Sponsor: Board of Commissioners
Title
title
Support for Nominations to the National Association of Counties 2026 Leadership Positions
end
Recommendation
recommendation
1. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh for: Member of the Arts & Culture Commissioner; member of the Health Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; and member of the Resilience Counties Advisory Board.
2. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire for: Member of the Board of Directors; member of the Arts and Culture Commission; member of the Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board; member of Justice Public Safety Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County - Steering Committee; member of the Membership Committee; member of the Programs and Services Committee; and member of the Retirement Readiness Committee.
3. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Garrison McMurtrey for: Member of the Community, Economic & Workforce Development Policy Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; and member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
4. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Rena Moran for: Vice-chair of the Courts and Corrections Subcommittee; member of the Health Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
5. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Rafael E. Ortega for: member of the Large Urban County Caucus and member for the Transportation Steering Committee.
6. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong for: Member of the Human Services & Education Steering Committee; member of the Education, Children and Families Subcommittee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; and member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
7. Support the candidacy of Commissioner Kelly Miller for: Member of the Environment, Energy, and Land Use Committee; member of the IT Standing Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
end
Background and Rationale
body
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is seeking applications for leadership positions to NACo committees for 2026.
Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh is submitting an application for: Member of the Arts & Culture Commission; member of the Health Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus and member of the Resilient Counties Advisory Board.
Commissioner Jebens-Singh currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - NACo Arts and Culture Commission; Member - NACo Health Steering Committee; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - NACo Resilient Counties Advisory Board; member - AMC District X Committee; member - AMC Environment & Natural Resources Policy Committee; member - AMC Health & Human Services Policy Committee; member - Interagency Early Intervention Committee; member - Minnesota Landmarks Board; member - Law Library Trustee; member - Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative Joint Powers Board; Vice Chair - TCAAP/Rice Creek Commons Joint Development Authority; member - Willow Lake Nature Preserve Foundation Board of Directors.
In addition, Commissioner Jebens-Singh currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Member - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; member - Regional Rail Authority; Chair - Audit Committee; member - Budget Committee of the Whole; member - Legislative Committee of the Whole; Chair - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and member - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire is submitting an application for: Member of the Board of Directors; member of the Arts and Culture Commission; member of the Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board; member of Justice Public Safety Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County - Steering Committee; and member of the Programs and Services Committee.
Commissioner McGuire currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - NACo Board of Directors; member - NACo Arts and Culture Commission; member - NACo Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee; member - NACo Programs and Services Committee; member - AMC Board of Directors; member -AMC District X Committee; member - AMC Public Safety Policy Committee; member - Active Living Ramsey Communities; member - County-Court Joint Committee; member- Metro Library Services Agency Board of Trustees; member - Partnership on Waste an Energy; member - Ramsey County Extension Committee; member - Ramsey County League of Local Governments; member - Recycling & Energy Board; member - TCAAP/Rice Creek Commons Joint Development Authority.
In addition, Commissioner McGuire currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Member - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; member - Regional Rail Authority; Vice -Chair - Audit Committee; Vice-Chair - Budget Committee of the Whole; Chair - Legislative Committee of the Whole; Chair - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and Chair - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Garrison McMurtrey is submitting an application for: Member of the Community, Economic & Workforce Development Policy Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; and member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
Commissioner McMurtrey currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - Community, Economic & Workforce Development Steering Committee; member- Large Urban County Caucus; member - Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee; Representative - AMC Board of Directors; member - AMC District X Committee; member - County-Court Joint Committee; member - Generation Next; member - Greater MSP Regional Partnership; member - Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee; member - Metropolitan Emergency Services Board; member - Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Board; member - Ramsey County Dispatch/800 MHZ Subsystem Policy Committee; member - Ramsey County Extension Committee; member - Re-Thinking I-94 Committee; member - Rice-Larpenteur Alliance.
