Washington County Board Meeting

Worse than a Mad lawyer. Commissioner wins never stopped. Amber, I will go ahead and call the February 17th Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting. To order Clerk, please take the role. Commissioner Miron Here. Commissioner Karowski. Here. Commissioner Cox? Here. Commissioner Bigham. Here. Commissioner Clawson. Roll Call Taken. Commissioner Clawson is absent. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance To the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. Foundation Indivisible Justice Trial.

Alright, um, we are now at the comments from the public, uh, portion of the meeting. I do have a speaker's card, so I would ask that, uh, Brie Mafi. Um, come and, uh, go to the podium over here and just, uh, state your name and community please. And then we do, um, ask folks. Stay around five minutes and, um, if there's anybody else, uh, we try not to repeat the same thing speaker said, but Ms. Mafi. Alright. Thank you. My name is Brie Mafia. I'm with the Cimarron community in Lake Elmo. Okay. Um, alright. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today. My name is Brie Stelmach Mafia. I'm here as a neighbor, a homeowner and president of the Cimarron Residence Association. Right now, we have 50 plus families that are still locked in their homes. Um, they're not able to be here today. So I am here to represent our Latino community that lives in Cimarron.

Cimarron is a blue collar manufactured home community where roughly half of our residents are Latino. All of them are hardworking people who contribute to this county. Every single day. Since November, our community has been living under a level of fear that no community in, in America should ever have to experience. On Christmas Eve, I watched with my own eyes, men and masks sitting in a vehicle with tinted windows outta state plates parked outside a home in my neighborhood. They were recording, waiting, and watching. They followed a woman and her three children out of their house. Um, the woman was abducted less than half a mile away, going to Walmart for groceries. I'm not sure what happened to her children. That was be the beginning of what has now become a daily terror in Cimarron. On a daily basis, our community has experienced low flying drones over our homes. Multiple ice agents patrolling, intimidating the community, brown people in the community being followed, and in some case, chased, masked individuals in unmarked vehicles, waiting and recording houses masked and armed agents at bus stops.

This has become a daily occurrence and it is still happening. It happened on Monday. Ice agents are going door to door banging on doors as early as 6:00 AM In on Saturday mornings mass, people are looking through windows and taking pictures after hours. Racial profiling of American citizens simply because they have brown skin. The worst example I saw that I can, I actually can barely talk about, um, was my 15-year-old neighbor getting off the school bus. She was boxed in by four agents with masks and weapons. She was asked to show her id I believe, in this country. At 15 years old, a US citizen isn't required to have a passport when she goes to school. This was truly the moment I realized that our society was completely in the gutter. Since Christmas Eve, our neighborhood has been living in fear due to the constant ice intimidation and harassment. As a result, like I mentioned, 50 to 60 families that are, that I'm aware of, have essentially been confined to their homes.

For weeks, parents have been detained. Household contributors and breadwinners have disappeared. People have lost jobs simply because they were too afraid to walk out of their front door. One of the most heartbreaking stories I've heard was from a mother whose young son is in hospice care. He was nearing the end of his life. At the end of ice presence in hospitals and in our community. She had to question whether leaving her home to seek care or pick up medication for her son would put her family in danger. No mother in America should have to weigh her di her dying child's care against her safety from her own government. This is truly an economic and human humanitarian crisis. Families that relied on two incomes are now down to one or none. People who proudly never missed a day of work have been fired. Teenagers are working two jobs to keep the lights on in their house.

Children are missing. School families are behind on rent, utilities, and mortgages through no fault of their own. To make a challenging situation even worse, our manufactured home park is managed by an out-of-state equity firm. With a long history of predatory practices, they have been successfully targeting and manipulating the Hispanic community in Cimarron for years. They have already begun reminding vulnerable families in these situations, some less than two weeks late on their rent. That eviction filings are coming through multiple phone calls. These families are at real risk of losing not just their income, but their homes confirmed. Ice vehicles are frequently parked at our community office. Often daily residents have seen and heard our park manager providing addresses and suggesting that certain residents be deported. Threats of ice from our park manager are nothing new. It's a fear tactic often used against our vulnerable Hispanic community. Peaceful constitutional observers, ex ex exercising. Our First Amendment rights, like myself, were recorded by management and maintenance workers told we could not have whistles to alert neighbors.

