Washington County Board Meeting

We'll go ahead and call the April 21st Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting to order. Clerk, please take the roll. Commissioner Miron? Here. Commissioner Karwoski? Here. Commissioner Cox? Here. Commissioner Bigham? Here. Commissioner Clausen? Here. Roll call taken, all present. Thank you. Please join us for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. At this point, we have comments from the public. I have no speaker cards at the dais. Is there anybody in the audience that would like to address the board at this time? Seeing none, we'll move on to approval of the agenda that has been published. Madam Chair, I would move approval as printed. Second. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. And that was Commissioner Cox and Commissioner Clausen for the motion and second. We are now on the consent calendar.

Any items to be pulled? Madam Chair, I will move the three items on the consent calendar. Second. All right. That's been moved and seconded. Clerk will take the roll. Commissioner Miron? Aye. Commissioner Karwoski? Aye. Commissioner Cox? Aye. Commissioner Clausen? Aye. Commissioner Bigham? Aye. Consent calendar passes five zero. Thank you. The next item on the agenda is from the sheriff's office, for a resolution proclaiming May 3rd through the 9th National Correctional Officers Week in Washington County. So we have Commander Heinem, Lieutenant Linkner, and Lieutenant Dahms.

Good morning, Chair. Good morning, commissioners. Happy morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I represent the jail, obviously, and Lieutenant Dahms represents operations. And thank you for allowing us to speak today a little bit about the jail. I stand before you to recognize the National Correctional Officers Week, which is observed May 3rd through May 9th, 2026. The Washington County Jail Division, we have 90 dedicated, full-time staff in our division. We serve our community each day by maintaining the safety and security while supervising up to 225 inmates. Correctional officers meet people at some of the lowest points in their lives. They are not only first responders, but counselors, negotiators, guardians, and mentors. We tend to work with individuals who are in a crisis. That could be mental health, that could be drugs and alcohol, co-occurring disorders. Quite often, people struggle with these issues, substance abuse, and the consequences of making some difficult decisions in their lives.

Each day, as correctional officers, we face the possibility of assault, carrying on a quiet but constant question: Will today be the day? Correctional officers navigate conflict, they endure personal insults, and they operate under continual scrutiny. And yet, we continue to show up, just like our friends also at Oak Park Heights and Stillwater prisons. They do this work because they believe in something greater than themselves, dignity, respect, and service. They build resilience into their lives like armor, and they provide something many individuals lack, which is structure, safety, and consistency in their lives. Corrections is a vital part of the criminal justice system and a cornerstone of our community. Today, we recognize and thank those who serve in this demanding and often unsung profession. Their dedication matters, and their impact extends far beyond the walls of our facilities. Thank you, Chairman Bigham, commissioners. With your approval, Lieutenant Dahms will now read the proclamation. Thank you, Commander. Whereas in 1984, President Ronald Reagan announced the first week in May as National Correctional Officers Week.

And whereas, the correctional officers of the United States have worked devotedly and selflessly on behalf of the people of this nation, regardless of the peril or hazard to themselves. And whereas, these correctional officers exemplify professionalism, integrity, and strength in a challenging environment. And whereas, this week we take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the individuals who work in the Washington County Sheriff's Office Jail Division. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Washington County Board of Commissioners does hereby proclaim the week of May 3rd through the 9th, 2026, to be National Correctional Officers Week, and extends its appreciation to these officers for the vital contributions they make in the criminal justice system in Washington County. Thank you. All right. Is there a motion to approve the resolution? So moved. Motion to adopt resolution proclaiming the week of May 3rd through 9, 2026, as National Correctional Officer Week in Washington County. Second. And we have a second. Commissioner Karwoski.

My apologies first for the cold, so luckily we have a short meeting Thank you both for the presentation. I'm always amazed at the entire sheriff's department. But Commander, you had so well spoken about the stressful situation of correctional officers. What I'm always impressed with is a correctional officer might be that first person that they really have regular seeing every day, several times a day, and really can make a difference in that person being incarcerated. And I really like the philosophy of the sheriff's department to send this person back to society, perhaps in better shape than when they entered. So again, thank you for all your deputies and the work they do in corrections. Commissioner Cox. Thank you, Madam Chair. Commander Heinen and Lieutenant Dahms, thank you so much for coming today and bringing this forward. I think my best interaction with correctional officers has been through the Leadership in the Valley program, and I know that they were just in the jail just last week, I believe, if not the week before.

