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Date:	Jan. 25, 2022
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. 25, 2022, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota

Washington County seeking public input through survey
Questions about quality of life in Washington County, how well the county is providing customer service, including during the pandemic, preferences for communication and information services, and questions about the job the county is doing at providing a wide range of critical services will be topics in a survey that will be mailed to county residents at the end of January.
Information collected in the survey helps guide decisions on budgets and policy.
Approximately 3,000 county residents selected at random will receive a survey invitation in the
mail. A majority of them will receive a packet of information to fill out, and the remainder will receive a postcard that will direct them to an internet link to fill out the survey online.
Results of the survey, which are considered statistically valid, will be shared with the community by early summer and will be taken into consideration by commissioners and staff as they work on the 2023 budget and long-range plans.
Washington County partnered with four other counties – Dakota, Olmsted, Scott, and St. Louis – to produce the survey, which is being conducted by Polco/National Research Center, Inc. The county has conducted similar surveys every two to three years since 2006, most recently in 2019. 
For more information about the 2022 Residential Survey, call 651-430-6021.

County works with Woodbury, Stillwater motels to provide emergency shelter
Washington County will work with Woodspring Suites in Woodbury and Stillwater Inn and Suites in Stillwater to provide emergency housing to individuals experiencing homelessness after the County Board approved agreements with the businesses Jan. 25.
The board approved a $275,000 agreement with the Woodbury business and a $325,000 agreement with the Stillwater business to provide services through Jan. 31, 2023. Both motels will reserve a block of rooms to provide shelter.
Last summer, the County Board approved the use of $800,000 of the county's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for interim emergency housing operations while the county and the Washington County Community Development Agency pursue acquiring a permanent emergency housing location.  The contract provides a per night payment per room for the term of the contract.
Contact: Jennifer Castillo, Community Services Director, 651-430-6461

County Board approves tentative labor agreement with Attorney’s Association
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a tentative labor agreement for 2022-23 with the Attorney’s Association Jan. 25.
The agreement calls for a 2.5% general adjustment at the beginning of both 2022 and 2023, and a 4% salary increase on employees’ anniversary dates in 2022 and a 3.5% increase on employees’ anniversary dates in 2023.
The agreement also sets out the employer and employee contributions to benefits.
Contact: Angie Nalezny, Human Resources Director, 651-430-6075

Dynamic Recycling will continue to collect e-waste in county
Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations will continue to collect the electronic waste delivered to the Washington County Environmental Center, after the County Board approved a contract with the company Jan. 25.
The contract runs through 2024.
Washington County has collected waste electronics (e-waste) as part of its Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program since 2008. Dynamic holds the state contract for e-waste. However, by contracting directly, Washington County is able to get better pricing and receive credit for certain items, such as cell phones at $3 per pound, laptops at 75 center per pound, and tower computers at 21 cents per pound.
The annual cost of the contract is around $200,000 per year and is paid with proceeds from the County Environmental Charge. Estimating the precise cost of the contract is difficult because it depends on which and how many items county customers drop off.
The county has contracted with Dynamic Lifecycle Recycling since Sept. 1, 2009. The company offers security and protection of data from e-waste before recycling.
Contact: Adam Frederick, Environmental Operations Coordinator, 651-430-6702

Kraus Anderson will do construction management of northern environmental center
Kraus Anderson will provide construction management for the Household Hazardous Waste North/Northern Yard Waste facility project after the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $693,000 contract with the company Jan. 25.
This facility will provide a more convenient hazardous waste service to the residents in the northern half of Washington County, while supporting the county’s overall Waste Management Master Plan.  
The full-service household hazardous waste and yard waste facility will be in Forest Lake.
Contact: Joe Welter, Building Services Project Manager, 651-430-6226

Memorial bench will be placed in Pine Point Regional Park
A memorial bench in honor of Patty McGrath will be placed in Pine Point Regional Park after the Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted $3,400 from Michael Dupont for the bench Jan. 25.
Patty McGrath was a long-time horseback rider. Her favorite location to ride horses was Pine Point Regional Park; she passed away in 2021. Michael Dupont’s friends and family have donated $3,400 for a bench to be placed at Pine Point Regional Park so that McGrath can continue to be “along for the ride.”
Contact: Alex McKinney, Parks Manager, 651-430-4364

County will receive $54,500 to add storm windows to Historic Courthouse
Washington County will receive $54,000 through the Minnesota Historical Society's State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid County and Local Preservation Grants Program to install storm windows at the Historic Courthouse.
The County Board accepted the grant Jan. 25.
Storm windows protect areas of high exposure, extend the life of existing windows, and improve the building’s energy efficiency. This project will also complement recent county investments in window repairs and improvements. The grant requires a match by the county of at least $54,500, which is accounted for in the county’s 2022 Capital Improvement Plan.
Contact: Sandy Breuer, Parks Director, 651-430-4371

County Board accepts donations received in fourth quarter of 2021
The Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted donations to the county for the fourth quarter of 2021 Jan. 25.
The Parks received $5,422 in exhibit donations at the Historic Courthouse, and freewill donations at the Christmas at the Courthouse event. That includes donations toward the living forest and the parks’ trail fund.
The Library received $1,753 through its donation boxes, and through two memorial gifts. The Library also received a donation from the Scandia Marine Lions Club for sensory kits projects for the Hardwood Creek Library.
The Sheriff’s Office received $850 in donations for the Explorer Program and the Shop With a Cop Event.
In-kind donations included gas gift cards for a Community Corrections program, gingerbread kits to the Library, and a number of gifts and gift certificates that supported the Christmas at the Courthouse event. Total in-kind donations were $1,574.
Contact: Yvonne Klinnert, Public Information Manager, 651-430-6026

Valley Branch Watershed District recognized by Washington County
The Washington County Board of Commissioners recognized the Valley Branch Watershed District Jan. 25 for being named the 2021 Watershed District of the Year by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
After seven years of abnormally wet weather, the anticipation of another wet year in 2020 brought great concern to many property owners and public agencies within the Valley Branch Watershed District boundaries. Lakes, rivers, and wetlands were mostly full at the end of winter, which meant that groundwater aquifers were full as well, and snow melt and an anticipated wet spring could have major detrimental effects.
Valley Branch Watershed District organized and executed a number of emergency procedures to help move flood waters out of areas of concern. This required extensive planning and coordination with counties and township representatives, as well as with the public, to quell flood waters while taking care not to overwhelm downstream water bodies and drainage systems.
This award was presented Dec. 2, 2021, at the Annual Conference for the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts in recognition of the watershed district’s flood mitigation efforts during 2020 and 2021.
Contact: Wayne Sandberg, Deputy Public Works Director, 651-430-4339



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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
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