every single role that we have. And so that doesn't filling and having any

[4:48:17] long-term shift doesn't pause our ability to tired. And so we haven't caused any hiring

[4:48:24] time And so we do hope that staff you continue to take their vacation to continue to

[4:48:28] take their like take leaves as needed. And so and then we'll we'll figure it But then that

[4:48:35] has been a transition be been a looking at ways that we could alter. We could change

[4:48:40] it. We've. The deputy director has employed handful of strategies to also keep us.

[4:48:48] Updated. So, look, we've had shelving what's over at Roseville. Roseville is an

[4:48:51] extremely popular. I think one of the HIAS and busiest circulating libraries and

[4:48:56] that's it. And so that essentially means. You could blink. And then all the carts

[4:49:01] are full that someone needs a shelf. so we've been we still have been having a handful of

[4:49:07] tiny one office to ensure that. Libraries continue to. So on the though it is a

[4:49:16] little imperfect where we're going to be reviewing and assessing and it's where now,

[4:49:19] you know, 8 months and 9 months in. >> And you mentioned also

[4:49:28] evaluating facilities across Ramsey County to identify where to make strategic

[4:49:30] investments. What does this look like? And when wat does this cut this look like? And

[4:49:37] at what point? when should the board expect to be updated Indy engaged in these

[4:49:43] conversations as And that's that's just more like maintenance and modernization

[4:49:47] or is that? Decisions on a different? Per on providing services.

[4:50:00] >> Madam chair and So I in 2019, 2018, 2019 Ramsey County Library developed facilities

[4:50:09] master plan. And as a part of that work is essentially assessed all of our buildings

[4:50:12] and then make recommendations a big disrupter to that plan has the pandemic and how

[4:50:21] people use our public resources and public spaces. And so I think what we would

[4:50:26] be pursuing in 2027 would be a reassessment of our buildings are, the current status of

[4:50:35] them and then make some recommendations on. Are they in the right places? we with

[4:50:40] the right partners? Are we? Are we making the right considerations for how people

[4:50:46] the spaces for today's day and age? Because as we have seen far from the renovation of the

[4:50:53] library at Maplewood, is that the plan actually did not describe what that library

[4:50:59] needed. And we did a complete redo based some community. 3 very intense community

[4:51:04] engagement, sessions that essentially set we need way study rooms. We need way more

[4:51:09] engagement places. And we knew we were meeting rooms in addition to a living room. And

[4:51:14] that's what we put to that library. And it is now being well due Thank you. I

[4:51:18] appreciate that. >> Yeah, thank Madam Chair, Commissioner Miller. I talked

[4:51:27] to the so-called quite a bit about this and I appreciated hangs track here around it.

[4:51:33] It's an alignment. I think we just really want to think smart about how we co located.

[4:51:38] And then we've seen a lot now around our service centers are you know how we work community

[4:51:43] partners. Our cities are other nonprofits like to me. It feels like at the moment needs

[4:51:50] are increasing and the county isn't the only answer for what people need. And while

[4:51:54] libraries are trusted spaces that we need to and scarcity of resources within, you know,

[4:51:59] multiple levels of government. We need to just thinks more. smartly about how to co locate

[4:52:04] things. So that people, you know, both for costs and all those, but also for

[4:52:09] accessibility, like when families, you know, they don't need to go on a trips to take

[4:52:15] the kids a library, maybe go get a county service and maybe see a public health nurse. You

[4:52:18] know, like I think we really need to think about integrated services. And that could even

[4:52:20] include paying your, you doing some business with the city to cite. Just think there's

[4:52:27] multitude of partners. There's different models are already out there.

[4:52:29] >> That have been happening. But maybe not. >> As intentionally. And now

[4:52:34] we need to think about that before we make more investments and we should have

[4:52:36] a front door. >> So thank So I was also thinking the same thing. You

[4:52:46] today we're not where we were 5 years ago. It is it going. Populations that are 50

[4:52:54] different, just more challenges. And, know, can or with families.

[4:52:56] >> And I was just wondering. You know, as you look at the changing environment that we

[4:53:03] are you talk about this, you know, but do staff need different types of trainings

[4:53:13] to prepare them with the engagement piece people coming to the library. You have to

[4:53:17] respond to tat maybe use and trauma informed training, right whatever. different

[4:53:23] types of training to use a deal. you encounter Publix. So maybe think about that, too.

[4:53:29] We need to doing today that we didn't have to do yesterday. And I wasn't that family that

[4:53:36] you talked about to be generational family that came into the library. What why did

[4:53:41] they need help? So that's what were they doing? >> Madam that family was

[4:53:46] unhoused resources they needed a lot of other resources for their children. I mean, what

[4:53:52] do do that they can stand out that staff had to engage with >> Madam chair, they were

[4:54:01] sleeping outside the building. >> Okay. That's the I'm trying to get to white down with

[4:54:08] encounter. So he was out doors sleeping and so you make some phone calls to get some

[4:54:14] support grand to county to hopefully we showed out he was able to meet some needs of the

[4:54:21] OK? Because I wasn't sure I'm like, okay. What what What's happening with them? Family?