And it really shows the importance of the work that happens there. And I think what you do and what the sheriff's office does by opening up the jail to that program, really allows the community to see the important work and to see the respect that the officers have for the inmates, and the great care that's given. I sat with the public health nursing team in the jail as well, and it's not just people sitting in cells. You're constantly moving people around, and I just think it's incredible, the collaboration, the teamwork that happens, and truly the respect. So thank you for bringing this to us today. Thank you. Any other comment? Seeing none, just thank you for bringing this forward. And I really do think the innovation that the jail shows, whether it's the medical unit, whether it's the Children of Incarcerated Parents programming, and many other things that the jail does to not wait until a problem finds them. They go look and be proactive at making sure that we're being innovative in our programming, and just really appreciate all the work and the efforts that the team does. So, thank you. Clerk will take the roll.

Commissioner Miron? Aye. Commissioner Karwoski? Aye. Commissioner Cox? Aye. Commissioner Clausen? Aye. Commissioner Bigham? Aye. Resolution passes five zero. Awesome. All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Next is general administration and Administrator Corbid. Good morning, Madam Chair and commissioners. The first item under general administration this morning is the adoption of a resolution accepting the 2026 first quarter donations. As we do each quarter, by policy, gifts, donations, and bequests that are $1,000 or under, have to be approved by the county board through this board action. Any donations over $1,000 are brought to the board individually for approval. During first quarter of 2026, the majority of the donations this quarter were for the library and parks, with an additional significant donation to the sheriff's K9. So with that, I'll answer any questions you might have and ask for your adoption of the resolution. Sounds good. Is there a motion? Madam Chair, I will move adoption of the resolution accepting the 2026 first quarter donations.

Been moved by Commissioner Miron. Is there a second? Second by Commissioner Cox. Discussion? Madam Chair, I just continue to be impressed by people's generosity to the county and then how they can direct those donations to a division that they really are passionate about, and just continue to appreciate those charitable donations. Absolutely. All right. Any further comment? The clerk will take the roll. Commissioner Miron? Aye. Commissioner Karwoski? Aye. Commissioner Cox? Aye. Commissioner Clausen? Aye. Commissioner Bigham? Aye. Resolution passes five zero. Excellent. And then the next item is a legislative update with Deputy County Administrator Lucke.

Madam Chair, Commissioners, Margaret Vessel from Larkin Hoffman is with us, and I'm going to defer to her for the update today. Excellent. Sounds good. Welcome, Ms. Vessel.

Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. Margaret Vessel with Larkin Hoffman Public Affairs. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. I come to you today with about 27 days left, well, technically 27 days left to pass bills. There's technically 28 days left in the legislative session 2026. They just finished with what they call third bill deadline this past Friday, and it was kind of an unusual third bill deadline week. Usually, we find ourselves as lobbyists sitting in the finance committees and working on omnibus bills and kind of working to get some amendments going and things like that, and it was very quiet. There was actually only two committees, maybe three, meeting on Friday. The infamous judiciary committee in the Senate was absolutely one of them. And the omnibus bills have been, particularly I will call them light. They haven't been moving big bills. There are no budget targets. Usually, that happens as well. So the Senate will do budget targets, the House will do budget targets, and then after third bill deadline, that's when they kind of come together and do...

Joint budget targets. Because those two didn't happen prior to third deadline, the spending has all gone to the Senate Finance Committee. So all of the spending bills are in the Senate Finance Committee to be determined on what their path forward is, and then now they're taking the policy out of the omnibus bills, and they're starting to pass those bills. So they spent, I don't know, I suppose six, seven hours on the floor yesterday in the Senate passing omnibus bills. Today they'll be doing the same. They're actually meeting on the floor every day, well, Monday through Thursday. The House, however, is a very different scenario. They passed very few omnibus bills, and they have no budget targets. All the bills are going to Ways and Means. The only way that they passed an omnibus bill was basically if both the Democrat and the Republican chair agreed on the policy. So as you might imagine, there wasn't really anything controversial in any of the House bills.

