Our Mission: Providing quality services through responsible leadership, innovation and the cooperation of dedicated people Date: Nov. 9, 2021 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. 9, 2021, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota County Board approves comments on creation of TIF district in Mahtomedi The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved comments on the creation of a tax increment financing (TIF) district in Mahtomedi Nov. 9. The City of Mahtomedi will be conducting a public hearing Nov. 16 to consider the creation of new TIF District No. 8, a housing district, to facilitate the development of 110 units of multi-family rental housing, of which at least 40% of the units will be occupied by persons with incomes less than 60% of median income. A TIF district allows the increased taxes generated by a development to be used to finance the development. By law, the city must provide a 30-day notice to the county and the county may provide comments to the city to be included in the public record of the public hearing. County comments noted that the proposed development is consistent with the goals of the county’s Community Development Agency to increase access to affordable housing in the county. The county noted that the development will increase traffic in the neighborhood, which could justify the installation of a traffic signal in the future. Contact: Jennifer Wagenius, Deputy Administrator, 651-430-6007 County Board approves plat in Stillwater Township The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a two-lot plat in Stillwater Township Nov. 9. Fair Oaks Farm is an Abstract plat northwest of Arcola Trail and east of Quarry Avenue North. Contact: Nancie Schwintek, Property Records and Taxpayer Services Division Manager, 651-430-6758 County will continue to participate in federal WIC program Washington County will continue to participate in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program after the County Board approved a grant agreement with the state Department of Health Nov. 9. Washington County is the local agency that administers the WIC program. The county applied for and received approval from the Department of Health to continue to administer this federal program from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2026. The Washington County WIC program provides services to approximately 3,000 income-eligible participants each month. Services include nutrition education, breastfeeding support and education, community resource referrals, and food/formula vouchers. The program typically operates in the Government Center in Stillwater, and service centers in Cottage Grove and Forest Lake. The program has been delivered virtually since March 2020. The federal funding that supports the WIC program requires no local match and uses no local tax levy funds to administer it. Contact: Jill Timm, Public Health Program Manager, 651-430-7286 Hagen Christianson McIlwain will design northern household hazardous waste center Hagen Christianson McIlwain (HCM) will design and provide engineering services for a household hazardous waste and yard waste site in Forest Lake after the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $667,000 contract with the company Nov. 9. The county will develop a full-service household hazardous waste (HHW) facility, along with a northern yard waste facility. It will provide a more equitable hazardous waste service to the residents in the northern half of Washington County, while supporting the county’s overall Waste Management Master Plan. Contact: Joe Welter, Building Services Project Manager, 651-430-6226 Bolton, Menk will do final design on pavement rehab on Manning Avenue in Scandia Bolton and Menk will do the final design for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 15 pavement rehabilitation project in Scandia after the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $216,176 contract with the company Nov. 9. CSAH 15 from Lynch Road in May Township to 240th Street (County Line) in Scandia is set to be resurfaced as part of the county’s 2022 pavement preservation program. The objectives of the project are to: * resurface CSAH 15; * improve existing right turn lanes; * replace broken culverts; and * provide new signing and striping along the corridor. The project will be funded by proceeds from the wheelage tax. Work will be done in 2022. Contact: Eden Rogers, Engineer, 651-430-4352 K9 will retire to handler’s home The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will transfer the ownership of the office’s K9 Maia to her handler Deputy Clayton Evens, after the County Board approved the transfer Nov. 9. Maia retired from active duty in October, after serving the community for approximately seven years. Evens, who was the Washington County Sheriff’s Office handler for Maia, has agreed to ownership of Maia during her retirement years and he will assume all care for Maia, including medical, food, and liability. The Sheriff's Office would like to thank Maia and Deputy Evens for their dedicated service to the K9 division. Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601 Sheriff’s Office K9 unit receives donations The Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted two donations to support the Sheriff’s Office K9 unit Nov. 9. The Sheriff’s Office K9 unit applied for two grants from the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) and the American Kennel Club, and will receive $7,500 from each organization to assist with the purchase of two canines to replace two which are retiring. The Sheriff’s Office has been a long-standing member of the USPCA and has a good partnership with the organization. The Sheriff’s Office also received a K9 donation from the Lake Elmo Farmer's Market for $6,340. The Lake Elmo Farmer's Market and the Washington County K9 unit have a strong partnership through community engagement and education for the public through K9 demonstrations. These funds were raised throughout the year as they recognize the services the K9 unit provides to the community in the Lake Elmo area and community members want to support the unit by donating funds for K9 equipment. Contact: Sheriff Dan Starry, 651-430-7601 County Board sets board salaries for 2022 The Washington County Board of Commissioners set salaries for the board for 2022 Nov. 9. State law requires the board members to set a salary before the beginning of the year. The board salary set for 2022 is $72,488, a 2.5% increase from the previous salary. The board members also receive expense reimbursement and the same benefits as those that the elected department heads, namely the county sheriff and attorney, receive. The board also set the 2022 salary for Kevin Corbid, county administrator, at $196,245, a 4% increase. Neither the board nor the administrator received salary increases in 2021. Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026 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