[4:54:26] And I would agree, you know, as You know, try to evaluate, you know, looking integrated.

[4:54:36] So this is what looked like today in an different from where it Public spaces are

[4:54:38] not. We're used to be So how do we how do we transition to to meet the needs of today,

[4:54:49] individuals and families and communities. And what did look like? So I would hope to back

[4:54:54] from you about what you think that needs to be. All right. What are we doing differently

[4:54:58] every Lawrence? And we we your and different situations that arises where public spaces are

[4:55:11] being used may be used a different way it was used before. Because remember it.

[4:55:16] And members have always been a safe place for families to go and be for many different

[4:55:23] reasons. in, you know, what is that room me for? The staff and others who are there to

[4:55:28] support families and communities. commissioner. Yes, I just want actually just

[4:55:34] caught. >> Talk about this very thing on our softball.

[4:55:40] >> And although I think libraries does a concentrated dose of some of these

[4:55:46] complexities, you know, we are the assessor's may going home experiencing at our park staff

[4:55:52] are experiencing. so. >> To hear your point about trainings, I do think that

[4:55:58] there's probably a broader organizational approach should be looking at. If you are

[4:56:03] facing the awake and you can service center you need to be quiet when level training.

[4:56:09] That's the reality. So I appreciate everything you thank you. Commissioners on.

[4:56:14] >> Thank you. Madam Chair. You know, I have a similar questions that Commissioner

[4:56:20] Miller just because we are seeing that level of need in all of our public spaces. So I

[4:56:27] have a question about are we? >> Working across different departments. I'm also thinking

[4:56:34] all our public health, like for our I public health responders there has there

[4:56:41] been relationship that has been formalized or what is the cadence partnership? Madam

[4:56:48] Chair Commissioner there. >> Certainly strong relationship ties across all

[4:56:54] of our departments. I meet with director Karen pretty regularly. I also meet with

[4:57:03] the director of Workforce Solutions, the director of and social services. It's it's

[4:57:12] absolutely necessary that we have all of these times relationships and it's also

[4:57:15] the necessary for us to have ties relationships with cities and him. Our nonprofit

[4:57:23] partners engagements with solid ground top and center has been extremely crucial for

[4:57:28] us to continue to be able to provide the supports for the complexity of the situations

[4:57:33] that happen. Experience. >> In terms >> public health, we engage

[4:57:40] with multiple different divisions. >> And we do have a hand like

[4:57:43] the cadence over at the Monte Library particular. I believe they did this at the library,

[4:57:47] at least twice month. And over at the Maplewood Library, we have what we call community

[4:57:56] resource advocates where we actually have like come in. W have a handful internal

[4:58:02] Department partners that come in >> as well. And then a handful

[4:58:06] of other external partners that come in that sort provide that wrap-around support for

[4:58:10] anyone who's looking for any resource. Okay. >> Yeah, that's really good to

[4:58:17] hear because, you yeah, I'm sure you're checking conversations in Saint Paul

[4:58:22] about closing a library and really they're trying to make up some of the costs community

[4:58:30] safety personnel. You know, for the other libraries to. So those are some of the things

[4:58:34] that they're balancing. my my question, my next question is about.

[4:58:46] >> Fees for using the community spaces like what do we have fees and our reach

[4:58:54] asking for different fees not processed for profit from >> county resident. Yeah, I

[4:59:04] would charge yes. >> Madam Chair commissioner, we are not charging any fees

[4:59:09] for any uses at any of buildings. It is absolutely free. We only allow nonprofit

[4:59:17] partners and community gatherings to hr. There. We don't allow celebrations

[4:59:24] either. Right. So so like yu and a group of your neighbors wanted to meet and and have 8

[4:59:30] hour meeting at one of our libraries. You very well can reserve a room in a space for

[4:59:35] that. But but we do not commercial activity in our buildings. We at this moment

[4:59:42] we are not charging any I believe maybe 2 decades ao. We may have charge fees and

[4:59:47] they got very confusing for the public to understand what was a likely Well, it's not a

[4:59:54] library program, although I believe a Paul Public Library system does have a a charge

[4:59:59] edge. Yes, yes, they do. >> OK, thank you. It's a moment. yeah, we commissioner

[5:00:10] with country ten Genesee. And case, I mean, the movement may tree. Maguire get

[5:00:21] >> Awesome. Thank you. Madam Chair, little question. Going back to law. Permitting apply

[5:00:27] that where we're highlighting the effort to to make sure vote totals purchase, reflect

[5:00:32] the communities that we're serving out of curiosity out of those diverse materials.

