Sponsor: Board of Commissioners
Title
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Appointments to the Capitol Region Watershed District Board of Managers
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Recommendation
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Appoint the following individuals to the Capitol Region Watershed District Board of Managers for a term beginning October 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2029:
• Hawona Sullivan Janzen (incumbent)
• Joseph P. Collins (incumbent)
• Rick Sanders (incumbent)
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Background and Rationale
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The Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) is led by a five-person Board of Managers that guides CRWD implementation of the goals and objectives set forth in its Watershed Management Plan <https://www.capitolregionwd.org/watershed-management-plan/>. <https://www.capitolregionwd.org/watershed-management-plan> Board managers generally manage water and related resources in the Watershed District, which includes portions of Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Maplewood, Roseville and Saint Paul. Board managers are residents of the watershed district and serve a three-year term.
There will be three vacancies on the CRWD Board of Managers due to term expirations. Recruitment through the county’s open appointment resulted in four applications, three from incumbents and one new applicant. On June 15, 2026, the applications were forwarded to three Ramsey County Board of Commissioners to interview each applicant, which gave the commissioners the opportunity to engage with and learn more about each applicant. Interviews occurred on June 24, 2026, for final recommendations.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
In addition to the usual recruitment for advisory committee vacancies through GovDelivery and word of mouth by advisory committee members, staff and the Ramsey County Board, the vacancies and application were promoted through an email mailing list reaching numerous diverse organizations and networks. This extended promotion process is a step towards better outreach to more racially diverse and underrepresented voices that are often missed. Furthermore, the application for these vacancies were updated to focus more on the lived experiences, knowledge and skills a resident may bring along with an optional section to insert demographics to ensure we are reaching new and diverse candidates.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Participation by and input from community members appointed to advisory groups helps to shape and improve programs and services for the community, share information and increase the level of understanding through discussion, dialogue and engagement.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
As a separate local jurisdiction, the CRWD policy has provisions for per diem payments to appointed managers.
Last Previous Action
On August 19, 2025, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners appointed Shawn Mazanec and Mary Texer to the Capitol Region Watershed District Board of Managers for a term ending on September 30, 2028 (Resolution B2025-155).
Attachments
1. Capitol Region Watershed District Board of Managers Roster