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Record of Proceedings

Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Meeting - January 6, 2026

Board of Commissioners & Authorities — Tuesday, January 6, 2026
BodyRamsey County, Minnesota
SessionBoard of Commissioners & Authorities
DateTuesday, January 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 47:23

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
4:25

Here.

4:26

McGuire.

4:27

Here.

4:28

McMurtry.

4:29

Here.

4:29

Miller.

4:30

Here.

4:31

Moran.

4:31

Here.

4:32

Here.

4:33

And Ortega.

4:34

Hi.

4:42

And to the Republic for which the stands.

4:48

Liberty and Justice.

4:54

Let me acknowledge Commissioner Moran.

4:58

Right.

4:59

Good morning.

5:00

Good morning.

5:01

Every community owns its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contribute their hopes, their dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment.

5:12

Some were brought here against their will.

5:14

Some were drawn to leave their distant home in hope of a bill of life.

5:19

And some have lived on this land since time in memorial.

5:24

Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building mutual respect and connections across all barriers of heritage and difference.

5:32

We are standing on the accessoral land of the Dakota people.

5:36

We want to acknowledge the Ojibwe, the Ho Chunk, and the other nations of people who also call this place home.

5:43

We pay respects to their elders, past and present.

5:46

So please take a moment to consider the treaties made by the tribal nations that entitle non-native people to live and work on traditional native lands.

5:56

Consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today.

6:04

And please join us in uncovering such truth at any and all public events.

6:12

Thank you.

6:14

I'll entertain a motion on the agenda of January 6, 2026.

6:19

So move.

6:20

Second.

6:21

See no discussion, roll call.

6:25

Moran.

6:26

Aye.

6:27

Zhang?

6:28

Aye.

6:28

Chabin Singh?

6:29

Aye.

6:30

McGuire?

6:31

Aye.

6:31

McMurtry.

6:32

Aye.

6:32

Miller.

6:33

Aye.

6:33

And Ortega.

6:35

Aye.

6:35

I'll entertain a motion on the minutes of December 16th, 2026 as presented for approval.

6:42

So moved.

6:43

Second.

6:45

You know discussion, roll call.

6:47

Moran.

6:48

Aye.

6:48

Zhang.

6:49

Aye.

6:50

Jabin Singh.

6:51

Aye.

6:51

McGuire.

6:52

Aye.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Public Engagement██████████████████████22%
Affordable Housing███████████████████19%
Community Engagement████████8%
Governance Structure████████8%
Public Health█████5%
Racial Equity████4%
Human Services████4%
Fiscal Sustainability████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Meeting - January 6, 2026

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners met on January 6, 2026, at 9:03 a.m. in Council Chambers, Courthouse Room 300. All seven commissioners were present. The meeting included the election of officers for 2026, adoption of rules and committee assignments, approval of routine administrative items, and discussion of the county's newspaper publication contract. Chair Ortega announced he will not seek reelection in 2026.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the agenda of January 6, 2026 (Motion by Xiong, seconded by McGuire; unanimous 7-0).
  • Approved the minutes from December 16, 2025 (Motion by Miller, seconded by Moran; unanimous 7-0).

Discussion Items

  • Election of Chair for 2026: Commissioner McMurtrey nominated Commissioner Ortega as Chair, seconded by Commissioner Xiong. No other nominations. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-001).
  • Election of Vice-Chair for 2026: Commissioner McGuire nominated Commissioner Xiong as Vice-Chair, seconded by Commissioner Moran. No other nominations. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-002).
  • Rules of Procedure for 2026: Motion by Miller, seconded by Xiong. Adopted unanimously (Resolution B2026-003).
  • Appointments to Standing Committees for 2026: Motion by Jebens-Singh, seconded by Xiong. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-004).
  • Appointments to Outside Boards and Committees for 2026: Motion by McMurtrey, seconded by Miller. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-005).
  • Appointment of Members to the Ramsey County Housing and Redevelopment Authority for 2026: Motion by McGuire, seconded by Jebens-Singh. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-006).
  • Appointment of Members to the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority for 2026: Motion by Miller, seconded by Xiong. Approved unanimously (Resolution B2026-007).
  • Cancellation of Board Meetings in 2026: Approved cancellation of ten meetings (dates listed in agenda). Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Unanimous (Resolution B2026-008).
  • Contract with Press Publications, Inc. for 2026 Newspaper Publications: Awarded contract at rates of $7.05 per column inch for Official Newspaper (Vadnais Heights Press) and $17.73 per column inch for the other newspaper (White Bear Press). Commissioner Moran raised questions about the vendor list diversity and outreach process. County Manager Becker explained the procurement process via DemandStar and the state statute requirement. Commissioner Xiong noted the need for broader awareness of contracting opportunities. Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller. Unanimous (Resolution B2026-009).

County Connections

  • County Manager Ling Becker reported that the county is monitoring potential federal funding impacts on SNAP, HUD Continuum of Care, child care, and emergency management, but services have not yet been affected. She also announced the 10-year anniversary of the Ramsey Washington Recycling and Energy Board (established December 31, 2015), highlighting its success in waste diversion and regional coordination.

Outside Board and Committee Reports

  • Commissioners shared updates on their external activities, including attendance at the inauguration of St. Paul Mayor Khalid Her, volunteering at Catholic Charities, meeting with HRA awardees, and participation in the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Commission. Several commissioners emphasized the importance of cross-jurisdictional collaboration and community engagement.

Board Chair Update

  • Chair Ortega thanked the board and staff and announced that after 32 years on the board, he has decided not to seek reelection in 2026. He stated his commitment to supporting colleagues and staff during the transition year and stressed the need for operational excellence and long-term vision.

Key Outcomes

  • All agenda items were approved unanimously with no dissenting votes.
  • Chair Ortega and Vice-Chair Xiong were elected for 2026.
  • The board adopted the 2026 Rules of Procedure and made committee appointments.
  • Ten board meeting dates were cancelled for 2026.
  • A contract with Press Publications, Inc. was awarded for official newspaper publications in 2026.
  • Chair Ortega announced his retirement at the end of 2026.
  • The meeting adjourned at 9:46 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

Here. McGuire. Here. McMurtry. Here. Miller. Here. Moran. Here. Here. And Ortega. Hi. And to the Republic for which the stands. Liberty and Justice. Let me acknowledge Commissioner Moran. Right. Good morning. Good morning. Every community owns its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contribute their hopes, their dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will. Some were drawn to leave their distant home in hope of a bill of life. And some have lived on this land since time in memorial. Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building mutual respect and connections across all barriers of heritage and difference. We are standing on the accessoral land of the Dakota people. We want to acknowledge the Ojibwe, the Ho Chunk, and the other nations of people who also call this place home. We pay respects to their elders, past and present. So please take a moment to consider the treaties made by the tribal nations that entitle non-native people to live and work on traditional native lands. Consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today. And please join us in uncovering such truth at any and all public events. Thank you. I'll entertain a motion on the agenda of January 6, 2026. So move. Second. See no discussion, roll call. Moran. Aye. Zhang? Aye. Chabin Singh? Aye. McGuire? Aye. McMurtry. Aye. Miller. Aye. And Ortega. Aye. I'll entertain a motion on the minutes of December 16th, 2026 as presented for approval. So moved.

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