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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole – Safety and Justice Service Team Budget Presentation – September 22, 2025

Board of Commissioners & Authorities — Monday, September 22, 2025

BodyRamsey County, Minnesota

SessionBoard of Commissioners & Authorities

DateMonday, September 22, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 7:09:04

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

4:29

Good morning, everyone.

4:30

I would like to call the um Ramsey County budget committee of the whole to order.

4:38

Today I focus would be on safety and justice service team.

4:44

Um I hope everyone had a great weekend.

4:46

Today would be a long day.

4:49

So I have my coffee, and I hope we're ready.

5:05

The proposed 26-27 budget calls for a levy increase of seven of 9.75 in 2026 and a 7.5 in 2027.

5:18

Meetings and service teams on their 2026-27 budgets are taking place from September the 15th and will go through September the 22nd, which is today.

5:32

The full meeting schedule is available on our public website at Ramsey County.us.

5:38

Today we will hear from the safety and justice service team.

5:43

Each department director will present details on their department priorities and proposed budget, including an overview of major changes and a discussion of how the county values and the county manager Becker's priorities are reflected in their budget.

6:03

After each presentation, I will open up the floor for any questions and discussion by the county board.

6:10

Commissioners are asking a number of questions of our department directors as part of these budget hearings.

6:19

A question and answer link will be added to the county's finance and budget webpage where all of our budget related materials are available to the public.

6:29

The easiest way to find the budget to find the budget materials is to search Ramsey County.us and click the budget information link under popular topics.

6:42

The county board encouraged resident participation in the budget process.

6:47

We want to hear your voices.

6:51

Two public hearings are scheduled.

6:54

Both public hearings will be held in this building with free parking that will be provided to residents who attend in person.

7:03

Residents are also welcome to submit written comments at any time.

7:08

All written comments received are shared with each commissioner.

7:13

Written comments are considered as carefully as comments made verbally in the public hearing.

7:20

You can sign up to comment at a hearing as well as submit written comment on the Ramsey County.us website.

7:29

So the first public hearing is today, Monday, September the 22nd at 5 p.m.

7:38

Parking vouchers will be provided for Victory Ramp located at 344 Wabasha Street.

7:47

Tomorrow on Tuesday, September the 23rd, the board will set the 2026 maximum property tax levy.

7:57

The second public hearing will be held on Thursday, December 11th at 6 p.m.

8:04

Prior to that hearing, residents and business will receive their proposed property tax statement.

8:12

This will include details on the proposed levy for all the taxing jurisdictions, the county, the city, the school board, and others, and provide details on how these proposals impact your property.

8:29

Resident and business owners should look at that information, should look for that information in the mail in mid to late November.

8:39

At a board meeting in November, the board will discuss changes to the 26th and 27 requested by board members, if any.

8:53

On Tuesday, December 16th, the county board will give final approval to the 2026-27 budget, including any changes approved by the committee, and set the final 2026 property tax levy.

9:14

Okay.

9:15

So with that, we're going to begin our public hearing on safety and justice service team.

9:23

And with opening comments from Deputy County Manager Reyes.

9:28

Welcome, Deputy County Manager.

9:34

Good morning, Chair, Commissioners, County Manager Becker, CFO Alex Kutza, colleagues, community partners, and residents of Ramsey County.

9:43

My name is Gloria Reyes, Deputy County Manager for the Safety and Justice Service Team.

9:48

On behalf of the Safety and Justice Service Team, I am pleased to present our 2026-2027 budget.

9:54

Before I begin, I want to pause and thank the entire safety and justice service team directors, County Attorney John Choi and his team, Sheriff Fletcher and his team.

10:04

As you know, preparing these budgets is no small task.

10:08

It requires a tremendous amount of detail, coordination, and foresight.

10:13

A special thank you to our controller Chris Taylor, former controller Holly Pratt, and our accountant Hannah Lamaire, who led our budget preparation for today.

10:23

And a special thank you to our finance team for their support as we transition controllers just as we began our budget process.

10:30

Thank you for your patience and guidance.

10:33

Our team's thoughtful and diligent work has ensured that the proposals before you today reflect not just numbers on a page, but the priorities and values of the residents we serve.

10:56

Sorry.

10:58

Lost my space here.

11:00

This budget reflects both the challenges and the opportunities we face at a pivotal moment for public safety and justice in Ramsey County.

11:08

This budget reflects our continued commitment to public safety through justice system transformation.

11:13

Over the past several years, our justice partners and community have acknowledged that solely relying on traditional approaches to public safety in addressing root causes of violence and quality of life challenges, we're not delivering the results we needed.

11:28

In response, we haven't invested in addressing the root causes of violence, reducing recidivism, and advancing restorative practices.