In addition, Commissioner McMurtrey currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Vice-Chair - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; member - Regional Rail Authority; member - Budget Committee of the Whole; member - Legislative Committee of the Whole; member - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and Chair - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Rena Moran is submitting an application for: Vice-chair of the Courts and Corrections Subcommittee; member of the Health Steering Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
Commissioner Moran currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Vice-Chair - NACo Courts and Corrections Subcommittee; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee; member - NACo Justice & Public Safety Committee; member - AMC District X Committee; member - AMC Health & Human Services Policy Committee; member - County-Court Joint Committee; member - Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee; member - Heading Home Ramsey-Continuum of Care; member - Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee; member - Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Board; member - Saint Paul Children’s Collaborative; member - Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood; member - State Community Health Services Advisory Committee; member - Youth Justice Transformation.
In addition, Commissioner Moran currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Member - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; member - Regional Rail Authority; Chair - Budget Committee of the Whole; Vice-Chair - Legislative Committee of the Whole; member - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; Chair - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and member - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Rafael E. Ortega is submitting an application for: member of the Large Urban County Caucus and member for the Transportation Steering Committee.
Commissioner Ortega currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - NACo Transportation Steering Committee; member - AMC District 10 Representative; member - AMC Transportation and Infrastructure Policy Committee; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - Minnesota Landmarks Board; member - Recycling & Energy Board; member - Regions Hospital Board; member - Saint Paul Downtown Alliance.
In addition, Commissioner Ortega currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Member - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; Chair - Regional Rail Authority; member - Audit Committee; member - Budget Committee of the Whole; member - Legislative Committee of the Whole; member - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and member - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong is submitting an application for: Member of the Human Services & Education Steering Committee; member of the Education, Children and Families Subcommittee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; and member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
Commissioner Xiong currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - NACo Human Services & Education Steering Committee; Vice-Chair - NACo Education, Children, and Families Subcommittee; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee; member - AMC District X Committee; member - AMC General Government Policy Committee; Presidential Appointment - AMC Housing, Economic Workforce Development Committee; member - East Metro Strong; member - Gold Line Joint Powers Board; member - Metro Gold Line Corridor Management Committee; Vice-Chair - Metro BRONZE Line Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Management Committee; member - Red Rock Corridor; member - Rush Line Task Force; member - Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee; member - Metropolitan Transportation Advisory Board; member - Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative; member - Saint Paul Children’s Collaborative; member - Youth Justice Transformation.
In addition, Commissioner Xiong currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Chair - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; Vice-Chair - Regional Rail Authority; member - Budget Committee of the Whole; member - Legislative Committee of the Whole; member - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; member - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and member - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
Commissioner Kelly Miller is submitting an application for: Member of the Environment, Energy, and Land Use Committee; member of the IT Standing Committee; member of the Large Urban County Caucus; member of the Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee.
Commissioner Miller currently serves on the following national, statewide and regional boards and commissions:
• Member - NACo Environment, Energy & Land Use Steering Committee; member - NACo IT Committee; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus; member - NACo Large Urban County Caucus - Steering Committee; member - AMC District X Committee; member - AMC Environment & National Resources Policy Committee; member - AMC Tribal Relations Committee; member - Metropolitan Conservation Districts Joint Powers Board; member - Metropolitan Emergency Services Board; member- Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Board; member - Minnesota Association of Workforce Boards; member- Northeast Youth and Family Services Board of Directors; member - Ramsey County Dispatch/800 MHz Subsystem Policy Committee; member - Recycling & Energy Board; member - Regional Haulers Licensing Board; member - Workforce Innovation Board.
In addition, Commissioner Miller currently serves in the following Ramsey County positions:
• Member - Housing and Redevelopment Authority; member - Regional Rail Authority; member - Budget Committee of the Whole; member - Legislative Committee of the Whole; member - Operational Excellence Committee of the Whole; member - Intergenerational Wealth and Economic Justice Committee of the Whole; Chair - Justice Transformation; member - Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power; and member - Resident Centered Holistic Support.
end
County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
This board action does not have a direct racial equity impact. However, if the appointments to NACo
leadership positions are successful the appointed Ramsey County Commissioners will seek opportunities to advance racial equity through their work at a national level in addition to the state and local levels.
Community Participation Level and Impact
There is no community engagement involved with this request for board action. Informing the community of this action provides transparency about potential NACo leadership appointments of Ramsey County Commissioners.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this request.
Last Previous Action
On May 20, 2025, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved the candidacy of Commissioners Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong for 2025 National Association of Counties leadership positions (Resolution B2025-097).
Attachments
None.