And we even had the police called on us by our own management. During an unlawful encounter, clergy members from our community who attempted to pay residents rent with checks were turned away at the community office. Their payments were denied. This is not just a moral, it is illegal. Please let this sink in. The very management company entrusted with overseeing our housing has been working hand in hand with federal imi immigration enforcement, while continuing a long history of predatory behavior towards our Hispanic neighbors. We cannot allow a wave of homelessness to follow a wave of unlawful enforcement by our government. Local nonprofits, churches, and generous neighbors have stepped up to provide food, water, and basic necessities to these families. But cha but Charity cannot rebuild financial stability. Charity cannot replace lost income. Charity cannot erase weeks of missed paychecks and unpaid bills that are piling up. This is where I see you coming in. These families need emergency financial assistance for back rent, utilities, and mortgages.

They need eviction protections while they stabilize. They need job placement support and access to mental healthcare to recover from the trauma their children are carrying. They need time. They need stability. They need to rebuild trust in institutions that have failed them and beyond the ice crisis. We also need your ongoing involvement in addressing the predatory property management practices and manufactured home communities. We own our homes. We deserve fair, safe, and dignified living conditions and treatment. We deserve management that doesn't weaponize fear against us. Commissioners, I'm asking you humbly but urgently, please, I know you're going to Washington. DC give 110% effort in every way. Please fight for resources, fight for protection. Stay present, stay engaged. I noticed today's meeting agenda is many pages long, but please don't let Cimarron fade from your agenda. Once the headlines move on, please prioritize and put rebuilding our community at the top of your agenda until the pieces are put back together.

I know you didn't create this crisis, but you have the power to help repair it. Cimarron residents are not asking for handouts. They're asking for a bridge, a chance to get back to where they were 11 weeks ago. They want to work. They wanna pay their own bills. They want their children to feel safe again. With that said, they're also scared. They're hurting and they're overwhelmed right now. My neighbors are good people. Please fight for them at the county level and in Washington. Help us prevent further long-term displacement and generational harm. Help these hardworking families rebuild before this temporary crisis becomes permanent devastation. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Um, is, are there any other, um, speakers that would like to address the board during public comment? Okay. Seeing none, we do, we do not respond during public comment. Um, I, um, so the next item on the agenda would be to approve the agenda.

Madam Chair, I will approve agenda with moving Of Commissioner comments to right now. Sounds good. I can second that. Uh, any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Oppose say nay. The agenda is approved for today. And the next item is Commissioner comments. Uh, we'll will start with Commissioner Cox. Sure. Um, Ms. Mafi, thank you, um, for coming today. This is now my thing. Apparently I'm the emotional Commissioner, so sorry about that. But I'm grateful you came. I'm grateful you have stayed in touch with me and I'm grateful that my colleagues here get to hear what's happening in the Lake Elmo Iran community. Um, this is a humanitarian issue and I think the economic tails on this is something that we just don't know how long we're gonna be dealing with. So I'm grateful for partners like Valley Outreach right here in our community that are helping with rental assistance. Um, there are some departments in the back, community services, public health and environment that I've had a lot of conversations with Ms.

Mafi after your emails have come through. Um, and I know those departments have reached out to people in your community specifically. Um, and so thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing what you, um, what you did with us today. Uh, three of us are going to Washington, DC on Friday, and I'm grateful that we get to carry this message. Um, it's important that you are here today. Um, and then I know that we're also having conversations with our representatives in St. Paul. So Representative Johnson, um, Senator Seaberg, um, both of them are very well aware of this situation, um, and are working on kind of that manufactured home community legislation to see if there are some changes that can be made at that point. So, um, just thank you for the communications and, and all of that. That's here. Commissioner Ramira. Well, we opened up all of our comments in this time. Is that what we're doing? Yep. So really, um, you know, relatively lightweight for, for me.

Again, I appreciate the comments and it's good for us to hear what's going on within the, uh, within the community. And, uh, those, you know, personal stories are very touching. So, um, at a personnel committee meeting, the, uh, consent calendar has, uh, most of those items. Uh, on the, uh, on the consent that we covered in personnel, I attended the Valley Branch Watershed district meeting. Um, the, um, um, really the permitting process for some of the stormwater management associated with the, uh, Lake Elmo Avenue and Highway 36 project were on their agenda along with the, um, lower St. Croix, um, uh, discussion as far as the, um, uh, sharing of funding and, and that type of thing, which is on our, um, agenda as well. And then this morning I was at an HBA breakfast. I appreciate the having a little bit of a, uh, few minute late on late on the clock today. Um, just the, the drive over took a little longer than I expected, but that's all I have. Madam Chair.

