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Date:	June 5, 2018
Contact:	Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager
Phone:	651-430-6026, after hours 952-807-3723
E-mail:	yvonne.klinnert@co.washington.mn.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The following actions were taken at the June 5, 2018, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota

County Board recognizes county Family Child Care Provider of the Year
Nicci Diaz of Cottage Grove was recognized as Family Child Care Provider of the
Year for 2018 by the Washington County Board of Commissioners June 5.
Historically, Washington County has recognized family child care providers for excellence in providing at-home child care. Individuals in the community nominate providers and the applications are reviewed by an ad hoc committee comprised of Washington County Child Care Council members. Once the nominations are reviewed, the committee submits the chosen individual’s name to the Washington County Community Services Child Care Licensing Program.
Each year, professionals select from exemplary nominations one provider who meets several criteria including:
* they have been in the field for at least three years;
* they promote quality child care as a profession and in the community;
* they meet annual state training requirements and have future goals to further enhance their competency as a child care provider;
* they have a positive impact on the lives of the young children; and 
* they demonstrate professional skills in child care.  
Diaz runs Nicci’s Daycare in Cottage Grove; she is currently caring for 10 children. Diaz is a member of Develop and Parent Aware, and has a certificate in Child Development and has one class left of a program at St. Paul College.
Diaz said that she has always wanted to provide child care. Prior to doing in-home care, Diaz worked at a center and did before and after school care. Diaz’s philosophy for her program is to have a place to come to play and have fun. She understands the value in structure, but allows creativity, play, and children being “themselves” as part of the learning process.  
Diaz is not apprehensive about providing care to children with allergies. A parent of her program writes, “Having a child of her own, she knows the struggles and importance for parents to have a safe place for their children.” Diaz keeps her food preparation free of any items that could be harmful to the children in her care.  
The children at Diaz’s day care also learn to give back to their community. The children run a lemonade stand in the neighborhood. The first year they did this, the children earned $48 selling lemonade, which they donated. The children responded in excitement for the next year and asked where they could donate next. The next year, the children donated $200, and the year after that, they raised and donated $360.
The Family Child Care Provider of the Year program publicly acknowledges the achievement and success of at-home child care providers in Washington County and recognizes a provider who stands out in a career as an early childhood educator and caregiver over the last year.
Contact: Rebecca Motzko, Community Services Supervisor, 651-430-6476

County Board appoints residents to advisory boards
The Washington County Board of Commissioners made several appointments to the county’s citizen advisory committees June 5.
Amy Berge was named to the Child Protection Citizen Review Panel as an at-large representative to a first term ending June 30, 2020. The Child Protection Citizen Review Panel provides opportunities for members of the community to have an integral role in ensuring that child protection service systems are protecting children from abuse and neglect and are meeting the permanency needs of children. The County Board created the Child Protection Citizen Review Panel in 2007.
Four members were appointed to the Mental Health Advisory Committee. They are:
* Faith Meyers, who will serve as a consumer representative during a first term ending Dec. 31, 2020;
* Jennifer Gervais, who will serve as a child mental health professional representative during a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2019;
* Kristin Turner, who will serve as an adult mental health professional representative during a first term ending Dec. 31, 2020; and
* Patricia Nolan, who will serve as a consumer representative during a first term ending Dec. 31, 2020.
The advisory committee is established by state law. It reviews, evaluates, and makes recommendations regarding the local mental health system; annually arranges for input from the regional treatment center review board regarding coordination of care between the regional treatment center and community-based services; annually arranges for input from the local system of care providers regarding coordination of care between services; and identifies for the County Board the individuals, providers, agencies, and associations to receive information on predictors and symptoms of emotional disturbances, where mental health services are available in the county, and how to access the services.
Monica Ramirez was appointed to the Workforce Development Board as a post-secondary education representative to serve a partial first term ending June 30, 2019.
It is the responsibility of the Workforce Development Board to determine the most effective designation of administrative entities, grant recipients, and program operators for the Workforce Service Area. It also jointly plans for collaboration, and provides for on-site review and oversight of program performance. It also selects local priorities for service and target populations for supplemental programming within the Workforce Development Board.
Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026