[5:00:42] How many of them are from local on the roads or >> on Do we track it all? How

[5:00:48] many are all local to Minnesota? >> Madam Chair Commissioner,

[5:00:52] unfortunately, we do not track We are very for any material that is fire boat, people of

[5:00:59] color. And so we do purchase locally. We partner with local authors booksellers and

[5:01:08] publishers locally. And then we also have a very expansive wide reach to ensure that

[5:01:13] we're covering as many basis. We can. >> why? Thank you. Thank you.

[5:01:22] Madam Chair, my colleagues such good questions trying to still mine is. Well, first of

[5:01:26] all, do again. Thank you so much pain. Ad and just so appreciate the work that

[5:01:35] you're doing it. The libraries are as many of departments and entities are. just that.

[5:01:42] Transitioning all the time to be the best that we can be provide services that are

[5:01:47] residents most need. So thank you. And I've been lucky to survive also which is our

[5:01:51] regional library system side. I get to hear a lot of the good things that we are doing

[5:01:56] and hear things that other drivers are doing. So and I appreciate your that

[5:02:02] involvement and also as well as it. It helps me. >> I appreciate all so that as

[5:02:10] much as possible and it's really hard to do because it's just easier to say that.

[5:02:14] >> Roast alive or to say the live or in these are all Ramsey County libraries. And I

[5:02:20] you know, I always want to educate people about what libraries do versus what

[5:02:22] cities do. So I want to make sure that that wrote the library in Roseville is Ramsey

[5:02:28] County library and that we don't give a lot credit for that. But it's a great live or

[5:02:35] is my home use it since I was growing up and it's a very busy library, as you know. I

[5:02:40] have a question about room usage as well, because I don't even try to get at a study

[5:02:46] room anymore. If I wanted to have a small meeting in a statement never available. And

[5:02:52] do you limits on link to our limits? Ae can someone asked before? But and I think I know

[5:02:57] the answer someone come in and just use it all day. And I think that maybe there's a

[5:03:03] two-hour limit thinking back to my college days when you can only use study for 2

[5:03:08] hours, you know. So just curious about that. >> Madam Chair Commission

[5:03:14] before it really depends on what room you're talking First, second rounds of

[5:03:17] depending on which lbrary go to it might be to our limitation of it for hours no

[5:03:23] one's waiting. like we allow you to see quite a bit longer in terms of our meeting rooms

[5:03:27] that you have to reserve you can reserve them for the whole day. And our limitation is

[5:03:34] actually that you can not reserve any more than 2. You cannot make any more than 2

[5:03:38] reservations within a month. And then you can make a reservation 60 days in

[5:03:42] advance. >> some individuals and have become very savvy with the

[5:03:49] being able t reserve the literally the day that room becomes available. And we do

[5:03:57] not restrict people in terms of time. Some of our nonprofit partners that don't have the

[5:04:01] space to have full team gatherings do com and reserve the space for the full day as

[5:04:06] a part of like. You some of the nonprofit work that they do. And so we want to make

[5:04:13] sure that we're allowing for that to happen to And I appreciate that. our community

[5:04:18] loves these this availability and I really do appreciate it. And then.

[5:04:22] >> legs sort of that we don't charge that doesn't allow access to everybody.

[5:04:26] >> And we also need to be sensitive. you know, the cost us, too. So I know that that's

[5:04:32] in your mix all the time. Ido have a question. We do charge for copies and for 3 D

[5:04:38] printers. So do we charge for that? Madam Chair commissioner, we do charge for

[5:04:43] copies. It is honor system for printing. >> And And so I believe it's

[5:04:52] $0.20 for black and white. $0.75 for color copies in terms of our 3 D printing. I'm

[5:04:57] going to have to get back to you on that. Although it is well loved and well utilize.

[5:05:01] There's some really cool stuff that comes out of I have to know that and I know a lot of

[5:05:06] people really love to use it. I'm not supposed to. >> Charging a bit for that I

[5:05:11] think that that just goes along happiness. tat's a pretty good deal for Kathy,

[5:05:15] 70. Just sy it. and I'm hoping that you do look at at the charge 3 D printing items.

[5:05:27] >> also the mailing versus virtual notices and very conscious of this. You know,

[5:05:29] when you have seniors in your community that really want hard copies, you know, I do a

[5:05:34] virtual newsletter. So, you know, they they we do have a couple people that we print it

[5:05:39] out for either hand, deliver it or mail in which Larry, you know, and so I will. And now

[5:05:45] so I will say that. >> Because they've asked us so nicely.

[5:05:54] >> But we Iapreciate that. You're trying to million more. And I would say that a good.