Thank you. Commissioner Karwowski. Thank you Madam Chair. Uh, I echo, uh, uh, Commissioner Cox comments on the matter of ICE and the challenges of our community. Um, Ms. Mafi, thanks for coming. I represent Landfall. So that's a manufactured home park with a very high population of, uh, let's just say non-Caucasian. And they're being picked on and a lot of issues there. Um, like the chair said, we are not gonna really cover the details, but our county will take the actions we can take. Um, as far as other activities, uh, and I will be in Washington, DC also, so it'll be good to have the opportunity to, uh, to share the Minnesota story and the Washington County story. Um, some of the highlights for me, uh, probably the biggest one is we, uh, in 2023, we created, uh, through, uh, public Works Director, uh, Sandberg and myself, and then the staff. We started a a Century Avenue coalition because more and more that road is becoming a turn back and it's always been a turn back plan, but the success of our coalition.

So we had a coalition meeting of, uh, nine cities, uh, eight cities along that, that participate because they're either, um, as Birchwood to the north. And then, uh, uh, Landfall in Oakdale, uh, south of 94 is Woodbury that's already been, uh, turned back and is completed. So they're not part of that. But Maplewood and North Saint Paul. And it's a project, uh, century Avenue one 20 that, uh, will partner with, um, as far as leading with, uh, Ramsey County. Washington County will kind of be the point person, but what's exciting about it is we're really getting the state to, uh, fund it. So they're gonna be doing, uh, in 23 they, or 24 25, they did a, uh, a grant that, uh, did some preliminary design. Now the state is, uh, dedicated funding to do a very detailed study and design with, uh, 36 at one 20 interchange as part of that. From that, we hope to leverage a lot of funding and let the state be the responsible party for it as long as possible, and they've really embraced it.

So it was really a productive, a real turning point, I think, where we've really got enough momentum in this, uh, one 20 Century Element coalition. So gotta thank our staff for really taking a lead and putting together a really good presentation and keeping all our city partners really committed to a safe, improved road. Um, I also attended my greater MSP, uh, board, which is, uh, comprised of some of us elected, but also it really has executive CEOs of some of the top companies in the Twin Cities. One of the large topics tied into the, uh, public speaker, uh, open forum this morning. We, we were had a discussion on how the business community can help those that have been shot outta work that don't, one, help those small businesses that have lost hours or in jeopardizing going a business do the ICE presence and their workforce not feeling safe to show up to do the work.

So there is an effort going on in the private sector for funding. Um, and greater MSP would be a big part of that with the CEOs. Maybe it won't be a greater MSP effort, but the CEOs that are part of the greater MSP board will certainly be a generous partners. So more to come, but they realize that it's this, even if ICE goes away, which they still have a presence, they've had a draw down, but there's still an unusually presence that's more than what normal, uh, there's gonna be a long recovery. And I don't even think we entered the point where we can be recovering. So greater MSP is, it's exciting that they're playing a, a role. Uh, and also there were other more formal business discussions that don't seem worthy of, uh, in comparison importance to cover today. Um, uh, attended a regional solicitation, I'm sure on T'S regional solicitation online, where the citizens throughout the Twin Cities could give comment, attended that, um, had a Micah board meeting.

We had a, a, a state rep, uh, uh, visit and discuss the, their starting their session. The big item that Mike, I think is really pushing hard on with some effectiveness is the, the Department of Human Services and the green schemes and the whole loss of productivity that we've been battling for years. I know AMC's working on that, but it looks like there's a chance to get movement to really upgrade the computer system of the DHS area. Um, lastly, I, we have so many good small businesses in our community. I just wanna recognize I gave a commissioner's award to, uh, it's called Dukes. They, they did 30 years of having a restaurant in Woodbury. They started in Maplewood and, uh, kept in the East metro. But 30 years is outstanding to be serving, uh, really good Asian food and, uh, recognized that this past week. Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you. Um, thank you Brie for coming.