County will use grant for housing services
Washington County will receive a $184,447 grant from the state Department of Human Services to provide services to those seeking housing after the County Board accepted the grant June 5.
The grant is a Community Living Infrastructure Grant. Washington County requested grant funding to pay for a third of a position for a social worker in the Homeless Services Outreach Team (HOST) to staff the housing telephone line and front door walk-in hours. Also, a Housing 101 training for county staff will be developed and implemented.
The grant will also provide funding for a half-time policy analyst to create and monitor annual agreements and problem-solving with housing sites. The grant will also provide funding for a new policy analyst position to monitor supplemental services sites, such as group and scattered sites, to ensure compliance with Housing Support Agreements, conduct annual site monitoring visits for Housing Support Supplemental Services sites, conduct quarterly check-in meetings with Housing Support Supplemental Services sites, provide technical assistance with requirements, budgeting, allowable expenses, etc., and assist with problem solving issues as they arise.
Contact: Sarah Tripple, Planning and Program Manager, 651-430-6480

County will do property assessing in City of Lake Elmo
Washington County assessors will do property assessing in the City of Lake Elmo, after the County Board approved an agreement with the city June 5.
Washington County provides local assessment services for more than 80 percent of the parcels in the county. The City of Lake Elmo wishes to enter into an agreement with the county for local assessment services and has already approved the agreement with the county.
The City of Lake Elmo will pay for the assessing services. 
Contact: Jennifer Wagenius, Director Property Records and Taxpayer Services, 651-430-6182

County approves liquor license application for event at fairgrounds
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved an application for a temporary on-sale liquor license for the Minnesota Grills & Rotisseries June 5 for a special event at the Washington County Fair.
The temporary license is for Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 at the fairgrounds in Baytown Township.
The Sheriff's Office has been informed, and all the requirements for the license have been met.
Contact: Steve Gransee, Election Division Manager, 430-8272

County Board approves plat in West Lakeland Township
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a plat for Stensland Woods in West Lakeland Township June 5.
The three-lot plat is west of Stagecoach Trail North and south of Eighth Street North.
Contact: Nancie Schwintek, Property Records and Taxpayer Services Division Manager, 651-430-6758

County will expand family home visiting program, add liaison to watershed districts 
Washington County will expand its family home visiting program with the addition of two full-time positions, and add a liaison to the county watershed districts, after the County Board approved the positions June 5.
In April, the county was notified that the Metro Alliance for Healthy Families (MAHF) would receive additional funding from a competitive federal Evidence-Based Home Visiting grant. The grant funding serves to expand evidence-based home visiting and allows the county to expand beyond first-time families and serve parents with subsequent pregnancies and children. The county will add a public health nurse and a public health nursing supervisor and convert a current public health nurse special project position to a regular position. Funding runs from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2022.
The Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) has provided counties with additional funding to cover costs associated with implementing compliance provisions regarding riparian buffers and additional funding to further implement the County's Ground Water Plan. A new two-year special project planner will be hired to serve as a liaison between the County Board and local watershed districts/watershed management organizations, BWSR, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Department of Health.
No county property tax funding is needed for the new positions.
Contact: Lowell Johnson, Public Health and Environment Director, 651-430-6725

County will purchase land to add to Grey Cloud Island Regional Park
Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to purchase a parcel of land on Grey Cloud Island June 5 to be included in the future Grey Cloud Island Regional Park.
The county will pay $550,000 for almost 30 acres of property at 10870 Grey Cloud Island Drive. The land is being purchased from the estate of Betty Kartarik, whose representatives approached the county and requested that the county purchase the land, which is consistent with conditions set out for the master plan for the park, originally written in 1994.
The purchase price will be funded by the county’s Land and Water Legacy Program proceeds. The county will send a request to the Metropolitan Council for reimbursement for 75 percent of the cost.
Contact: Sharon Price, Property Manager, 651-430-4391