[5:05:58] >> Meeting point is that you just print out copies have an adult libraries. You know, I

[5:06:04] mean, just happen. Hard copy notices when they can pick them up because they can get

[5:06:09] to libraries and things. So I'm just saying I'm glad we're trying to find a place where

[5:06:16] we don't have to spend so much money mailing things out in that we maybe just have hard

[5:06:21] copies available for people that we the cunty people heard me. Yes account as a

[5:06:25] county I think you said that. >> You have a whole mailing list of people that still want

[5:06:29] to get. Heart happy. So you're printing and mailing. >> Yes. Some of our patrons

[5:06:37] and ivory users to mail home notices >> we will likely be keeping

[5:06:45] tiny of that. To your point, which is around accessibility. >> We do have. they cannot

[5:06:55] access the library. And this has certified either by a medical professional or their

[5:06:59] current housing situation, etc. And so in those situations, we want to

[5:07:04] continue to provide notices to them. If this is the only way that they can be seen so that

[5:07:07] they know that and item that we have sent to them. They need to also sent back to us.

[5:07:15] >> I to everyone that we can be. And I appreciate that. I'm just curious is that 10% of

[5:07:21] that the same boat as it register for Ramsey County Library cards. Do you know how

[5:07:26] many percentage Benton County of those registered for Saint Paul Hart. And I sort of

[5:07:34] thought they were interchangeable. But clearly they're not. And you just

[5:07:39] explain tat one more Madam Chair, commissioner out, I do not have that information.

[5:07:43] Population of Saint Paul is around 333,000. >> We have about 10%. So about

[5:07:48] 30, 30,033 1000 of the Saint, residents registered suburban Atlanta County Highway System.

[5:07:57] Yes, enemy. >> You know, and and I know that our library carts are

[5:07:59] available and all the 7 county, I mean, we can. To use a library cards in the other

[5:08:04] counties or do we have to get a card? They're forget. Madam Chair Commissioners, you can

[5:08:08] take your library card to any of the >> metro area. Light

[5:08:12] resistance and register your live record there to utilize resources.

[5:08:16] >> Maybe Dakota County has a cooler 3 D printer than ours. I don't know. I would say ours

[5:08:20] is critical, but then you should be able to utilize all the resources and supports

[5:08:25] anywhere else. And the one really great thing about being a part of the most. The

[5:08:31] consortium is actually that if you are a sinkhole resident and you wanted to get your

[5:08:35] first card in Ramsey County. What we what we do have is like an interchangeable like

[5:08:41] LeBron partisan. So you'll get a temporary ivory card and then we'll let sinkhole know.

[5:08:46] And that's Powell sent your actual library card or you make a

[5:08:51] >> really appreciate that. Ordination learning from each other and everything. And that

[5:08:57] that's commendable. So great job on that. I will say that other libraries are doing

[5:09:03] really don't amazing things. And I'm not sure we could ever do this. But like I think is

[5:09:05] to go to county. They're allowing people to get access to their libraries at all

[5:09:11] hours like when there's no staff and every net army, not ours, all related, just from

[5:09:17] one to It's a crtain time frame. to read it. >> Okay. Is it just certain

[5:09:23] hours like till midnight or I thought that just few Is it just a few before in a few

[5:09:27] hours after okay, okay. Good. I heard it differently. But that's good to know because,

[5:09:32] yeah, that's really. And just like. But I think we're just learning understanding why and

[5:09:38] what other libraries are trying to do to to serve their residents. And so just just

[5:09:45] curious is a couple more things manager, because this is also fascinating to me I

[5:09:50] love I love my library of things. You just explain what that is because I think it's

[5:09:54] so >> Madam Chair, Commissioner Library, Things is a

[5:10:01] collection of non book DVD or CD Materials. And you can come in check out of markers. If

[5:10:08] you have a meeting and you don't want to buy a ton of markers fr a meeting or if

[5:10:12] you wanted to check out handful of yard games. But you don't have the grass these for

[5:10:20] it or you want to check there's a wide variety of things in our library of

[5:10:23] things that if you wanted muffin tin cans that you despise, storing them in your

[5:10:27] kitchen. Only use it during the winter anyways for holiday gatherings. You can come to

[5:10:33] the library. Check out that my intent and then return it back when done using and wide wrath

[5:10:40] of items that we have as a part of our library, things. >> I know you do everything in

[5:10:50] in our community, love fibers, from all the things that you do. I really appreciate county

[5:10:55] mayor talking and you working on, you know, Andy Coley location of services for ay

[5:11:02] of the things you know, establish well, bookmobile safe all the time. We may do.

