15 West Kellogg Blvd.

Saint Paul, MN 55102

651-266-9200

Board of Commissioners

Agenda

December 17, 2024 - 9 a.m.

Council Chambers - Courthouse Room 300

ROLL CALL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2024-280

2024-281

Agenda of December 17, 2024 is Presented for Approval

Sponsors: County Manager's Office

Approve the agenda of December 17, 2024.

Minutes from December 3, 2024 are Presented for Approval

Sponsors: County Manager's Office

Approve the December 3, 2024 Minutes.

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

2024-672

2024-640

Food and Beverage Expense Policy Annual Threshold Increase

Sponsors: Finance

Approve an increase to the Food and Beverage Policy annual threshold to $100,000.

Reappointment of the Ramsey County Medical Examiner and Agreement

for Forensic Services

Sponsors: Medical Examiner

1. Reappoint Kelly Mills, M.D. as the Medical Examiner of Ramsey County from January 1,

2025 through December 31, 2026.

2. Approve the agreement with Kelly Mills, DBA River Valley Forensic Services, PA, for a

two-year period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026 in accordance with the

rates established in the agreement.

3. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.

2024-678

Healing Streets Individual Support Funds Placement in Project Budget

Sponsors: Public Health, County Manager's Office

Authorize the County Manager to establish a project budget for the Healing Streets individual

support funds in an amount up to $500,000 in the Public Health budget.

2024-648

Grant Agreement with the Department of Human Services for the Mental

Health Innovation Grant

Sponsors: Social Services

1. Ratify the submittal of the grant application to the Department of Human Services for the

Mental Health Innovation Grant.

2. Accept a grant award and approve a grant agreement with the Department of Human

Services for Mental Health Services for the period of January 1, 2025, through December

31, 2026, in the amount of $817,406.

3. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the grant agreement.

4. Authorize the County Manager to execute amendments to the grant agreement in the

form approved by the County Attorney’s Office.

2024-666

Certification of Property Assessed Clean Energy Charges for Energy

Improvements

Sponsors: Community & Economic Development

1. Request the County Auditor to amend the existing special assessment plus interest on

the following property:

Owner: IVP St. Paul MF Conversion, LLC

Property Address: 386 Wabasha Street North, Saint Paul, MN 55102

PIN: 06-28-22-12-0033

Project Type: Roof, lighting, building envelop, energy efficiency Heating, Ventilation

and Air Conditioning improvements

Assessment Request: $15,789,000

Interest Rate: 8.56 %

Interest Starts Accruing: 01/01/2026

Finance Period: 29 years

Such assessments shall be payable in equal annual principal and interest

installments extending over the term of the special assessment. The first of the

installments shall be payable with general property taxes in 2024, and shall bear

interest at the rates per annum and interest start date stated above, and to the first

installment shall be added interest on the entire assessment from the interest start

date until December 31 of the tax payable year to which the first installment will be

extended, and to each subsequent installment, when due, shall be added interest for

one year on all unpaid installments and to each installment shall also be added the

special assessment administration fee required by Minnesota Statutes section

429.061, subdivision. 5.

2. Direct the Chief Clerk to send a certified copy of this Resolution to the County

Auditor to amend the assessment for IVP St. Paul MF Conversion, LLC on the

property tax lists of the county.

2024-626

2025 Parks Capital Project Accounting

Sponsors: Parks & Recreation

Authorize the County Manager to establish project budgets for the following in the Parks and

Recreation Department:

a. Natural Resources Habitat Restoration and Maintenance

b. Parks & Trails Signage

c. Bituminous Paving & Maintenance Parks & Recreation

d. Regional Park Playground Maintenance and Redevelopment

2024-651

2025 Utilization Guidelines for Soil and Water Conservation District Aid

Sponsors: Parks & Recreation

1. Approve utilization guidelines for Soil and Water Conservation District Aid for Ramsey

County.

2. Direct Parks & Recreation department to post the utilization guidelines on the county’s

public website.

2024-481

10.

11.

Capital Improvement Program Contingent Request for the Juvenile and

Family Justice Center Elevator Modernization Project

Sponsors: Property Management

Authorize the County Manager to allocate up to $613,000 from the Capital Improvement

Program Contingent Fund Balance to the Juvenile and Family Justice Center Elevator

Modernization Capital Improvement Program project budget.

