Our Mission: Providing quality services through responsible leadership, innovation and the cooperation of dedicated people Date: Feb. 8, 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 Feb. 8, 2022, Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota County Board approves application for liquor licenses for rest camp The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved an application for liquor licenses for the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp Feb. 8. Washington County processes all liquor licenses for townships within the county. The county reviews the necessary information for the licenses, and the Sheriff's Office, Attorney's Office, and the Department of Public Health and Environment complete compliance/verification checks. The application is for the renewal of an on-sale license and a Sunday liquor license for the Disabled Veteran's Rest Camp Association in May Township. All requirements for the application have been completed, and the appropriate fees were paid by the applicant. The license fees pay for the cost of the county for administration, compliance, and verification checks. Contact: Debra Ledvina, Property Records and Taxpayer Services Director, 651-430-6182 Alliant Engineering will do final engineering for Everton Avenue project Alliant Engineering Inc. will do final design engineering for a pedestrian and safety project along Everton Avenue North in Forest Lake, after the Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to a $357,420 contract amendment with the company Feb. 8. The overall objective of the project is to improve the pavement condition and safety along County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 33, or Everton Avenue North, from CSAH 32 (11th Avenue North) to CSAH 2 (Broadway Avenue). Everton Avenue North is an important north-south route connecting 11th Avenue with Broadway Avenue on the west side of Interstate 35. Everton Avenue North is a regionally important route that has seen an increase in traffic, resulting in the need to evaluate the roadway improvements. The project is a .75-mile corridor, which has mixed-use residential, mixed-use commercial or retail and industrial businesses, and spans two watersheds. Improvements will include safety, pavement, drainage improvements, and new pedestrian facilities along the corridor. The contract is funded by highway state aid and local contributions. Project construction is scheduled to begin in 2026. Contact: Ryan Hoefs, Engineer II, 651-430-4314 County will continue to use Hugo site for yard waste Washington County will continue to use a site in Hugo as a yard waste collection site until the county has its new northern waste site operational after the County Board approved a contract extension for the Hugo site Feb. 8. In 2019, Washington County took over the operation of the City of Hugo yard waste collection site as an interim site as part of a larger initiative to have a yard waste and household hazardous waste facility in the northern portion of the county. In taking over the city's site, the county expanded it to accommodate residents of Washington County, not just Hugo residents. Washington County entered into a lease agreement with the adjacent landowner to expand the site, which will terminate at the end of December 2022. Since taking over the yard waste collection site, Washington County has been working to secure a new location that will accommodate both the yard waste collection site and the household hazardous waste facility. A site has been identified; design and construction is planned for 2022, with an opening in late summer or early fall of 2023. With the new site not available until 2023, Washington County will extend the lease through 2023 to keep the yard waste collection site in operation until the opening of the new Northern Yard Waste site. The landowner has agreed to amend the lease to extend it through the end of December 2023 for a payment of $4,000 for 2023. Contact: Sharon Price, Right of Way Specialist, 651-430-4391 County Board commits local share for Gold Line The Washington County Board of Commissioners committed its local share to fund the METRO Gold Line Feb. 8. The board vote came as the METRO Gold Line project team is preparing to submit materials to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to receive the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA). To apply for the FFGA, funding commitments are needed for the local share. Washington County and Ramsey County, through the Gold Line Joint Powers Board, first approved a 30% project budget in August 2019. The budget was updated for 60% design and approved in January 2021, and has now been updated to reflect 90% design. The Gold Line joint powers board approved the 90% and Full Funding Grant Agreement scope, schedule, and budget Nov. 24, 2021. The Ramsey County Board also approved its funding commitment based on the 90% and Full Funding Grant Agreement budget Feb. 8. The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the 2022 Gold Line budget for the year when other county budgets were approved in December. The 2022 budget was based on a project schedule and expense assumptions from mid-2021. The overall project budget that was determined as part of FTA Risk Assessment in the summer of 2021 did not change, but the timing of when the budget would be spent did. Additionally, the 2022 budget was based on a calendar year and did not take into consideration that the federal fiscal year starts in October. The proposed budget amendment fully funds the 2022 anticipated project expenses. The source of the funds from the county is from the local option sales tax, with no property taxes used for the project. Contact: Lyssa Leitner, Public Works Planning Director, 651-430-4316 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