The Senate has a few controversial issues here and there, but for the most part, their bills are pretty non-political, if you will. So we're looking at these last 27 days as what's going to happen next. Legislative leaders have met now for the first time last week with the governor, and they're meeting again today. I don't know that they're going to come out and say, "We have budget targets, and we have a path forward." But certainly, I think it's a good sign that they're at least meeting and talking. As I see it moving forward, when they started this legislative session, let me just start there. They said, "We need to do nothing this legislative session." They had passed their budget last year. The forecast came in better than they had projected. So technically, they don't really have to do anything this legislative session. They said they wanted to do a few things, and I think as we've moved through the session, there are three issues that are, I'll say, bubbling up to the top. I think the big issue is the HCMC, what to do with HCMC. Because they're in such financial dire straits, what is going to happen, how is the state going to assist, or are they going to rely on the county?

They could do a taxing option, they could pay cash. There's all kinds of things that they're considering at this point. And then I think there's, I would call them prongs off of the center, and that would be, I think fraud is a big issue that they would like to tackle, although I think they're taking different approaches as it relates to the inspector general. So the House is moving a bill, but it was heard yesterday in Ways and Means, and it actually stayed in Ways and Means. So we'll see how that shakes out. It didn't get sent to the floor. And then, what's the other one? Bonding, obviously, which we all care about. I do think that there is a strong desire to pass a bonding bill this year. There are many retiring legislators, and I do think that what has traditionally been stick together, don't give anything unless you get something kind of mentality, is not going to be in play as much as it has been in the past. And so I can very well see a situation where the Senate Republicans can agree on a number with the Senate Democrats, and then the House would follow suit. I think the House is probably an easier path forward in a bonding bill than in the Senate. So, those are the three big issues that I see.

There are some other issues that are out there. They definitely would love to try to address the IT system and human services. How you get there obviously is a different story, and I don't think they've completely agreed on that path forward. There's lots of committees. They're talking about important subjects. I just see those three or four as being, I'll call them best chance issues that might get done before they are constitutionally mandated to adjourn by the 18th of May. And this is the year they go sine die, so it's the second year of the biennium. They cannot pass bills after midnight on Sunday, which would be the 17th. So, that's typically the day reserved for retirements. I do think there will be an unprecedented number of retirements this legislative session. I think there are more to come that we don't know about yet, and there'll be some big surprises is my guess. But filings open the day after the legislative session ends, and they go until the first, I think first week in June.

And so, that will also, I think, bring some surprises. There's been some things in the past where a legislator will go at the very last minute and withdraw their filing, and then they bring someone with them that they want to succeed them, and they'll have them go ahead and sign up. So I do think that we may see some scenarios like that as well. And then, of course, you've got the endorsing conventions that willimpact, I think, the legislative session as we move forward.

So lots of politics within the legislature, as always. This is a year where everyone is on the ballot. So all 201 legislators are on the ballot, so in 2026 November. So with that, I would turn it over to any questions, Madam Chair. Thank you for that update. Any discussion or questions? Commissioner Karwoski. Thank you, Madam Chair. Margaret, thank you for your professionalism and your knowledge and really helping our staff be effective at the Capitol. I was wondering if you're thinking that they're going to do a bonding bill, what might be motivating that? I know over the last year and a half in Washington, DC, every citizen is saying they're not doing anything. Is there kind of that reaction here in Minnesota that we're going to prove we can get stuff done at the Capitol because of maybe the way the federal representation on a national level is not doing much? Madam Chair, Commissioner, Minnesota tends to follow national politics and trends as we go into the election season.

And so I would say if the election was to happen today, certainly that Democrats would do very well, given President Trump's approval ratings in both the state and national. That being said, I do believe that there is a desire in Minnesota within the legislature to actually get a few things done this legislative session. They just don't want to do the kind of the trading, if you will, that has happened in the past, where one side will say, "Okay, I will give you this if you give me that." I would add into the mix a tax bill as well. I think that it's very likely that they could come up with a tax bill. And so I do think that there will be... I'm partial because I work in Minnesota politics. I do think that the legislature and the elected officials have more of a desire to get things done, to not be quite as partisan as what we see in DC.