2024-503

Agreement with Construction Results Corporation for the Juvenile and

Family Justice Center Elevator Modernization Project

Sponsors: Property Management

1. Approve the selection of and agreement with Construction Results Corporation, 5465

Highway 169 North, Plymouth, MN 55442, for the Juvenile and Family Justice Center

Elevator Modernization project, for the period of December 18, 2024 through December

17, 2027, in the not-to-exceed amount of $2,701,040.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.

3. Authorize the County Manager to execute amendments to the agreement in accordance

with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within

the limits of available funding.

2024-597

12.

Women, Infants, and Children New Brighton Clinic Space Improvement

Project Budget

Sponsors: Property Management

1. Authorize the County Manager to account for the Women, Infants, and Children New

Brighton Clinic Space Improvement project as a budgeted project in Property

Management.

2. Authorize the County Manager to transfer up to $152,250 from Public Health operating

funds to the Women, Infants, and Children New Brighton Clinic Space Improvement

project budget for project activities.

2024-663

13.

Easement Agreement with Wedum Albion, LLC and Wedum Lexington,

LLC for Lexington Parkway Private Sky Bridge

Sponsors: Public Works

1. Approve the Lexington Parkway Private Sky Bridge Easement Agreement.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the Lexington Parkway Private Sky

Bridge Easement Agreement.

3. Request that a copy of the fully executed easement agreement be filed with the County

Recorder’s Office.

2024-682

14.

Reallocation of Riverview Corridor Funds

Sponsors: Public Works

1. Direct Public Works staff to develop a refined transportation improvement plan utilizing

Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority Property Tax Levy and Ramsey County

Local Option Sales Tax funds previously identified for the Riverview Corridor.

2. Direct Public Works staff to develop a detailed transit and transportation investment

plan based upon the reallocation of Riverview Corridor funds consistent with the

investment categories presented at the November 19, 2024, board workshop for

Ramsey County board discussion and approval in the Spring of 2025.

2024-685

15.

Transfer of Ramsey County Transit and Transportation Improvement

Funds for Union Depot Facility Improvements

Sponsors: Public Works

1. Authorize the County Manager to transfer up to $3,000,000 from Ramsey County

Transit and Transportation Improvement fund balance to the 2025 Union Depot

operating budget for operational and capital maintenance costs for near-term

improvements.

2. Authorize the County Manager to establish a project budget for Union Depot Facility

Improvements of up to $6,000,000, utilizing up to $3,000,000 of Transit and

Transportation Improvement fund balance and up to $3,000,000 of Ramsey County

Regional Railroad Authority fund balance in the Union Depot operating budget.

3. Authorize the County Manager to account for the operational and capital maintenance

costs in the Union Depot operating budget.

2024-665

16.

Amendments to Administrative Code - Emergency Management and

Homeland Security Department

Sponsors: Emergency Management & Homeland Security

1. Approve amendments to the Administrative Code to incorporate the Emergency

Management and Homeland Security department.

2. Direct the Chief Clerk to the County Board to amend the Administrative Code to reflect

approved amendments.

2024-688

17.

2025 Salary Rate for the Ramsey County Attorney

Sponsors: County Attorney's Office

1. Set the annual salary for the elected Ramsey County Attorney at $223,930 to be

effective the first full pay period following January 1, 2025.

2. Authorize the continuation of the contribution to deferred compensation for the elected

County Attorney consistent with the American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees Local 8 Assistant County Attorneys agreement.

3. Authorize the continuation of the administrative allowance of $110 per month.

4. Authorize the continuation of the transportation allowance of $150 per month.

5. Authorize the continuation of the cell phone/wireless service allowance of $55 per

month.

2024-660

18.

2025 Salary Rate for the Ramsey County Sheriff

Sponsors: Sheriff's Office

1. Set the annual salary for the Ramsey County Sheriff at $186,706 effective January 1,

2025.

2. Authorize the continuation of the contribution to deferred compensation consistent with

that approved for non-represented employees for 2025.

3. Authorize the continuation of the uniform/clothing allowance of $1,375 for 2025.

2024-667

19.

Agreements for Law Enforcement Services and Public Safety Services

Sponsors: Sheriff's Office

1. Approve the agreements for law enforcement and public safety services with the cities

of Arden Hills, Little Canada, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, and the

township of White Bear for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreements.

3. Authorize the County Manager to use Law Enforcement Services Fund fund balance for

the purpose of year-end reconciliation at fiscal close to reconcile actual costs for

services provided to the Contract Communities under these agreements.