Um, those stories are what we need to hear. And we're gonna bring it to DC which we had planned to anyway, but also, uh, St. Paul. And I'm gonna lift up, uh, the comments of my commissioners because what's happening with ICE is wrong. It's abhorrent, unacceptable and unconstitutional. No citizen, no person should live in fear of their government, let alone a student, let alone a mother who's trying to provide medical care for her son. The commissioners are right that the economic impact that this will have is unknown. But I tell you where I worry are small businesses, majority of small business, uh, loans that are through the SBA are immigrant owned businesses. HA and HB Visas that are utilized in our fields in a county that is over 50% agriculture is gonna have an impact on our farmers and our agriculture community. It's also gonna have an impact on our meat processing industry.

And we have to continue to tell the state and the federal government that all of that impact will fall to local governments if they don't step up and do the right thing, call this behavior out, and then do what is right by putting in different reforms for the pain and the cause in the, in the chaos that has been caused. I'm going to the Chamber of Commerce dinner tonight where I am going to be talking to a lot of people about an economic relief package. They do at the state level, have to deal with, um, the mobile home ordinances and a statute to protect those folks because that has been going on for way too long. Preceded me in the legislature. But we are proud here at Washington County to give you your voice, to allow you to come up here and to, to speak like you should. That's your right. And we're gonna continue to do our job and make sure that that voice is carried forward.

Um, with that, um, Madam Chair, yes. Before we move on to the consent calendar, I would just wanna point out that on our consent calendar today, there's a donation from a foundation that is coming to our community services department. And that is to help, um, get the word out out rental assistance that's being made available by that same foundation that's being shared with three nonprofits in the, in the county to help individuals that are, um, being affected by the activity. So I just wanna point that out. Um, that's on the consent calendar for the money that's coming to us, and they're making, I think three $150,000 donations to three nonprofits that are helping, uh, get rental assistance out to people in need. So I just wanna point that out since that was brought up by the speaker today. Thank you. And be, I forgot. Uh, also to mention too, that as Commissioner Cox said, we do have staff in the back that are more than, and I know you've been in contact with them, but are continuing to work hard, um, at, at assisting through this, um, situation.

And also our staff are personally doing things. They are personally making sure that families are taken care of. So, um, the final thing I have to say is A MC sent me a letter about everything they're doing for us. Um, and I wanted to highlight, 'cause it's not the amount of money, I'm not saying a MC isn't doing enough, the amount of money over five years, we've received an increase of $4 million from county programming when 80% of our budget is mandated spending. So if you think about the growth, um, that we've had to, um, put in our budget due to pressure on services and property values, um, that have not, that have fluctuated, that has an impact. So, uh, it is not a budget year, um, but we are gonna continue to make sure we advocate for that. So now with that, uh, the next item on the agenda is a consent calendar. Madam Chair, I will move the, uh, consent calendar, all items A through Q as presented, Move by Commissioner Miran.

Is there a second? Second. Clerk will take the rule. Commissioner Miran Aye. Commissioner Karowski. Aye. Commissioner Cox. Aye. Commissioner Clawson. I'm sorry. Commissioner Bigham. Aye. Consent calendar passes. Four zero. Thank you very much. We have a big agenda for the fifth item under, um, uh, uh, public works. And, uh, this is a very happy thing though 'cause it's been a long time coming. So, Eric, uh, jots, can you please come up and we will present on, uh, one of the major improvements in construction projects of, uh, the year. Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. I am Eric Gitz. I'm the Capital Projects manager and I'm excited today to present the bid results of the Park Grove Library Project for your approval today.

I am gonna wait until my presentation comes up. There. It's, there we go. Okay. Alright. Today we'll discuss the bids, the project schedule and budget, and we'll finish with 13 separate board actions. Need some help folks. The Park Grove Library is located in Cottage Grove off of 80th Street and Hemingway Avenue. It is walking distance from Crestview Elementary and Park High School and is surrounded by high density housing. These proximities make this an ideal location for a library. Taking a quick look at the schedule, the library is scheduled to close for construction as of February 28th, which is next Saturday with a temporary location opening at the South Service Center in Cottage Grove on March 2nd. Library. Staff will offer additional library programming at various other locations around Cottage Grove throughout the duration of construction. The construction manager on the project is currently working with the City of Cottage Grove staff to finalize the permitting process.