So my sense is they're going to use that motivation as they move towards the end of session to try to get something to deliver to their home districts, and that's why I would say a bonding bill is going to be key to that because all elected officials like to bring home something nice and shiny to their districts and show that they've done something, and your delegation is no different, quite honestly. And so I've been very pleased with the attention that the delegation has given to the Washington County priorities, even on the new ones. We actually got hearings on both of them. So I think it's going to be hard for them not to do a bonding bill, but they have surprised me in the past. Well, thank you for working on both sides of the aisle. Any other comments? I would just say I agree that I think it's going to be difficult for them not to do a bonding bill, especially when the legendary Senator Sandy Pappas is retiring, and I think they'll get an agreement, and my question about the bonding bill actually is I'm old enough to remember when they actually used to announce what was in a bonding bill before there was a vote on it 10 minutes later.

Is there any indication from either Chairman Lee or Franzen, Chairman Franzen, and Chair Pappas about announcing even agreed-upon projects? Madam Chair, they haven't agreed on the number yet, so projects are going to be, I think, secondary to that. My sense is they will agree to a number on state assets, be it Capra, HEAPR, I should say, for the universities, and then funding for state government. They'll agree on that number. I think the governor was a little over million for that. That could easily take a haircut, I think. And then my sense is with the remaining money, whatever agreed number is, which we've heard 1.2, I don't know if that's going to be it, but then they'll take that remaining amount, and they're going to divide it by four caucuses. And each side is going to come in with their projects. And I don't think there will be a lot of public either testimony or... I don't think this is going to be a public process. It just has more and more each year gotten more behind the scenes.

Mm-hmm. So it's just super important for- Myself and my team to be working with staff to make sure that they have the correct information, and to be working with the chairs to make sure... And the delegation. I check in with them as regularly as I can. I'll be doing more today again. And just say, "What do you need? How can I be helpful?" And for the most part, they're like, "Yep, we got it." And so I feel good about where our delegation is on our projects. Excellent. Well, seeing no other discussion or questions, thank you for your work and advocacy of your team and everything you guys do up there on behalf of us. Thank you, Madam Chair. We appreciate working with you and always have, so look forward to moving forward. Thank you. Administrator Corbid. Madam Chair and commissioners, I just have one other update item, and it's more scheduling in nature. Following the workshop that we reviewed the mandates and core functions document maybe a month, month and a half ago, there was a desire for commissioners to have more opportunity to review that document and to look at, more specifically, some functions and programs within departments.

So you will see on your preview here shortly a series of five workshops that we're going to add starting mid-May through the month of June to go over an overview in the first workshop, and then four that are specific to departments.

But they'll get more opportunity to talk about that document and the funding for core services, mandated services, and other items. So just watch for that, and those will be in place. And that will lead in nicely when we finish those in June to a late July, early August, where you'll start hearing from both administration on a 27 recommended budget and the department presentation. So you'll just see that as an additional item under the budget process this year. Thank you. And that's all, unless you have any questions of me. Any questions? All right. Then we will move on to commissioner reports and comment. Commissioner Clausen, you want to start us off? Sure, I'm the healthiest one.

This last weekend it was busy. We were able to go to the employee recognition after the meeting, where I was able to talk to staff and thank them for all of the effort. And they've come in on Saturdays and done extra time to try and get out as many passports as possible, especially during the Metro surge. And during that opportunity to talk to staff, they expressed some stories that were shared, and sometimes when families came in, they came in needing eight passports or seven passports for their families. And what our staff does is have to help people through the most stressful situations of people's lives. And so at the same time, of course, we had water damage in Stillwater Licensing Center, and people are constantly having to move around. So not only are we asking people to try and work extra hours, where they have the biggest and compassionate hearts, and we were able to, Jan Lucke and I, and we were able to talk to staff and I think that was just a really good conversation that doesn't happen very often, if at all. And so, I just really wanted to thank, that's recognized the Washington County Central Licensing Center again for all of the effort they've done. Currently, the highest amount of minutes people are having to wait to get passports, 240 minutes.

So I think we need to do something to change that. I didn't know how bad it had gotten. But it is obviously the number one location that people are going to to get their renewals and their updates to their license, whatever. There are multiple things can occur in this building. But 240 minutes on a Friday, if you leave work early at noon, you wouldn't leave the Central Licensing Center until 2:40. So that's pretty late, spending the entire afternoon. And so, staff talked about bringing this budget issue to us, and so I look forward to hearing from Amy Stenfenagel on how we're going to better serve our most busiest licensing center, because 2:40 just isn't good. Open house was yesterday for Creek to Croix, our first east to west trail south of I-94. First ever to connect to a regional park from Battle Creek all the way to our St. Croix beautiful river. So, it's a baby of mine.

