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Date:	Jan. 14, 2020
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 Jan. 14, 2020, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota

Members named to Brown’s Creek Watershed District board
The Washington County Board of Commissioners named two members to the Brown’s Creek Watershed District board Jan. 14.
Craig Leiser, Stillwater, was reappointed, and Chuck LeRoux, Oak Park Heights, was appointed to the Brown's Creek Watershed District board for three-year terms expiring Oct. 21, 2022.  
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: Alyssa Soderlund, Administrative Assistant, 651-430-6015

County will continue to work with Tubman for services for those facing domestic abuse
Washington County will continue to work with Tubman, which provides services to victims and families with domestic abuse, after the County Board approved an $188,505 contract with the agency Jan. 14.
The contract will run through 2020.
Tubman provides shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, assistance with Orders for Protection, and community presentations. Tubman is the community point of contact for the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) program. This risk assessment tool is used by law enforcement officers in Washington County to help identify the most dangerous offenders in cases of intimate partner violence and to connect victims with services. Information is used to aid the criminal justice system in allocating resources accordingly.
After a review, Tubman discovered that it is taking the agency longer to resolve no-contact orders, as the complexity of each case has increased. The 2020 contract represents a 4% increase from the 2019 contract to cover service cost increases and provide an adjustment for staff salaries in 2020.
Contact: Terry Thomas, Interim Community Corrections Director, 651-430-6951

County Board approves 2020 contract with Canvas Health
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $1.459 million contract with Canvas Health Jan. 14 to provide county residents services in 2020.
Canvas Health provides services to children, adolescents, adults, elderly individuals, and families who struggle with aging, crises, chemical and mental health, and domestic and sexual abuse.
Washington County has contracted with Canvas Health for many years to provide many state-mandated mental health services and other services to county residents, with the majority of services falling under this contract. These services include adult and child psychiatry, crisis clinic psychiatry services, outpatient mental health services, psychological and parenting evaluation services, housing support, abuse and recovery services, case management for children diagnosed as Seriously Emotionally Disturbed, and family-based services.
In review of data collected in 2018 and part of 2019 regarding health care delivery, a number of services in the Canvas Health contract were identified as services now funded by health plans for a large number of Washington County residents. Subsequently, adjustments have been made to the county contract with Canvas Health consistent with the data received.
The changes for the 2020 contract include decreases and increases in the contract:
* a decrease of $20,000 in funds for the general psychiatry program;
* a decrease of funds for outpatient mental health services of $45,030 and adult day treatment services of $86,594. Funds remain in the contract to provide these services to uninsured individuals.
* a reduction of $40,000 to supportive housing services;
* an additional of $8,100 for crisis psychiatry clinic appointments;
* a 2% increase for abuse response services;
* a 2% increase for the family treatment program; and
* a 2% increase for the therapeutic learning center.
The reductions total $191,624 and the increases total $22,322 for an overall difference from the 2019 contract of a reduction of $169,302, or 10.39%.
Contact: Kathy Mickelson, Community Services Division Manager, 651-430-6532

County will continue household hazardous waste collections in communities
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved agreements with county communities Jan. 14 to allow the county to conduct household hazardous waste collections in those communities during 2020.
Eight satellite weekend household hazardous waste collections are planned for 2020, in spring and fall. Satellite collections bring the services offered at the Washington County Environmental Center closer to residents, making it more convenient and practical for them to recycle and dispose their household hazardous waste and electronics. The agreements allow the county to use sites owned by others to conduct household hazardous waste collections. 
Events planned for spring are:  
* at the Hugo Public Works Garage, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 11, 6900 137th St. N., Hugo;
* at the Wildwood Elementary School, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 8698 75th St. N., Mahtomedi;
* at the Cottage Grove Public Works Garage, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, 8635 W. Point Douglas Road S.;
* at the Lily Lake Ice Arena 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 1208 S. Greeley St. Stillwater;
* at the Forest Lake Transit Center, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 19987 Fitzgerald Trail N.
Fall events are:
* at the Forest Lake Transit Center, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, 19987 Fitzgerald Trail N.;
* at the Forest Lake Transit Center, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, 19987 Fitzgerald Trail N.;
* at the Hugo Public Works Garage, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 3, 6900 137th St. N.
Confidential document shredding will be available at all events.
In addition to the satellite collection events, five dates have been set for confidential paper shredding at the Washington County Environmental Center, Wednesdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:
* Wednesday, April 15;
* Wednesday, June 10;
* Wednesday, July 29;
* Wednesday, Sept. 23; and
* Wednesday, Nov. 4.
In addition to remote-site collections, the Washington County Environmental Center, 4039 Cottage Grove Drive in Woodbury, provides residents with a free and convenient disposal option for household hazardous waste, electronics, and recyclables all year round.
It is open Tuesday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The center accepts household hazardous waste, electronics, and recyclables. The center also has a Free Product Room, in which residents may browse the shelves and take home previously-owned products such as paint, stain, automotive supplies, household cleaners, and other products. All items taken to the Environmental Center are inspected to determine if they are usable products.
The county has also recently opened the Northern Yard Waste Site at 5527 170th St. N. in Hugo. Its winter hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. See the county website for summer hours starting in April.
Contact: Adam Frederick, Public Health and Environment Environmental Coordinator, 651-430-6702