County Board approves cost-share agreements on CSAH 21 project
The City of Bayport and Baytown Township will share in the cost of the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 21, or Stagecoach Trail North, pavement and safety improvement project, after the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved agreements with them June 5.
The road project, which is from north of 34th Street to 56th Street in the cities of Oak Park Heights and Bayport and Baytown Township includes pavement and traffic signal system replacement, turn lane additions, shoulder widening, and drainage and railroad crossing improvements.
The CSAH 21 project is funded by highway state aid and the City of Bayport, which will contribute $24,519, and Baytown Township, which will contribute $73,219. There is no local cost share for the City of Oak Park Heights.
The board also approved a cooperative maintenance agreement between Bayport, Baytown Township, and the county that sets out the long-term maintenance responsibilities for the traffic signal system to be constructed. The city and township have already approved the agreements.
Contact: Kevin Peterson, Engineer, 651-430-4330

County Board gives approval to form Mobile Field Force Unit (MFFU)
The Washington County Board of Commissioners gave its approval to a joint powers agreement between the county and several county municipalities to establish a Mobile Field Force Unit (MFFU).
Under the joint powers agreement, Washington County, through the Sheriff's Office and city police agencies, will form the Washington County MFFU.
The police agencies will be from the cities of Cottage Grove, Forest Lake, Oak Park Heights, Oakdale, St. Paul Park, Stillwater, and Woodbury.
This unit will be ready to respond to disturbances to protect life and property. The MFFU will be governed by a board comprised of the county sheriff and the chief of police from each of the cities. The board shall determine budgets and operational policies and procedures.
Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601

County will continue to house state offenders in county jail
Washington County will continue to house state offenders in its county jail, after the County Board approved a continuing agreement with the Minnesota Department of Corrections June 5.
The term of the agreement is July 1 through June 30, 2020. The state will pay Washington County $55 per day per offender, not to exceed $800,000 over the two-year period. 
The Washington County Sheriff's Office will provide lodging, meals, and supervision to the state offenders in accordance with established jail policies and procedures.
Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601

County Board approves allocation of housing tax credits
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the 2019 Qualified Allocation Plan for the Housing Tax Credit Program June 5.
The Housing Tax Credit program was created by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to stimulate private capital investment in new construction, substantial rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable housing. In exchange for federal tax credits over 10 years, a private company provides equity to help construct the project. Since the program's inception, housing tax credits have been used to produce, preserve or rehabilitate 2,184 units of affordable housing in 36 developments across the county. An additional 288 units are under construction in Woodbury and Oak Park Heights.
The Washington County Community Development Agency (CDA) is designated under Minnesota state law as the tax credit allocating agency for Washington County. Each suballocator is apportioned an allocation of tax credits according to a formula. The estimated amount of 2019 housing tax credit is $636,395, based on the distribution plan implemented by Minnesota Housing and a $2.70 per capita volume cap.
The Internal Revenue Code requires that allocating agencies develop a Qualified Allocation
Plan, which sets forth the selection priorities and process for distribution of tax credits within its jurisdiction. The 9 percent tax credits are awarded to projects through a competitive process. The CDA will receive applications by July 12. The 2019 QAP prioritizes long-term affordability, assistance to the lowest income renters, and financial feasibility.
The CDA Board of Commissioners conducted a public hearing on and adopted the 2019 QAP May 15. Regulations require that the QAP be approved by the elected body of the allocating agency.
Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026

County Board approves new zoning, land use ordinance
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a new Zoning/Land Use Ordinance June 5, along with a revised Development Code, after repealing the county’s current guidelines.
The code is official controls for the purposes of regulating the physical development of land in the unincorporated areas of the county. 
The revisions made to the current development code include:
* partial transfer of the zoning/land use authority;
* a buffer ordinance;
* a consistent chapter format; and
* general housekeeping items.
At the beginning of 2017, the county transferred to township zoning authority, retaining for the county authority over:
* subdivisions in townships without a subdivision ordinance;
* subsurface sewage treatment systems;
* Lower St. Croix Bluffland and Shoreland Areas in the St. Croix River Management District;
* shoreland areas in the shoreland management district;
* mining in sand and gravel pits;
* floodplains; and
* official map areas.
Contact: Don Theisen, Public Works Director, 651-430-4304




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Phone:  651-430-6001  •  Fax:  651-430-6017  •  TTY:  651-430-6246
www.co.washington.mn.us
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