Once we have all the materials and furniture moved out of the current library, construction can begin in early April. We expect construction will wrap up in February of 2027. Once all the furniture and materials are moved back into the new space, the library will reopen in the spring of 2027. Opening dates will be solidified and communicated early on in the construction process.

This project will be delivered using the construction manager as agent model. Under this model, the county has direct separate contracts with several different contractors, and the construction manager is a consultant hired to manage the construction process, including bidding, schedule, budget, and contractor coordination. The bidding process for the Park Grove Library Project proved to be very competitive with 158 bids received for the 24 Total Pro project scopes. We have brought 13 contracts for you today for approval, while 11 additional contracts have been approved by the Public Works Department head per county policy, the total amount of lowest responsible bids came in at just over $9.4 million, which was nearly half a million dollars less than the construction manager's estimate at just under $9.9 million. We believe this savings can be directly attributed to the competitive interest in this project. Here's the list of contracts before you, before you today for approval. These 13 contracts total $8,268,620.

All the, all the bids were vetted for accuracy and compliance by the construction manager. We will read through this list later in the presentation as recommended. Actions for board Consideration. This is a list of 11 contracts that have already been approved by the Public Works Department head per county procurement policy. These contracts total $1,131,843. As stated prior, all bids were fully vetted by the construction manager. The budget for this project is $18.2 million and includes $11 million in 2027 bond funding with a remaining balance coming from planned use of fund balance and capital redirect. We have $3 million in costs incurred for design security, signage, consultation, construction management services, and costs associated with the developers agreement with the city of Cottage Grove. With the $9.4 million in recommended bid awards, our project balance is left at $5.8 million, which will be used for moving costs, library material, handling equipment, furniture, audio, video, and IT equipment and electric vehicle charging stations.

We are also looking into opportunities to add solar to the building with this available funding. And now comes the fun part. Uh, I'll go, I'll go through the 13 recommended board actions today. Please stop me if you'd like to take them one at a time, but, um, I can otherwise I'll read through them quickly here. So, number one, approved contract number 1 7 9 9 5 in the amount of $300,000 with Ramsey companies for demolition. Number two, approved contract number 1 7 9 9 2 in the amount of $824,100 with B and D Associates for concrete and masonry. And number three, approved contract number 1 7 9 9 0 in the amount of $279,900 with Noble X welding and fabrication for structural steel approved contract number 1 7 9 9 4 in the amount of $262,541 with Gustav and Rudy contractors for carpentry number five, approved contract number 1 7 9 8 5 in the amount of $1,637,070 with Bural Roofing Company for metal panels and roofing.

Number six, approved contract number 1 7 9 8 9 in the amount of $366,954 with Arctic Glass Company for glass and glazing. Number seven, approved contract number 1 7 9 8 7 in the amount of $527,900 with Pinnacle Wall Systems for drywall number eight, approved contract number 1 7 9 8 4 in the amount of $496,100 with Sonos Interiors for ceilings and acoustics. Number nine, approved contract number 1 7 9 8 3 in the amount of $371,000 with Wenzel Plymouth Plumbing for plumbing number 10 approved contract number 1 7 986 in the amount of $1,450,300 with th heating and roofing for HVAC number 11 approved contract number 1 7 9 9 1 in the amount of $888,000 with Bloomington Electric for electrical. Number 12, approve contract number 1 7 9 8 8 in the amount of $628,000 with Mish excavating for site and earth work. And finally, number 13, approved contract number 1 7 9 9 3 in the amount of $236,755 with Windsor companies for landscaping.

With that, I will stand for any questions. Thank you very much. Um, so I think what would be good is I'll move the first one in a second here, but maybe we make all of our comments on this first motion and then we can just get in a, on a roll here, uh, with 13 of them. So with that, I will move to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 5 and the amount of 300,000 with Ramsey companies for demolition. Second, moved and seconded by, uh, moved by me, seconded by Commissioner Miran. Um, thank you Eric. Uh, the, I mean, this has been delayed twice. The community is very excited. I wanna thank them. I wanna thank, um, all the public work staff, the, um, uh, consultant who has been phenomenal leading, um, all of the, uh, public input and, um, really responding to, uh, input from not only the residents but the city. I will thank the city of Cottage Grove as, uh, as well because, uh, you know, it wasn't exactly the easiest process, but we got there and appreciate their support, especially from their staff and the council.