[5:11:05] But, you know, we have live or I think we have abook shelves that are service senator in

[5:11:10] Maplewood or, you know, I mean, I know that the libraries, maybe that was just

[5:11:13] when the library and people would was under construction. But, you know, all the things

[5:11:16] that you're looking at to really serve our residents, I think is really great. So

[5:11:20] thank you. Thank you for that. last, Madam Chair, I do want to say thanks to the fence

[5:11:25] event, County libraries, the friends. All right. Great group. They are amazing.

[5:11:29] Recent raising money all the time. Resources for our library system and just thanks

[5:11:36] so much to to them and their work and to the many committee members that are part of that

[5:11:41] for a partnership. And thank for coming. For clarity. >> As a Saint Paul resident,

[5:11:49] can I use my Saint Paul Library Ramsey County Mary. >> Madam Chair, please. say

[5:11:58] poll. I regard over if you don't have and we'll get you >> And so you're giving

[5:12:04] register, means I can no longer use my Saint Paul. Okay.

[5:12:09] >> So Madam Chair, you can you can take your state PA live her and then use that as your

[5:12:15] one-year prison library card at wouldn't need to carry around a library card just be

[5:12:18] the one. >> Thank Just >> And I just want to say I

[5:12:23] appreciate honor system for the for the copier, you know, because sometimes people

[5:12:30] looking for a job, need to do a copy think just need to do. It may not have even Sunday,

[5:12:33] $0.5 or a dollar. So I appreciate honor system you have or, you know, would you

[5:12:39] say no, someone didn't have. Money to pay for coffee. >> here we don't really on. He

[5:12:48] wanted ties on honor system box all the time. And so if an individual ended up walking

[5:12:54] away with Prince, unfortunately, like we've since we're not tracking it,

[5:12:57] we're not going to be able although there are situations in which we do say, hey, you

[5:13:01] know what? You're looking, you're interviewing for a job. This is a resume or this is an

[5:13:07] extremely important case, said that you need to submit to. Ramsey County. go ahead and

[5:13:12] take a print. Yousef. >> People taking DVD's. Madam Chair. Yes, people are still

[5:13:23] checking out the View. >> still still >> All right. That's it for

[5:13:32] me. Commissioner Jeff and My guess is that an year in year a library of things. You have

[5:13:40] both DVD's and the DVD player. >> Madam Commissioner, you can we actually have DVD players

[5:13:45] like right. so if you wanted to check it out, I don't. I'm not sure if it's not a part of

[5:13:51] our lives. I think. >> But I do know that if you checked out a DVD and you're

[5:13:56] like, I want to watch right now in the library, you can ask for it to square and give

[5:14:02] you want and you could make it into a pblic computer watch the OK? That's impressive.

[5:14:08] >> I the question I have is along the lines of this conversation aound reviewing

[5:14:15] our our physical spaces within the libraries reviewing and I love how you're decipher ring

[5:14:22] out. The different populations that are using the library's different ways. And then

[5:14:28] library renovations and different locations look differently because of the

[5:14:31] needs of that community. And one of the things that that I been part of a number of

[5:14:38] conversations in throughout the different of the communities we have our

[5:14:42] libraries it in the northern suburbs. And I have to say that there's a lot of

[5:14:46] conversation around in a local food shelves. Other providers to the community center, the

[5:14:53] the library itself, local school districts, things where there may be adult education

[5:14:58] or other other programs. Early things were. They're already co-locating within community

[5:15:05] outside of school buildings themselves are specifically outside of City Hall. And so I

[5:15:11] know that there are a number of different conversations and they're gonna look unique in

[5:15:14] every community. But one of the things that I really appreciate this, it seems as

[5:15:20] you're collecting the data and having the conversations with those partners and with

[5:15:23] community to have a very strategic look and one like, oh, we physically lay out our

[5:15:30] libraries to meet the current need. So if we're hearing that there are a lot of people

[5:15:35] using the library's as a public 3rd space, whether that's for personal reasons,

[5:15:40] study reasons, professional reasons that are commercial but still like part of their

[5:15:44] own taking a call are doing, you know, co-locating outside of their home or something

[5:15:49] like that. And that's different than half of the materials are children and

[5:15:54] family base. Like do we physically set up the spaces in a way that recognizes that

[5:16:00] somebody might just be coming in looking for a quiet place to take their call. It doesn't

[5:16:05] necessarily have to troops through chapter than story. Time to get to that fact.