If you haven't commented, it's very important that you do because we're just finalizing everything. So if you are seeing it today and you want to participate, please. And also, staff has a walkable thing coming up at each licensing center, where staff is going to walk, and then get rewarded for the miles that they walk. Try going down the new trail. It's right there on Valley Creek. If you're at Central Licensing Center, go right down Valley Creek. That's going to be the new trail. And so experience that. It's going to be, I think, 13 miles long, that trail. So for those that love to get exercise, this is going to be amazing trail for you. Open house is this Friday for the new Family Resource Center in Cottage Grove And if people can come there and ask questions, I really want people to utilize this space, this new family resource center, and want it to serve as many people as possible. I know it's in Cottage Grove.

Woodbury doesn't have one, so this would be the location currently. So would love people to utilize what staff has worked so hard on. And then, just a personal accomplishment, I ended my PTA presidency, three years dedicated to Lake Middle. And I had a wonderful board, and I was so extremely lucky to have Molly Rourke. She is amazing, and I'm just very lucky to have an amazing principal that helps through so many different things. I don't know if anybody had heard the rumors about a potential shooting that was going to happen on last Friday. And wow, the entire sixth grade all the way to the eighth graders, the gossip. The gossip that we have heard, it's been everything from someone's going to shoot us to something about a coach or something. I can't tell you the rumors that come and that we deal with at the school levels. It's nothing like here at the county level.

And having a PTA and having a board that just stays strong and supports teachers, I think it's just been really rewarding. So I just wanted to have a personal shout-out to Lake Middle, and teachers just in general, because they're so amazing. That's all. Thank you. Commissioner Miron? Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner Cox and I met with the personnel committee. We had two items on our agenda. One of them you approved today in the consent calendar. I appreciated the opportunity to get out and thank employees. I went up to the Forest Lake Service Center there, and with Administrator Corbid, and we were welcomed very well by the workers there, and just so much appreciate all of the effort that our employees put in to serve the people we represent. The commissioners to my right and I all attended a tour of the Invisible Wounds project up in Forest Lake. Just very impressed with the work that they do and appreciate the committee that allocates the funding from the opioid settlement funds. I believe there's about 100,000 that has been going to Invisible Wounds, and I think I certainly recognize the value of that contribution to that organization. I met with a watershed applicant for Carnelian Marine that reached out and wanted to sit and visit.

Yesterday, I had a full day of Clean Water Council program funding requests. We've got almost a total of 50 program requests, and each of those are doing presentations to us. We've got one more round of those presentations. And then I met with staff yesterday as well on Land and Water Legacy program and public works and projects within District One. That's all I have, Madam Chair. Thank you. Commissioner Cox. Thank you, Madam Chair. A lot of overlap here as well. So employee appreciation visit to the North Shop. So thank you for Kevin Peterson and Frank Tickner for the warm welcome up there, and it was just fun to sit and chat with everyone in that facility. So thank you for that welcome. The Invisible Wounds project was just an incredible opportunity to talk with, I believe Russ was his name, their executive director, and hear his story and see what an incredible resource that is in our community.

And they're pretty central location in Forest Lake to a lot of the community that really needs them. So, I learned a ton. I had no idea what that organization was all about. It was great. And then the TPL, so Trust for Public Land visit yesterday as well with staff, and then attended the Battle, the creek... Thank you, Commissioner. It's Creek to Croix. I need to learn the new name. It's just fun to stand by the big map and just listen, and hear just the excitement that people have for this. The questions about why it's not going down 18 and the great answers that the staff had right away and I think there's a lot of excitement for that trail when it's done. That's all I have. Thank you. Commissioner Karwoski. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just feed off the appreciation. Last week was Employee Appreciation Week. I joined Commissioner Clausen at the Central Service Center, and we must have talked to about 20 employees, and that was really nice to meet them.

