15 West Kellogg Blvd.  
Saint Paul, MN 55102  
651-266-9200  
Board of Commissioners  
Minutes  
February 3, 2026 - 9 a.m.  
Council Chambers - Courthouse Room 300  
The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 9:06 a.m. with the following  
members present: Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Xiong and Chair Ortega. Also  
present were Ling Becker, County Manager, and Jada Lewis, Civil Division Director, Ramsey County  
Attorney's Office.  
ROLL CALL  
Present:  
Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  
Presented by Commissioner Moran.  
Agenda of February 3, 2026 is Presented for Approval  
2026-047  
1.  
Sponsors: County Manager's Office  
Approve the agenda of February 3, 2026.  
Commissioner Xiong motioned to amend the agenda to add RBA 2026-061: Ramsey County  
Board Resolution Condemning Operation Metro Surge and Supporting the Federal Response  
Action Team. Motioned by Xiong, seconded by Moran. Motion passed.  
Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Motion passed as amended.  
Aye:  
Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong  
Minutes from January 27, 2026 are Presented for Approval  
2026-048  
2.  
Sponsors: County Manager's Office  
Approve the January 27, 2026 Minutes.  
Motion by McGuire, seconded by Moran. Motion passed.  
Aye:  
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS  
Designation of County State Aid Highway Mileage on Century Avenue from  
Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong  
2026-040  
3.  
I-694 to County Road E  
Sponsors: Public Works  
1. Establish, locate, and designate Century Avenue/East County Line Road, between the  
north ramp of Interstate 694 and County Road E, as County State Aid Highway 72,  
subject to the approval of the Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation.  
2. Authorize and direct the Chief Clerk to forward two certified copies of this resolution to  
the Commissioner of Transportation.  
Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.  
Aye: Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong  
Resolution: B2026-023  
Ramsey County Board Resolution Condemning Operation Metro Surge and  
Supporting the Federal Response Action Team  
2026-061  
4.  
Sponsors: Board of Commissioners  
1. Condemns the aggressive tactics used by immigration enforcement agents and mourns  
the loss of life, physical injury, and community trauma resulting from Operation Metro  
Surge.  
2. Denounces the violent and unconstitutional actions taken by U.S. Immigration and  
Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, acknowledge the fear and trauma these  
actions have caused in local communities, and affirm the County’s commitment to  
upholding constitutional rights and public safety.  
3. Calls on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to immediately cease and  
permanently end Operation Metro Surge.  
4. Condemns the preventable and brutal killing of Renee Nicole Good - a 37-year-old U.S.  
citizen who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026 and  
Alex Pretti - a 37-year-old U.S. citizen also fatally shot by two ICE agents in Minneapolis  
on January 24, 2026.  
5. Requests an independent or parallel investigation to be conducted by the Minnesota  
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Force Investigations Unit (FIU) to ensure  
transparency, accountability, and public trust.  
6. Urge strong and humane protection of our borders while ensuring clear, consistent, and  
fair pathways to citizenship for refugees, asylum seekers, and others seeking safety  
and opportunity.  
7. Calls for due process for all individuals who have been detained, the full release of all  
unlawfully detained, including children, and reunification of families.  
8. Directs the County Manager to establish a structured and coordinated response to  
Operation Metro Surge, including but not limited to the following actions:  
a. Utilize legal resources to ensure Ramsey County parks and recreational parking  
lots and property are not improperly appropriated by the Department of  
Homeland Security.  
b. Lead ongoing efforts through Federal Response Action Team encompassing  
both operational and legislative efforts, to pursue the following outcomes and  
provide weekly updates to Commissioners on work including:  
i. Partnering with trusted community organizations to provide eviction  
prevention and food security.  
ii.Finding additional ways for residents to access county services with  
virtual options similar to COVID response.  
iii.  