[5:16:09] Kiosks, right? Or if we're thinking about having extended hours for people to have Wi-Fi

[5:16:13] access or for worrying about to be have enough staff to cover every corner of the

[5:16:19] library. Can you stage open and close to say like? Material are our aisles are

[5:16:26] closed. But the library service area where you have meetings and other kind of

[5:16:30] things are still open. I mean, I just heard different conversations different

[5:16:32] iterations of this along with the idea of how are we co-locating in these other

[5:16:40] public spaces? So it could be that there are times when we are staffing, some of those

[5:16:45] 3rd spaces and maybe we're sharing nighttime staffing when again, maybe the stacks

[5:16:51] are closed. But the spaces for business use a separate openly. I think I think these

[5:16:54] are conversations we really need to encourage with with our partners. The other thing

[5:16:59] that I was thinking about having been part of the community center for older

[5:17:05] adults. One of the things that was really a I saw what happened when we had a social

[5:17:10] worker on staff and when that when that position was no longer support and to the

[5:17:21] question of there are lots of people who are in the position of being and expect not

[5:17:26] unexpectedly, but more regularly countering a situation whether there is the

[5:17:30] county assessor's office or the library where they're in countering somebody who needs

[5:17:35] more than that person's job title, no matter how awesome they are with customer service

[5:17:38] can handle. Do we have? kind on staff like a navigator or social wrk or or somebody who

[5:17:48] staff have a warm line, too. So it's not a public number that anybody in the world can

[5:17:52] call anytime. But if a county assessor comes into a house and they think this would be a

[5:17:58] situation I have, I'm having a really productive conversation. But it's gone

[5:18:02] beyond my skill set. And I want to take advantage of this person's connection to the

[5:18:07] county. Warm hand them off to the next step or somebody at the front desk have more those

[5:18:12] housing navigator, questions that rose be on. Here's the number to call. Do we have a

[5:18:18] warm line for somebody to call that would be a staff to staffer for all. Madam Chair

[5:18:24] Commissioner. I really appreciate how >> library staff have reached

[5:18:33] out to other departments when necessary. We have benefited greatly from previously

[5:18:38] partnering with a service centers service centers in 2020 2021. Were at all

[5:18:46] regionals, Roseville, sure view and lead. even though >> service center no longer is

[5:18:54] over at the shore of the library. Those relationships were maintained. And so my

[5:19:00] understanding is that when there a family that was experiencing on. And stable

[5:19:08] housing and also had on stable food resources. The staff short of you reached out

[5:19:14] directly to the public health nurse that still that that worked previously at. Its

[5:19:20] review. And so I hope that some of those ties remain. And as we continue to partner such

[5:19:28] as like one number, lake. Nurses come in with all the parents and everything like

[5:19:36] those. Those are strong relationships that I hope that we continue to maintain and so

[5:19:41] that if we don't have that warm handoff, we're hoping that one of our resources are

[5:19:43] networks also has that connection that would provide us the resources to get to

[5:19:48] what we need. Well, and in in all just kind of go further on and say that

[5:19:57] >> happy that over the years the librarians have representation to serve every

[5:20:01] man's the family collaboratives collective table. And there's a weekly

[5:20:03] call of service providers who get together because it's always a changing set of of of

[5:20:11] faces and needs and resources that are available serve really is that constant

[5:20:16] communication. That above what we can expect a library and even a very invested one to be

[5:20:21] able to keep up with. I'm just wondering like what resources do we have collectively to the

[5:20:25] library is itself a safe who would be if I if I'm 3 months into, you know, my site and I

[5:20:33] don't have that history of for those relationship buildings. What's the hotline on my desk

[5:20:38] that says, here's the place to start your productive conversation to getting Sunday

[5:20:40] connected. The right person and the counts. >> I can cause of takes Madam

[5:20:47] Chair, Commissioner Munsing. I think this is an opportunity like really that front door of

[5:20:49] the county is a service center. So I just encourage Director Yang when you have

[5:20:53] your next conversation with Director Ali, that just have that conversation and see if

[5:20:57] there's maybe a point in time where there's a faster team scholar, something that we can

[5:21:02] do to make sure those service center the navigators. And then I've always just

[5:21:05] encouraging part of like front facing customer training. I appreciate same Com's was

[5:21:11] saying around the asked the escalation training and those things to like the people who

[5:21:16] are front facing need to know a certain some sort portfolio of information. And I've

[5:21:23] talked to Hro Ferguson a little bit about that. You know, we think about summons.

[5:21:28] training lifecycle. They need to know things county employee in general like we have

[5:21:34] inclusive workplace pass. You know, those things that everyone needs to know. You

[5:21:36] have some things you need to know about your very specific job, like how you turn on

[5:21:41] whatever how you have your policies and procedures, whatever that job is. But then

[5:21:45] there's just some things you should know because you are a category of an employee in

[5:21:47] that category would be resident facing person and that could include

[5:21:54] de-escalation training. It could include connecting residents to resources. So

[5:21:58] let's keep building on that. I think I think it is those layers of training that we

[5:22:03] need to build in because it doesn't matter. Actually. What if it's the service center

[5:22:07] library, the Environmental Center, like like people can come in in their state of need

[5:22:11] to the county at any moment. So if you're resident facing, you should have, you know

[5:22:16] those things and resources at your fingertips if that makes So we'll work on that. That's

[5:22:20] great. That's part of the holistic strategic priority that we have. So I think we

[5:22:24] can do that. >> And then I that I was from the follow up to them. And a

[5:22:29] smaller thing is I know we've had some conversations around the the study Carroll's the

[5:22:34] meeting rooms and reservations and try and all of those things and and fees and things

[5:22:38] like that in. >> I know I said this last time when we're in budget just

[5:22:41] throw those again. I don't think it has to be an on or off, you know, Binary toggle.

