Our Mission: Providing quality services through responsible leadership, innovation and the cooperation of dedicated people Date: Nov. 27, 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 Nov. 27, 2018, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota Haider, Lavold appointed to watershed district boards Anthony Haider, Lake Elmo, was appointed to the Valley Branch Watershed District by the Washington County Board of Commissioners Nov. 27, and Jack Lavold, Cottage Grove, was appointed to the South Washington Watershed District. Haider will serve a term expiring Nov. 14, 2021. Lavold will serve a term expiring May 1, 2020. Watershed district governance, required by state law, helps to control or alleviate damage by flood waters; improves stream channels for drainage or navigation; reclaims or fills wet or overflow lands; oversees water supply for irrigation; regulates the flow of streams; diverts or changes water courses; provides and conserves water supply; and provides for the protection of groundwater and regulation of groundwater use. Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026 County Board approves Historic Courthouse tenant agreements The Washington County Board of Commissioners extended the lease agreements Nov. 27 with tenants who rent office space in the county’s Historic Courthouse in Stillwater. The Youth Service Bureau has been renting office space at the Historic Courthouse since 2000. The Youth Service Bureau will continue to rent 1,928 square feet, in what is historically known as the Sheriff’s Residence. Its lease term will be for one year ending Dec. 31, 2019, with a monthly rent of $2,260.42, which remains the same as in 2018. Valley Tours, Inc., has rented 306 square feet of office space on the first floor of the Historic Courthouse since 1995. The proposed amendment extends the term of the lease for one year through Dec. 31, 2019, with no change in the monthly rent of $318.75. The rent is used for Historic Courthouse operations. Contact: Alex McKinney, Parks Manager, 651-430-4364 Sheriff’s Office accepts donation from Target for Shop with a Cop program The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will receive $1,600 from Target Corporation to support the Sheriff’s Office Shop with a Cop program. The County Board accepted the donation Nov. 27. Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601 Johnson joins County Board Wayne A. Johnson of Cottage Grove was sworn in as the District 4 member on the Washington County Board of Commissioners Nov. 27. Johnson was elected to the County Board at the Nov. 6 general election, to a four-year term starting in January 2019. Because the commissioner serving in that seat was appointed to fill out a vacancy created by a resignation earlier in 2018, the newly-elected commissioner is eligible to take office after the election results are certified. Former Commissioner Jack Lavold had been serving as the appointed commissioner due to the vacancy created by the resignation of former Commissioner Karla Bigham after her election to the state Senate during a special election earlier in the year. Johnson has lived in Cottage Grove since 1998, and is married to Mary Beth and has a son Nate and a daughter Lexi. Johnson was serving on the Cottage Grove City Council to which he was elected in 2016 when he was elected to be commissioner for District 4. He also served on the Cottage Grove Planning Commission for three years. As a council member, Johnson served as the liaison to the Public Service Commission and the Cottage Grove and Surrounding Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. He also represented the city on the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Executive Board. Johnson grew up on a farm in southeastern Minnesota near the Iowa border. A graduate of Mable-Canton High School, he received an associate’s degree in accounting at Iowa Lakes Community College. After entering the workforce, he completed his bachelor of science in accounting at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. Johnson owns Furnace Doctors and Dust Doctors in Little Canada. Along with being sworn in, Johnson was named to replace former Commissioner Lavold on the following committees, boards, and commissions for the remainder of 2018: * Library Board; * Minnesota Inter-County Association (MICA); * Ramsey/Washington Recycling and Energy Board; * Red Rock Corridor Commission; * Regional Rail Authority; * The Lower St. Croix Watershed Policy Committee (alternate); * Groundwater Advisory Committee (alternate); and * Metropolitan Emergency Services Board (MESB) (alternate). A County Board workshop will be conducted in December to discuss commissioner committee assignments for 2019. Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026 Photo attached of Commissioner Johnson’s swearing in. Cutline: Commissioner Wayne A. Johnson, right, is sworn in as the Washington County commissioner from District 4 by Judge Gregory Galler, as Johnson’s wife Mary Beth looks on Nov. 27. A great place to live, work and play…today and tomorrow Government Center • 14949 62nd Street North — P.O. Box 6, Stillwater, Minnesota 55082-0006 Phone: 651-430-6001 • Fax: 651-430-6017 • TTY: 651-430-6246 www.co.washington.mn.us Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action