County Board Room will get audio-visual upgrade
The Board Room in the Washington County Government Center in which the County Board meets and other county events occur will get an upgrade to its audio-visual system, after the County Board approved a $140,000 contract with Tierney Brothers Jan. 14.
In 2019, Washington County completed an internal study to identify the needs of users of the county Board Room. It was determined that the Board Room needs a full update to transition from analog to digital for its recording and broadcasting equipment. The county will work with Tierney Brothers, using the state contract to procure the equipment and installation.
Contact: Joe Welter, Building Services Project Manager, 651-430-6226

County Board will conduct public hearing Feb. 11 to consider increase in transportation sales tax
The Washington County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing Feb. 11 to consider an update to the county’s current transportation sales, use, and excise tax to fund the development and construction of county road and bridge projects, and increase the sales and use tax to 0.5%.
The public hearing will be during the board’s regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board Room of the county Government Center in Stillwater, 14949 62nd St. N.
Generally referred to as the Local Option Sales Tax, state law allows counties to impose a sales and use tax up to 0.5% and a vehicle excise tax up to $20 per vehicle. Starting or increasing the tax requires a public hearing, and the County Board must enact a county board resolution. Of Minnesota’s 87 counties, 49 have implemented the tax. Currently, Washington County imposes the tax at a rate of 0.25% for the sales and use tax and a $20 vehicle excise tax.
The county received $10.2 million under the current tax in 2018, and expects to collect $10.7 million in 2019. With the increase in the sales and use tax, it is estimated that the county would collect $16.1 million in 2020.
The county is restricted in its use of the revenue from the tax. Proceeds must be used for specific projects or improvements, which must be spelled out during a public hearing and the county board’s resolution. The tax may be used for:
* payment of the capital cost of a specific transportation project or improvement;
* payment of the costs, which may include both capital and operating costs, of a specific transit project or improvement;
* payment of the capital costs of a safe routes to school program; and 
* payment of transit operating costs.
Potential projects that would be paid for with the additional revenue is improvements on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 15 from CSAH 10 to CSAH 14, and the South Highway Maintenance Shop.
Washington County has had the 0.25% sales and use tax and the $20 per vehicle excise tax since 2008, when it collected the tax under the auspices of the County Transit Improvement Board. Later, when that organization was disbanded in 2017, the county continued to collect the taxes on its own. Since then, it applied the proceeds to the development of the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project and operating costs for Forest Lake and Newport transit stations.
The County Board will conduct the public hearing Feb. 11 and consider a resolution to increase the sales and use tax to 0.5%. The hearing will include a list of projects for which the increased revenue would be used. The county would retain the existing vehicle excise tax. 
The additional tax revenue would be used for transportation projects in the county, and would reduce the reliance on county general property taxes to pay for bonding.
If the County Board agrees to adopt the additional tax following the public hearing, it would be implemented July 1. The Minnesota Department of Revenue will collect the revenue and remit it to the county quarterly.
Contact: Wayne Sandberg, Deputy Public Works Director/County Engineer, 651-430-4339

Corbid named Washington County administrator
Kevin Corbid was named the Washington County administrator by the County Board Jan. 14.
Corbid will succeed Molly O’Rourke, who announced her retirement, effective Jan. 28.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed Dec. 17 to begin negotiations with Corbid to serve as the county’s next administrator. Corbid’s annual salary will be $188,700, a 4% increase over his current salary.
Corbid has worked for Washington County since 2001, and has served as deputy administrator with O’Rourke since 2012.
In December, the board reviewed the options available under state law to replace O’Rourke, and determined that the board approves of the direction in which the county is going and sees no need to choose a successor to change that direction.
Commissioners spoke in favor of moving forward with appointing Corbid, saying he is qualified to work toward meeting the board’s objectives, and provide stability and continuity for the county, 
Corbid was appointed the deputy county administrator for Washington County in February 2012. Prior to the appointment, he served as the Director of Property Records and Taxpayer Services for 10 years. As the deputy county administrator, Corbid led the development of the countywide budget, assisted in the planning, development and implementation of countywide policies and initiatives, and worked closely with the County Board of Commissioners. Corbid also oversaw the county departments of Property Records and Taxpayer Services, Information Technology, and Accounting and Finance.
Corbid has 25 years of state and local government experience. Prior to his position in Washington County, he served as a policy analyst and lobbyist for the Association of Minnesota Counties and worked for the Minnesota Senate on local government issues.
Corbid received his undergraduate degree in political science from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, and his Masters of Public Administration degree from Hamline University.
Corbid and his wife live in Stillwater and have three children. He currently serves on the board of the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT), the Stillwater Fastpitch Association Board, and is a past board member of the United Way of Washington County-East.
Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026

Sheriff’s Office receives external defibrillator accessories
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will receive automatic external defibrillator pads and batteries, after the County Board accepted the gift Jan. 14.
Mark Altmann, Marine on St. Croix, asked to donate 10 Cardiac Science Intellisense Powerheart G3 Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) batteries and 10 Cardiac Science AED Defibrillation Pads to the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The AED pads are valued at $51 each and the AED batteries are valued at $398 each, making the total value of the donation $4,490.
Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601

County Board approves letter of consent for continued refugee resettlement
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a letter of consent for continued refugee resettlement in the county Jan. 14.
President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13888 Sept. 26, 2019, which requires states and counties to provide consent for continued refugee resettlement. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sent a letter to the State Department providing the state's consent Dec. 13, 2019.
Contact: Kevin Corbid, Deputy Administrator, 651-430-6003


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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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