[5:22:47] The idea we have multiple rooms and let study hangs. I think in my guess is we can

[5:22:52] still have no business activity policy and have you know, 20% of the rooms that

[5:22:59] you are fee-based reservations so that you can collect a little bit of money. And if

[5:23:03] somebody does have that very important nonprofit community activity like you're going to

[5:23:08] have it for 8 hours, will maybe it's $10 an hour do with that much. And it's a one-off

[5:23:11] and it's still cheaper than you having this facility in. You're saying, but it doesn't

[5:23:17] preclude most people being able to walk in and find a room whenever they need to.

[5:23:21] But if it offset the reason why I say this is because it's it would be great if we could

[5:23:24] provide all of these things without having to think of the resources behind them. But if

[5:23:28] this helps to offset something like the free printing. Then it's been I mean, we have to

[5:23:35] be thinking about how are we providing all of these things to the community members that

[5:23:38] need them? And if there's a way to somehow charge folks, folks who it's a nice to have

[5:23:45] a not a need to have capture some of that might offset some of those costs for folks where

[5:23:48] it's a need to have. And we can then continue to find ways to pay for them. Something

[5:23:53] consider I would support I think I am. >> allow community nonprofit

[5:24:02] organization made before profit, something, you know, who can afford it? You know,

[5:24:06] but to have that access to media space, too info for reason that maybe I know the

[5:24:11] Rondo communities, one of the most visits, everybody is in the city. Any of new rooms,

[5:24:20] but you got to get in and with your room because is just going to know.

[5:24:24] >> It's going to be going to be booked because people are utilizing the space to gather

[5:24:29] community. I mean, there's other ways that you need to recoup with fees I think you

[5:24:34] need to be really strategic a way that needs to look like it's a public space. And I

[5:24:42] think it should be available for public gathering or meetings interactions that

[5:24:45] don't think. You know, because, know, it's a part staff to be equipped different

[5:24:51] types tools and skills to know someone is abusing that. All right. And for that individual

[5:24:58] that will welcome Senate that may be of use in it. You know, that's a conversation you need

[5:25:02] to have. That needs to be end of the show. That is a public space always been welcoming

[5:25:07] space is always open space for people. Couple refused. You know, back in the days when

[5:25:11] parents working all day, picking up as we go to library and LeBron, there would be

[5:25:17] events and activities. Some hope do things happen here. where there's a publish or

[5:25:22] whatever we do these right? But those type of things are happening within our libraries

[5:25:30] because they asset to communities. Across the state. so It is important to have

[5:25:39] that type space available for of it based in these times when, you know, people are

[5:25:47] feeling. You know, not always, you know, parents are working more than ever these days, you

[5:25:57] know, to to put this to family households that working, you know, after school program, we

[5:26:01] don't have many free after-school programs anymore. You know, so where do look?

[5:26:07] Young people go, what do it where that's those spaces are that they can go feel safe or

[5:26:11] feel some comfort. They may be some things that we need to, you have more control over the

[5:26:19] space to make sure stay safe and secure. But I really like idea that it is there to serve

[5:26:25] public. I really like that. He's so I went in. know what do with it. I do want to say

[5:26:37] one and thing that I had to do for you to close it out. I was just reading in which we talk

[5:26:42] about the use of library. This is the library card account. Holder have access not only to

[5:26:49] Ramsey County resources, but also to materially false 48 states. You can take that

[5:26:59] caught with use it right. And I just love that. Love that idea. Been able to do that.

[5:27:05] >> Commissioner Bill Dwyer, thank you. Madam Chair. I was trying to get all my things in

[5:27:07] one, but then I always think of something else. And thank you for this. And just we

[5:27:11] might want to give a shout out to our advisory Board of our library whose we do a point

[5:27:18] and guessing hoping that they That they are really helping, you contribute to that

[5:27:25] conversations about how we are, you providing the resources that our community

[5:27:30] needs and the I'm in as if you want that, you can comment on that. But and also just to say

[5:27:37] that we talk about us being one door and I remember hearing this. However, said

[5:27:44] was sometimes are libre's of the first place that our families experience the county

[5:27:49] because they're coming to it in early childhood program or they bring their they're very

[5:27:54] they're 2, 3, year-olds to come to to a library program and and I was just amazed by