2024-668

20.

Amendment to the Agreement with the City of Falcon Heights for Law

Enforcement and Public Safety Services

Sponsors: Sheriff's Office

1. Approve the amendment to the agreement with the city of Falcon Heights for law

enforcement and public safety services for a two-month period of January 1, 2025

through February 28, 2025.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.

2024-670

21.

Seventh Amended Joint Powers Agreement of the Ramsey County Violent

Crime Enforcement Team

Sponsors: Sheriff's Office

1. Approve the Seventh Amended Joint Powers Agreement of the Ramsey County Violent

Crime Enforcement Team between Ramsey County and the cities of Maplewood, New

Brighton, Roseville, Saint Paul, White Bear Lake, Mounds View, and Saint Anthony for

the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, and will automatically renew

for two additional one-year periods, through December 31, 2027.

2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the Joint Powers Agreement.

2024-664

22.

23.

Gift Acceptance for the 2024 Commissioner Travel Expenses

Sponsors: Board of Commissioners

Accept the monetary gift of the approximate total amount of $10,556 for 2024 travel related

expenses for Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire, Commissioner Rena Moran, Commissioner

Victoria Reinhardt, and Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong.

2024-673

2024 Budget Adjustments for Overspending in the Ramsey County

Sheriff’s Office

Sponsors: Finance

1. Authorize the County Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to transfer up to

$2,5000,000 to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office budget from general fund fund

balance in 2024.

2. Authorize the County Manager to establish an Operational Staffing Study project

account.

3. Authorize the County Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to transfer $175,000 to

the Office of Safety and Justice from general fund fund balance to conduct an

Operational Staffing Study in the Sheriff’s Office and to account for this work in the

Operational Staffing Study project budget.

2024-674

24.

25.

2024 Budget Adjustments for Overspending in the Ramsey County

Attorney’s Office

Sponsors: Finance

Authorize the County Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to transfer up to $1,000,000 to

the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office from general fund fund balance in 2024.

2024-638

Benefits Policies Compliance Update

Sponsors: Human Resources

Approve updates to Employee Benefits Policies to comply with legislative changes to Earned

Sick and Safe Time Minnesota Statute 181.9445-181.9448, including clarification on previously

approved policies:

1. Section 8.6 Use of Sick Leave

a. Modify “sick leave is authorized” to “sick leave may be authorized,” as the

Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law provides guidelines for proper notice

and documentation requirements that authorize the use of paid sick time.

b. Modify paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) to clarify that sick leave must be

used for qualifying reasons when an employee has available paid sick time. This

change is in alignment with ESST provisions in preparation for MN Paid Family

Medical Leave.

c. Remove the limit of 160 hours from paragraph (c) such that an employee has

access to all paid sick hours for the purpose of providing care to a qualified

family member. This change is in alignment with ESST provisions in preparation

for MN Paid Family Medical Leave.

d. Clarify ‘immediate household’ member in paragraph (e) to be someone who is

not a family member as defined by Minn. Stat. 181.9445. Sick leave for this

purpose may not be compounded with other sick leave in the same instance.

e. Update paragraph (g) to read that employees may use sick leave for the

purpose of bonding with a newborn or adopted child within twelve (12) months of

birth or adoption, rather than six months. This change aligns with FMLA, ESST,

and MN PFML.

f. Revise paragraph (i) to allow up to eighty (80) hours of paid sick time for

bereavement purposes. Clarify that bereavement includes funeral or memorial

services, as well as time needed to address financial or legal matters that arise

out of the death of a loved one.

2. Move up Sections 8.12 Notice for the Use of Sick Leave and 8.13 Documentation for

the Use of Sick Leave to 8.8 and 8.9, respectively, for greater clarity.

3. Section 8.9 Documentation for the Use of Sick Time

a. Add (a) “reasonable documentation may be requested at the discretion of the

appointing officer or Director.”

b. Add (b) “reasonable documentation may only be required if the absence is more

than three (3) consecutive workdays,” per Minn. Stat. 181.9447, subd. 3.

c. Modify paragraph (e) to clarify that paid sick leave may be denied if an employee

fails or refuses to supply sufficient reasonable documentation when required by

the appointing officer or Director.

d. Strike final paragraph that says the documentation requirements of ESST only

apply to seasonal, temporary or intermittent workers. As of May 25, 2024, the

documentation rules of the law apply to paid sick time of full- and part-time

employees. As of January 1, 2025, these rules apply to all paid sick time.