11:36

Bringing together our law enforcement partners, sheriff's office, county attorney's office, judges, public defender's office, community corrections, social services, public health, and community to develop innovative approaches that addresses the gap that requires trauma-informed reducing harm and upstream solutions.

11:56

With that foundation in mind, I'll walk you through the key elements of the Office of Safety and Justice budget, which you will find on pages 215 through 218.

12:08

The Office of Safety and Justice provides strategic leadership and coordination for Ramsey County Safety and Justice Service Team.

12:14

This team encompasses critical county responsible services that includes emergency management, emergency communications, medical examiner's office, sheriff's office, county attorney's office, and the second judicial district court.

12:29

Through these collaborations, the Office of Safety and Justice works to enhance community safety and well-being by aligning the justice system with community values, strengthening our families, advancing racial equity, and building community resilience.

12:45

As I mentioned in 2026-2027 biennium, the Office of Safety and Justice will continue driving justice system transformation.

12:54

Our major initiatives include sustaining and expanding reform efforts, such as pretrial justice, youth justice system transformation, and appropriate responses for 911 and non-emergency calls.

13:06

While staff staff lead from the Office of Safety and Justice, these efforts reach across multiple county areas, in addition to our elected offices, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and community stakeholders.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Safety██████████████████████████████████████38%

Fiscal Sustainability██████████10%

Procedural████████8%

Budget Equity Analysis████████8%

Youth Programs███████7%

Homelessness█████5%

Public Health█████5%

Community Engagement████4%

Public Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole – Safety and Justice Service Team Budget Presentation – September 22, 2025

The Ramsey County Budget Committee of the Whole met on September 22, 2025, at 9 a.m. to review the proposed 2026-2027 biennial budget for the Safety and Justice Service Team. The meeting featured presentations from the Office of Safety and Justice, Second Judicial District Court, County Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Communications Center, Medical Examiner’s Office, and Emergency Management. Discussions centered on levy increases, personnel costs, program sustainability, and collaboration with partners.

Consent Calendar

No consent calendar items were noted.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were taken during the committee meeting; a separate public hearing was scheduled for 5 p.m. on the same day.

Discussion Items

Office of Safety and Justice (Deputy County Manager Gloria Reyes): Presented a budget reflecting a proposed levy increase of 9.75% in 2026 and 7.5% in 2027. Major changes included $3 million to stabilize the Appropriate Response Initiative (ARI) with 21 positions (14 FTEs in Social Services, 1.5 FTEs in Public Health, 2.5 FTEs in OSJ, plus intermittent staff and ECC positions), $1.6 million for Justice System Transformation (transfer of three FTEs), and $339,524 for interdepartmental service charges. Discussion covered partnership with the City of St. Paul on ARI, evaluation metrics, and sustainable funding models. Commissioner questions focused on pilot program integration, cost savings, and leveraging alternative revenue sources.
Second Judicial District Court (Presented by Deputy County Manager Reyes): The court’s budget is largely driven by mandated state services, including courtroom rent and court-appointed attorneys. Major changes include transferring a managing attorney position (cost: $227,772) and increased costs from settled contracts. The court noted a decline in CHIPS cases due to social service diversion but an increase in complexity. Commissioners questioned state funding and revenue maximization from Title IV-E.
County Attorney’s Office (John Choi): Presented a revised budget after collaborative adjustments, with no change to the total levy. Key investments included $269,000 for a Collaborative Review Team position (reimagined justice for youth), continued funding for BCA expedited testing ($115,000), and resources for the Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act (MAFPA) implementation. Discussion highlighted salary competitiveness, turnover reduction, and the need for state support for mandated services. Commissioner questions addressed grant alignment, technology modernization, and the impact of levy increases on taxpayers.
Sheriff’s Office (Bob Fletcher): Proposed a status quo budget with two new positions for the non-fatal shooting unit and bail reform. Major changes include no vacancy factor, increased personnel costs from labor contracts, body camera costs (~$1 million annually), and $300,000 for community engagement in partnership with the county’s racial health equity administrator. Discussion covered contract cities’ cost structures, Project Bridge (transferring inmates to RCCF), overtime, body camera requirements, and the need for transparent cost allocation. Commissioners requested a breakdown of community engagement spending and a summary of contract city negotiations.
Emergency Communications Center (Dan Palmer): The ECC budget grows from $20.9 million (2025) to $22.7 million (2026) and $23.9 million (2027). Personnel services increase by $1.6 million in 2026, and the budget includes investments in Motorola Assist software ($100,000 in 2027) and AI-enabled non-emergency call handling ($150,000 in 2027). The 60-40 county-city funding model faces challenges due to mid-cycle labor contract adjustments. Future pressures include a $13.1 million upgrade for the ARMOR radio system. Commissioners discussed updating the Joint Powers Agreement and exploring state or federal funding.
Medical Examiner’s Office (Dr. Kelly Mills): The budget adds 1.5 FTEs (one forensic technician and a part-time death investigator) to support a fifth forensic pathologist, with a net cost of $80,393 offset by revenue from contracting with 19 other counties. The office is at risk of exceeding accreditation autopsy limits without additional capacity. Commissioners questioned the contract model for physicians, facility needs, and potential regional partnerships.
Emergency Management and Homeland Security (Judd Freed): The budget emphasizes stabilization, with a 5% increase to $631,978 (2026) and $664,072 (2027). One FTE is shifted from federal grants to the levy to reduce grant dependency, reflecting uncertainty in federal funding (EMPG and Urban Areas Security Initiative). The department is nationally accredited and coordinates continuity planning across all county departments and municipalities. Commissioners highlighted the value of exercises and preparedness, and requested a workshop on emergency management.