[5:27:59] that that sometimes it is the first time that they reached the county. And so as much as

[5:28:03] we can, you know, have been connected any other services when they very first, you

[5:28:10] know, reach the count, reached the county through a library, a program. So if you wanted to

[5:28:13] comment on any of those things, but that's just a another tribute to the great

[5:28:16] work that we're doing and to our community that are great partners with us. far as our

[5:28:21] advisory board. So thank Madam Chair and Commissioner. I LIVE revise continues to meet

[5:28:28] monthly and pretty regularly. They provide us feedback on our programs or policies or

[5:28:31] practices and procedures. Very, vry engaging. So fantastic. Little silver to

[5:28:39] them. In addition to that for a lot of New Americans, people actually think that our

[5:28:44] libraries are a scam. They're like our >> 3 comply. Could like, we're

[5:28:53] not kitten. >> Check out this I could take him home found marker. And you

[5:28:59] could use room in. And so becomes the first point of engagement for individuals.

[5:29:07] >> And communities that come from, you know, communities that don't have public

[5:29:12] resources that are free, right, because they may come from a country that has public

[5:29:16] resources, but you still have to pay for it. And so we have public resource that don't

[5:29:21] have to pay for. And so it it is a very new and interesting concept and it. to your point,

[5:29:28] strive to be a positive touch point and positive first engagement for a lot of folks.

[5:29:34] >> It read in fundamental. Reading field in the and we we Some want thank you. Thank you

[5:29:45] for being so insightful. I want to live here about what's happening with the librarian.

[5:29:51] And how is supporting and really good work. So thank you for your leadership. Thank you

[5:29:57] for your work. Thank Direct there. Yang for all that you do. And so with that, we are

[5:30:05] done with our presentations for today. I want thank you to the economic growth, a

[5:30:10] community meant team service team their presentations today for their commitment to

[5:30:16] connecting residents to life. The routine resources like green space in books, in

[5:30:21] supporting economic and community development. We appreciate had a service team

[5:30:26] is stepping up to address unique challenges and fiscal pressures. For example,

[5:30:31] through the building stronger together initiative. The next presentation. I'm going to

[5:30:39] stop there. And Nick Perry a presentation and and direct the Commerce clause out and

[5:30:47] deny was this year when next Thank you so Madam Chair. And to

[5:30:51] offer the conversation and Papa by like today. >> I hpe you know what you

[5:30:56] saw on the presentations is a lot of pride in the work that we provide. Ramsey County, as

[5:31:00] I think about performance and we've been talking about it in the macro sense. And then

[5:31:05] there's also performance on the individual basis and >> all of the directors and,

[5:31:09] you know, all the leaders in Ramsey County are high performing. As you think about

[5:31:16] the 40, 50, 60 hours a week that they put in this is their life, right? They have

[5:31:24] families and friends certainly. But this this is huge, huge part of their life

[5:31:32] And and >> do meeting for work and to do it well, you know, they

[5:31:36] take these performance measures seriously because it is their day to day. And so I

[5:31:40] thank them for that. With that said, you know, I think about oftentimes you see them in

[5:31:46] these presentation capacities and they're like that's on the water, but their their feet.

[5:31:51] they're they're they're just pulling pulling pedaling. >> They carry a lot with them.

[5:31:56] But we sometimes don't sit and acknowledge that. >> Performance and or services

[5:32:01] can sometimes be impacted by loss and our service team has lost some colleagues over this

[5:32:09] last year. >> Erica Redden, sure, library manager and Wite Eagle in

[5:32:14] parks and last week Joylyn questioned the public works program to fill program

[5:32:18] delivery area. As an engineer, many of these folks have worked with their colleagues

[5:32:23] for decades and to then carry forward and to pick up each day to keep the work going.

[5:32:30] When you see that empty desk, it's hard and I and so we lose our colleagues moves, friends

[5:32:37] and family. But the work continues because this is important work and I'm just so

[5:32:42] impressed by professionalism and the per high high performance of the leaders

[5:32:45] today. So thank you for the time. Appreciate it. Thank you so much.

[5:32:50] >> So the next presentation would September. The tense from 9 to 4 the safety Justice

[5:32:56] Service team will present their performance measures. as a reminder, we encourage

[5:33:01] public participation in the budget process. You can participate by attending the

[5:33:05] public hearing, contacting your commissioner or submitting a written consent.

[5:33:09] A written comment to the chief clerk instructions on how to participate in a full schedule

[5:33:14] of upcoming meetings. His posts posted on budget and finance page. Ramsey County

[5:33:22] website. Thank you all for being here. Thank you for spending your time with we are

[5:33:26] adjourned. ? ?

[5:33:38] ? ?

Budget Committee of the Whole on 2026-09-03 9:00 AM

Agenda

Transcript