4. Section 8.10 Requirement to Use Paid Sick Time

a. Add a new section that clarifies a common practice whereby employees are

required to use paid sick time when the reason for absence qualifies for paid

sick time, as defined by Section 8.6 and Minn. Stat.181.9447, subd. 1.

b. Add paragraph (a) that allows an employee the option to retain a bank of eighty

(80) hours, rather than exhaust all paid sick time. The option to reserve a bank

of sick hours is listed in the collective bargaining agreements and has been

common practice for unrepresented employees even though it has not been

written in the Benefits Policies.

c. Add paragraph (b) to mirror language in the collective bargaining agreements,

which clarifies that time retained in the employee’s sick bank cannot be used

until they return from leave. This matches the longstanding practice.

d. Add paragraph (c) to mirror language in the collective bargaining agreements,

which clarifies that unused sick leave will be forfeit if the employee does not

return from leave, such that the employee will receive no compensation for those

banked hours. This is also mentioned in Section 12.9 Separation Pay

5. Section 8.11 Advance of Sick Leave

a. Update to comply with ESST requirement that all sick hours advanced to an

employee may be used for any qualifying reason, as defined in Minn. Stat.

181.9447, subd. 1. Qualified uses for sick time are outlined in Section 8.6.

b. Replace “proof of illness” with “reasonable documentation” as outlined in Minn.

Stat. 181.9447, subd. 3.

c. Modify Section 8.6 paragraph (a) to clarify that, if an employee transitions to a

status that is not eligible for sick advance, the employee must repay any

outstanding advanced hours before the transition to the new status is complete.

6. Section 8.12 Use of Other Paid Leave for Sick Leave Purposes

a. Create new section to commit to writing the longstanding countywide practice

whereby an employee may request to use vacation and other accruals upon the

exhaustion of paid sick leave.

b. Clarify that an employee can also request to use other accruals even if they opt

to bank hours.

7. Section 9.1 Eligibility for Sick Leave Without Pay

a. Update language to explain that unpaid sick leave is to be used only for the

health condition of the employee. Unpaid sick leave is not protected under ESST

law.

b. Change “shall” to “may” in paragraph (a) to clarify that a continuous unpaid

medical leave of absence may granted if the employee supplies substantiating

medical documentation.

c. Strike the mention of workers’ compensation from paragraph (a).

d. Add “seasonal” employee status to paragraph (c).

e. Clarify in paragraph (c) that seasonal, intermittent and temporary employees are

ineligible for sick leave without pay, unless otherwise protected by an approved

FMLA status. This has been the longstanding practice but has not been clearly

documented.

8. Section 10 Workers Compensation

a. Modify that employees are required to use paid sick time to supplement wage

replacement benefits to make the employee whole, which is the current practice for

represented employees, and mirrors the updates in Section 8.6.

2024-696

26.

Salary and Benefit Changes for Non-Represented Classified and

Unclassified Employees for 2025, 2026 and 2027

Sponsors: Human Resources

Approve salary and benefit changes for non-represented employees in the classified and

unclassified service of the Ramsey County Personnel System for 2025, 2026 and 2027.

2024-697

27.

Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements with Eight American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Bargaining Units for

the Years 2025, 2026 and 2027

Sponsors: Human Resources

1. Approve the terms of collective bargaining agreements with American Federation of

State County and Municipal Employees Bargaining units for the years 2025, 2026 and

2027:

Local 8 (General County)

Local 8 (Professional)

Local 8 (Public Health Registered Nurses)

Local 151 (Social Services Department, Financial Assistance Services

Department and the Administrative Division of the Health and Wellness Service

Team)

Local 151 (Licensed Practical Nurses)

Local 151 (Workforce Solutions)

Local 707 (Lake Owasso Residence)

Local 1935 (Parks & Recreation)

2. Authorize the Chair and the County Manager, to sign the agreements

incorporating these terms and conditions.

2024-675

28.

Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreement with International Union of

Operating Engineers Local 49 for the Years 2025, 2026 and 2027

Sponsors: Human Resources

1. Approve the terms of collective bargaining agreement with international Union of

Operating Engineers Local 49 for the years 2025 2026 and 2027.

2. Authorize the Chair and the County Manager to execute the agreement incorporating

the terms and conditions.

2024-677

29.

Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreement with Teamsters 320

Correctional Officer IIIs for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027

Sponsors: Human Resources

1. Approve the terms of the collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters 320

Correctional Officer IIIs for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027.

2. Authorize the Chair and the County Manager to execute the agreement.

POLICY ITEM

30. Approval of the 2025 Ramsey County Operating Budget

2024-652

Sponsors: Finance

Approve the 2025 Ramsey County Operating Budget and the 2025 Tax Levy:

1. Approve the 2025 budget of $871,664,841 with all the changes noted in the attached

budget addenda - the 2025 budget is an increase of $63,166,042 or 7.8% over the

2024 approved budget.

2. Approve a continuation of a vacancy factor reduction in department budgets for 2025.

3. Authorize the County Manager to monitor the savings that accrue due to the vacancy

factor and to transfer vacancy factor savings if needed from departments that have

excess savings to departments that need additional funds and to increase estimated

revenues if needed to finance salary related costs due to the vacancy factor.

4. Authorize the County Manager to continue to fund Internal Services Fund for

Employee Health and Dental Insurance to account for health and dental premiums.

5. Authorize the County Manager to move, transfer, or reallocate existing Full Time

Equivalents and budget resources within and between the service teams to support

the service teams in their ability to achieve and implement the County Board’s vision,

mission, goals, and strategic plan.

6. Authorize the County Manager to make all necessary budget adjustments, including

transfers and increasing estimated revenues and expenditures to implement Request

for Board Actions that have been approved by the Ramsey County Board of

Commissioners.

2024-654

31.

Approval of the 2025 Tax Levy

Sponsors: Finance

Approve the 2025 Tax Levy:

1. Approve the 2025 total tax levy of $395,960,717, a 4.75% increase over the 2024 tax

levy. Tax levy statement attached.

2. Adopt a countywide levy on all taxable property of $379,022,184 and a suburban-only

levy for Libraries of $16,938,533 on all taxable property in Ramsey County outside of

the city of Saint Paul, to be levied in the year 2024 and to be collected in the year 2025.

3. Approve the 2025 tax levy of $16,938,533 on suburban properties for libraries to be a

separate line on the property tax statement.

2024-653

32.

Approval of the 2025 Capital Improvement Program Budget and Financing

Sponsors: Finance

1. Approve the 2025 Capital Improvement Program Budget and Financing.

2. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements and contracts and execute

amendments to agreements and contracts in accordance with the County's

procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of the

Capital Improvement Program funding.

ORDINANCE PROCEDURES

2024-447

33.

Adoption of the 2025 Capital Improvement Program Bond Ordinance

Sponsors: Finance

Approve 2025 Capital Improvement Program Bond Ordinance, which sets forth procedure for

issuance of said bonds.

2024-704

34.

Resolution Authorizing the 2025A Bond Sale

Sponsors: Finance

1. Approve the attached resolution providing for the competitive negotiated sale of

approximately $19,500,000 General Obligation Capital Improvement Plan Bonds, Series

2025A including the terms attached thereto.

2. Authorize a general obligation bond sale of up to $19,500,000 of principal.

3. Set February 10, 2025, as the bond sale and award date for proposals received and

report to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners on February 11, 2025.

2024-515

35.

Adoption of the Ramsey County Arts, Culture and Creative Enterprise

Advisory Commission Ordinance

Sponsors: Board of Commissioners, Economic Growth and Community Investment

Adopt the Proposed Ramsey County Arts, Culture and Creative Enterprise Advisory

Commission Ordinance.

PRESENTATION

2024-476

36. Presentation: Update on the Enterprise Resource Planning Replacement

Project

Sponsors: Information Services

None. For information and discussion only.

PROCLAMATION

2024-662

37.

Proclamation: Commissioner Reinhardt Proclamation

Sponsors: Board of Commissioners

COUNTY CONNECTIONS

OUTSIDE BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

BOARD CHAIR UPDATE

ADJOURNMENT

Following County Board Meeting:

10:30 a.m. (est). Housing Redevelopment Authority Meeting, Council Chambers – Courthouse Room

300

10:45 a.m. (est). Regional Railroad Authority Meeting, Council Chambers – Courthouse Room 300

Advance Notice:

December 24, 2024 No county board meeting

December 31, 2024 No county board meeting – 5th Tuesday

January 07, 2025 Annual organizational board meeting – Council Chambers

January 14, 2025 County board meeting – Council Chambers