Developing a cohesive communications strategy for the County  
workforce, subsidiaries, and partners for the purpose of aligned and  
accurate messaging and to mitigate inaccurate information.  
iv. Continue to train staff on immigration enforcement interactions.  
v.Review policies and procedures to identify adjustments needed to  
protect the safety, well-being, and rights of clients, workers, partners,  
and residents including installation of signage reflecting parking lots are  
for designated county activities only.  
vi. Continue to plan for and mitigate long term mental health and  
economic impacts to the community.  
c. Evaluate opportunities to utilize and leverage the county’s Alternative Response  
Initiative.  
d. Share reporting resources for employees to report unconstitutional or unlawful  
activity that impact the safety, well-being, and rights of community.  
e. Provide high-level periodic updates on county impacts of Operation Metro Surge  
to members of the Ramsey County Congressional delegation.  
f. Engage government partners to assess the impacts of Operation Metro Surge  
and plan responses to future federal agent deployments.  
Discussion can be found on archived video.  
Motion by Xiong, seconded by Miller. Motion passed.  
Aye: Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Ortega, and Xiong  
Resolution: B2026-024  
COUNTY CONNECTIONS  
Presented by County Manager, Ling Becker. Discussion can be found on archived video.  
OUTSIDE BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS  
Discussion can be found on archived video.  
BOARD CHAIR UPDATE  
No updates.  
ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Ortega declared the meeting adjourned at 10:26 a.m.  
CLOSED MEETINGS  
Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 13D.05, subdivision 3(b) in order to discuss the 3M campus property  
tax litigation. Ramsey County Board met in a closed meeting, which was not open to the public.  
In Re: 3M Campus Property Tax Litigation  
The Closed Meeting was called to order at 10:40am  
Present: Commissioners Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Xiong, and Chair  
Ortega.  
Also present: Ling Becker, County Manager; Alex Kotze, Chief Financial Officer, Finance, Kari  
Collins, Deputy County Manager, Economic Growth and Community Investment Service  
Team, Patrick Chapman, County Assessor, Corey Erickson, Deputy County Assessor,  
County Assessor’s Office, Jada Lewis, Civil Division Director, Ramsey County  
Attorney’s Office, Mandy Malecek, Enterprise Risk Manager, Compliance and Ethics  
Office, Marcelo Neblett, Assistant County Attorney, Ramsey County Attorney’s Office,  
Rachel, Aburime, Assistant County Attorney, Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, Tracy  
West, Director, Property Tax, Records, and Election Services, and Jason Yang, Chief  
Clerk, County Manager’s Office.  
Motion by Commissioner Xiong, seconded by Commissioner Miller. Unanimously approved. The  
Board of Ramsey County Commissioners resolved to: 1) Approve outside valuation experts  
and the budget proposed in the February 3, 2026 Closed Session in accordance with the  
procedure set out in Resolution 2005-238. 2) Authorize the County Manager to establish a  
project account number for the 3M campus tax litigation matter. 3) Authorize the County  
Manager to transfer funds to the project account number to cover costs associated with the 3M  
Campus Property Tax Litigation (Resolution B2026-025).  
The closed meeting was adjourned at 11:13am.  
Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 13D.05, subdivision 3(b) in order to discuss Federal Operations  
Update - Adult Detention Center. Ramsey County Board met in a closed meeting, which was not open  
to the public.  
In Re: Federal Operations Update - Adult Detention Center  
The Closed Meeting was called to order at 1:34 p.m.  
Present: Commissioners Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, Xiong, and Chair  
Ortega.  
Also present: Ling Becker, County Manager; Jada Lewis, Civil Division Director, Ramsey County  
Attorney’s Office; Gloria Reyes, Deputy County Manager, Safety and Justice Service  
Team; Maria Sarabia, Chief of Staff, County Manager’s Office; Jason Yang, Chief  
Clerk, County Manager’s Office.  
The Board of Ramsey County Commissioners authorized the Ramsey County staff to proceed as  
discussed in this closed meeting.  
The closed meeting was adjourned at 2:55 p.m.