Um, I could not be more pleased with the number of, uh, bid submits that, uh, people that responded, uh, to the bids. That's incredible. And that helps with the price, uh, in keeping it it down. Um, the one question I, oh, and I also wanna thank Mandy Leonard too. I mean, she really led this in, in the beginning and did a spectacular job. So, um, the, um, question I have is the 5 million that's leftover mm-hmm. Um, do, it says it's for, you know, the e charging sta vehicle charging stations and furniture and stuff like that. Do we intend on spending all 5 million of that? Or will, um, the remainder fall to the bottom line, I guess, or, or back to reserve? Absolutely. I think there's, we still have to get through the, a lot of these processes with, uh, furniture procurement, the, uh, material handling. Uh, but knowing that we're, uh, almost a half a million dollars short of the engineer's estimate, we certainly hope that we will have some budget that falls to the, to the bottom line And, and can be given back in the end.

Nice. And I appreciate that because I believe some of the money that this is actually paid, being paid for with was because some other projects came in, uh, a little under budget. So it's nice to pay that forward. So, um, but yeah, just again, thank the community for all their input, manage. This is gonna be a phenomenal, phenomenal project, and I cannot be more excited and happy for staff, uh, Jessen and the whole crew there at Park Grove. Um, you know, this is long time coming, so, uh, appreciate everybody's, uh, hard work and diligence on this, uh, Commissioner Miron. Yeah, certainly. Uh, happy to support all of the contracts here that Eric has presented this morning. A lot of work, um, that's gone in onto this. Um, I appreciate the project in itself and it, the location of the project. Um, this has been ongoing for years. Um, and it's been supported not only by yourself, Commissioner Bingham, but prior, um, commissioners sitting in that seat.

And, and, you know, I think, um, in, in my opinion, the project over time is always enhanced and becomes a better project. But, um, you know, as Eric, uh, pointed out the location, and I really do believe that, um, you know, this library is in the best location it can be, um, in Cottage Grove. So, um, happy to support all of these and appreciate your leadership to, um, keep this project rolling and, and, uh, finally, uh, nice to see it come to fruition. Thank You. Thank you. Any other comments? Commissioner Clarks and then Karowski. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, Mr. Jow, thank you for bringing all these, uh, up to us. 158 bids is pretty incredible. I'm actually surprised the team just didn't get behind in trying to read through and comb through all of those bids. So, um, you guys definitely have my kudos on that one. Um, and you mentioned solar, and I would just say if we can take a look at that, that would be a recommendation I would have.

Um, Xcel Energy's prices are not coming down, and so if, if we can make an investment to add some solar there to help offset some of the electrical costs of that building, I think it would just be smart. So, um, that would be, I would, I would encourage you on that one, but thank you for all of this. Commissioner Karowski. Thank you. Uh, Madam Chair. I would agree with my colleagues' comments are spot on. I, I would emphasize also if we can do the solar, I, I really think doing those innovative bleeding edge things in a library where it's learning and you're progressing, there's a messaging there. Mm-hmm. So that I, I really see the benefit of the doubt to do those things at libraries when they're, you know, what's the payback and things. Um, as, uh, chair Bigham pointed out, I was, uh, I think we're all impressed with that meant 158 bids over 24 areas.

That's a lot of bids on each area, uh, keeping the cost down. Uh, and it's worth mentioning again, uh, chair Bigham your leadership to get this over the hump and get it done. And, um, Commissioner, um, Johnson, your predecessor had put in a lot of years of trying to find the right fit. And I agree, we're responsible for these libraries are regional. It's such a growing area mm-hmm. That us as to pay back to the taxpayers. This isn't the best location to get the most return in use. Libraries are more important than ever, and it's a good project, fully supported. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. If we can, um, you know, look at the solar, I think that's good. I know the rebates, uh, that really incentivize that are, I think, done at the end of this year. Um, so it would, you know, might be worth taking a look at, um, at that. And I know that the new building will be, I guess you call wired up to have solar.