Key Outcomes

No formal votes or decisions were taken during the committee meeting; the hearing served as a forum for board discussion and questions.
County Manager Becker committed to providing a detailed breakdown of ARI funding streams and contract city cost summaries.
The board set a schedule for further budget actions: a boundary-setting vote on September 23, 2025; a second public hearing on December 11; and final budget approval on December 16, 2025.
The committee acknowledged the need to address long-term fiscal pressures, including the ECC JPA, ARMOR radio system, and reliance on one-time federal grants.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. I would like to call the um Ramsey County budget committee of the whole to order. Today I focus would be on safety and justice service team. Um I hope everyone had a great weekend. Today would be a long day. So I have my coffee, and I hope we're ready. The proposed 26-27 budget calls for a levy increase of seven of 9.75 in 2026 and a 7.5 in 2027. Meetings and service teams on their 2026-27 budgets are taking place from September the 15th and will go through September the 22nd, which is today. The full meeting schedule is available on our public website at Ramsey County.us. Today we will hear from the safety and justice service team. Each department director will present details on their department priorities and proposed budget, including an overview of major changes and a discussion of how the county values and the county manager Becker's priorities are reflected in their budget. After each presentation, I will open up the floor for any questions and discussion by the county board. Commissioners are asking a number of questions of our department directors as part of these budget hearings. A question and answer link will be added to the county's finance and budget webpage where all of our budget related materials are available to the public. The easiest way to find the budget to find the budget materials is to search Ramsey County.us and click the budget information link under popular topics. The county board encouraged resident participation in the budget process. We want to hear your voices. Two public hearings are scheduled. Both public hearings will be held in this building with free parking that will be provided to residents who attend in person. Residents are also welcome to submit written comments at any time. All written comments received are shared with each commissioner. Written comments are considered as carefully as comments made verbally in the public hearing. You can sign up to comment at a hearing as well as submit written comment on the Ramsey County.us website. So the first public hearing is today, Monday, September the 22nd at 5 p.m. Parking vouchers will be provided for Victory Ramp located at 344 Wabasha Street. Tomorrow on Tuesday, September the 23rd, the board will set the 2026 maximum property tax levy. The second public hearing will be held on Thursday, December 11th at 6 p.m. Prior to that hearing, residents and business will receive their proposed property tax statement. This will include details on the proposed levy for all the taxing jurisdictions, the county, the city, the school board, and others, and provide details on how these proposals impact your property. Resident and business owners should look at that information, should look for that information in the mail in mid to late November. At a board meeting in November, the board will discuss changes to the 26th and 27 requested by board members, if any. On Tuesday, December 16th, the county board will give final approval to the 2026-27 budget, including any changes approved by the committee, and set the final 2026 property tax levy. Okay. So with that, we're going to begin our public hearing on safety and justice service team. And with opening comments from Deputy County Manager Reyes. Welcome, Deputy County Manager. Good morning, Chair, Commissioners, County Manager Becker, CFO Alex Kutza, colleagues, community partners, and residents of Ramsey County. My name is Gloria Reyes, Deputy County Manager for the Safety and Justice Service Team. On behalf of the Safety and Justice Service Team, I am pleased to present our 2026-2027 budget. Before I begin, I want to pause and thank the entire safety and justice service team directors, County Attorney John Choi and his team, Sheriff Fletcher and his team. As you know, preparing these budgets is no small task. It requires a tremendous amount of detail, coordination, and foresight. A special thank you to our controller Chris Taylor, former controller Holly Pratt, and our accountant Hannah Lamaire, who led our budget preparation for today. And a special thank you to our finance team for their support as we transition controllers just as we began our budget process. Thank you for your patience and guidance. Our team's thoughtful and diligent work has ensured that the proposals before you today reflect not just numbers on a page, but the priorities and values of the residents we serve. Sorry. Lost my space here. This budget reflects both the challenges and the opportunities we face at a pivotal moment for public safety and justice in Ramsey County. This budget reflects our continued commitment to public safety through justice system transformation.

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