I'll just feed off Commissioner Clausen's point about the passports. That was very interesting because even though a Metro Surge at least isn't getting the publicity locally here, it's at an ongoing effect. So we take it for granted that everybody might have a driver's license, and a lot of people don't. So that would be one reason they'd go get a passport. But our staff is doing a wonderful job. At times, the service is challenging, and I think we'll be working on that. How can we correct that? I also had a TAB, Transportation Advisory Board, meeting. I had a staff meeting on it, and then the board meeting. As mentioned, I joined Commissioners Miron, Board Chair Bigham, and Commissioner Cox at the Invisible Wounds tour. We spent a couple hours there, and it was amazing. And to emphasize, I really appreciated their wanting to get that early mental health Help rather than it boil to a big problem.

And it was geared more towards first responders. Many of the programs have been military, and those are very big problems, but I think an area that's been not overlooked, but maybe hasn't been emphasized is just first responders in general, whether they're police officers, firefighters, so on. That was very interesting. As Commissioner Miron pointed out, it's a very good investment of $100,000. I think their budget was about approaching a million and a half. So $100,000 is a lot of money. It makes a difference, but they are still relying on amazing donations, because they're a nonprofit. Had constituent meetings, attended the NACO Rural Action Caucus. Met with staff on our regional trail long range plans, which fed in timely wise to... And those trails we reviewed with staff was the Creek to Croix, and also there's a very early preliminary, and these are great partnerships with Ramsey County. The other trail would be the Phalen-Keller Lake, and how do you get out through Washington County.

Very preliminary, but it was then enjoyable. I ran into Commissioner Cox at the open house for the Creek to Croix at the beautiful central park, and the attendance was great, and people are very excited. I'm glad we're trying to respond to a vision of having more trails. I think people really appreciate the connections and the partnerships to get these done. And then lastly, I attended the Oakdale Area Chamber Spring Fling, which was held at the beautiful Saint Croix Event Center. They're members of the Oakdale Area Chamber, and it was a great fundraiser. Whenever we're amongst our businesses and community leaders, it's amazing what gets done for the greater good of the community. That's all I have to report. Thank you, Commissioner Karwoski. I had a busy week, a lot of staff meetings, everything from the Red Rock Corridor to Land and Legacy, and a couple other project meetings in between. We had a African-American Family Preservation Act working group meeting.

I had an AMC board of directors meeting. I was able to attend the Youth Service Bureau-... gala that we have a lot of pride in, that we have a few different offices throughout the county, and it's such a great organization and happy to support that. Mayor Kar-- Oh, I almost said Karwoski. It's Mayor Kosloski, that was the keynote speaker. It was a Polish name. And then, the Indivisible Wounds project was just an amazing tour, and after I followed up with my police chiefs in the district and fire chiefs and Dara at the telecommunication center. They all were familiar with it because of the wonderful work they did, and they have the services and the space and everything to allow our heroes to do what they need to do to heal and be seen and know that they're not alone. So just wonderful. I also enjoyed with Deputy Administrator Wagenius being down at the Cottage Grove Service Center, to hand out popcorn and talk to our staff. It's a lot going down at that service center.

And on Saturday, there's the open house for the Family Resource Center, and I couldn't be more excited that it's going to be there, a good utilization of the space. And it's a proven positive model-... to bring services to community. And so I just couldn't be more proud of the staff that have organized that, and looking forward to it. And we have the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce event on Saturday. Not the workshop, but where all the different businesses come out. They have a showcase, there we go, for all the businesses and organizations in the area. And there's a lot of crossover from different communities and having their businesses and organizations come. So looking forward to that as well. So if there is nothing else, then before we move into executive closed session, I want to say that we have no board correspondence today. And then after adjournment, which is technically after the closed session, we will have a workshop to review the County Parks American Indian Cultural Landscape Study.

So, the next item on the agenda is listed as an executive closed session. In pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.03 Subdivision 1, Agenda Item 9 is for discussion of labor negotiations. This agenda item may be closed to the public. At this time, I would entertain a motion to move into closed session to discuss Agenda Item 9. Madam Chair, I will move to go into closed session for purposes of discussing labor negotiation strategy per Minnesota Statute 13D.03. Second by Karwoski. Discussion? Seeing none. We are in closed session. We need to call a vote, ma'am. Oh, I'm sorry. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Now we are. I always do that because of my habit of the...