Um, but uh, I do, I agree with my colleagues that that would be, um, something to look into. So, all right. If there's no further, uh, discussion, uh, we'll get added. So, um, all in favor, uh, I'll renew my motion, um, to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 5. Um, all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. Um, maybe we could just go down and rotate who wants to do what? I'll help You. Thank you. Um, I will make the motion to approve contract 17 9 9 5 and the amount of $300,000 with One. It's the next one. Oh, I'm sorry. Some of my friends say you can help by not helping. I had to get that in there. Uh, I make the motion to approve contract number 17 9 9 2 in the amount of 824,000 with B and D associates, LLC for concrete and masonry Second. Alright, uh, any discussion?

Seeing none will renew, um, Commissioner Kiki's motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 2 in the amount of 824,100, uh, with B and D Associates. Uh, all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. Um, I can move the next one to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 0 in the amount of 279,900 with Noble X welding and fabrication for structural steel. Second. Second. Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Motion carries. Help you out Madam Chair. Thank you. I'll move to approved contract number 1 7 9 9 4 in the amount of $262,541 with Gustav and Rudy contractors incorporated for carpentry. I'll second Moved. And second moved by Commissioner Cox. Seconded by, um, Commissioner Karwowski. Um, any discussion? Seat Renew the motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 4. Um, all in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed a nay. Motion carries Madam Chair, I will move to approve contract number 17,985 in the amount of $1,637,070 with Bural Roofing Company, uh, incorporated for metal panels and roofing.

I'll second that. Moved by Commissioner Maron. Seconded by Commissioner Karowski. Any discussion? See none. Um, we will renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 5. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. Uh, the next one. I will move to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 9 in the amount of $366,954 with Arctic Glass Company for glass and glazing. Second. It's been moved by me, seconded by Commissioner Miron. Any discussion? See none. We'll renew the motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 9. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. I'll make the motion to approve contract number 17 987 in the amount of $527,900 with Pinnacle Wall Systems Incorporated for drywall. Second, Moved by Commissioner Karowski, seconded by Commissioner Cox. Any discussion? Seeing none. Um, we'll renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 7.

Uh, all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries Madam Chair, I would've moved to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 4 in the amount of $496,100 with Sonas Interiors for ceilings and acoustics. I will second that. Any discussion? Second? You got a second? Yeah, I seconded it. Yep. Thank you. Um, we'll renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 4. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Motion carries Mad chair. I will move to approve contract number 17,983 in the amount of 370 thou 1000 with Wezel Plymouth Plumbing LLC for plumbing. Second, Moved by Commissioner Muran. Second by Commissioner Cox. Any discussion? See now we'll renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 3. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Oppose say nay. Motion carries. Um, I will move to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 6 in the amount of $1,450,300 with Thilan Heating and Roofing Incorporated for hvac.

Second. Moved by me, seconded by Commissioner Karowski. Any discussion? None will renew the motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 6. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. I'll make a motion on number 11, which is to motion is to approve contract number 17 9 9 1 in the amount of $888,000 with Bloomington and Electric for electrical. Second. Moved by Commissioner Karowski, seconded by Commissioner Miron. Any discussion? See none. Will renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 1. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Motion carries. Madam Chair, I'll move to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 8 in the amount of $628,000 with ish Excavating Incorporated for site and Earthwork Second. That Moved by Commissioner Cox, seconded by Commissioner Karowski. Uh, any discussion? See none. Will renew our motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 8 8. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay.

Motion carries. Uh, I will move to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 3 in the amount of 236,755 with Windsor Companies for Landscaping. Second. Seconded by Commissioner Miran. Any discussion? See none. We'll, uh, renew the motion to approve contract number 1 7 9 9 3. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Say nay. Motion carries. Well, thank you Eric. I think that'll keep you busy and your staff. Thank you, commissioners. Thank you very much. Thank you everyone for your support, too. Um, next item is General Administration Administrator Corbid. Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. Um, I have one item under general administration. It's at your desk. It is a draft letter, um, addressed to the Honorable Sean Duffy, the Secretary of the US Department of Transportation. This is a request from the City of Oakdale for the county board to approve a letter of support for their build grant request related to the 40th Street pedestrian bridge.

If you recall on last week's agenda, there were two resolutions that the board passed, uh, related to build grant applications. One from the city of Cottage Grove and one from the county of Chisago. So if there are any questions, we certainly can answer those for you. If not, we'd ask you to approve this letter and allow for the signature by Commissioner Karwowski, who's the representative from District two. Um, this request came in very late last week. Um, and then as the board knows, we do not meet again until March 10th. The next two weeks, our, uh, the board will not meet because of the National Association of County's legislative Conference one week, and then the Association of Minnesota County's legislative Conference the following week. So because of that, we needed to walk this on today for approval before the deadline to get the bill grants in. Commissioner Kin Madam Chair, I'll make a motion to approve the letter as drafted.

Second. Moved And seconded. Any discussion? Commissioner Karowski? No. It, I just want to point out like so many of our pedestrian trails, this is just the overpass over, uh, 4 94, or actually 6 94, connects a large community that's been well established in Oakdale to the West. And now it, it would connect not only to the east our uh, uh, county 13 trail system and, and other trails in the county, but it connects the, uh, growing new community. It's kind of called the 3M development, where 3M had sold like 225 acres. And that's all like, uh, there's gonna be like 2000, actually 3000 residents in the area and probably about a thousand homes. So it's a, it's a good use. It, it's very compatible with our trail system. So. Nice. Nice. Any further discussion? Just, I, I agree and I think, um, this just demonstrates how the county partners with our cities, um, you know, and garner's support from the county board, um, you know, across all of our area, the county board.

And it just seems so appropriate, not only that Commissioner Karowski signed this representing District two, but also that he serves on the transportation advisory board and, and, um, you know, which really directs, uh, a lot of the federal monies. So, um, you know, it just seems appropriate for Commissioner Karowski to sign this letter. Commissioner Kwa, uh, Just, uh, thank you Commissioner Miran. Um, for, I want to point out, 40th Street is a city street. That's why typically a project like this will often as a county road mm-hmm. Occasionally we have city streets that are crossing, uh, these major thoroughfares. So that's why it's strictly a city initiated project. Uh, but if we could have staff, uh, have an, uh, administrative corbet and, you know, we have, uh, uh, uh, public courts in the audience led there by, uh, uh, public court instructor Sandberg to remind the city if they're not all ready to aware it through tab, there's the tra uh, act of transportation money.

Mm-hmm. Which is largely new money mm-hmm. To feed trails. And I think they, this would be a good, uh, it will be a challenge. Get state money or federal money in. That's unfortunately. But, um, glad Oakdale's putting in the effort to do so. But I think, uh, uh, the act of transportation money, I think is gonna be available this year in 26. So if you could encourage Oakdale to do their part on that, that source of funding. Thank you. Any further discussion? See none. Uh, Commissioner Karowski renews his motion to approve the letter. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. Um, I have one thing for Administrator Corbid, but Well, actually all of you, 'cause it probably could have been in Commissioner comments, but it can be here too. But anything for Commissioner Corbit before I go? Um, I just wanna, uh, lift up, uh, the Washington County Drug Task Force.

They had a big, big bust, uh, this week. Uh, got 11 pounds of meth off the streets. Um, and that's great to get that crud off the streets and keep our streets safe. Uh, as we go into, um, budget and as we go into, uh, going out to NACO to talk about some of our requests, um, it just shows you that, um, they do amazing work, but also they continue to need the tools that, uh, they need to do to keep us safe and, uh, the staff to do that. So I just wanted to highlight, um, that kudos to the Drug Task force and, um, keep up the good work, getting that credit off the streets. Um, if there's nothing else for admin, oh, Commissioner Cox? Well, not for, not for Administrator Corbet, but, um, because we are not meeting for two weeks, there's a very important day coming while we're not meeting, which is Commissioner Bingham's Chair Bingham's birthday.

Oh. So my gift to you is that I will not sing. Okay. So, appreciate that. Happy birthday. Oh, thank You. Thank you. I appreciate it. Appreciate it. It'll be, uh, 40, 47 years around the, around the sun. So, anyw, who, um, if there's nothing else, uh, administrator Corbid, um, then we do not have, uh, we already handled Commissioner comments. Uh, we do not have any board correspondence following adjournment. Uh, we do have a workshop to review projects included in the 2026 to 2030 capital equipment and fleet and technology plans. Seeing nothing else on the agenda, we are adjourned. Ooh, 53 minutes. Good job.