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Record of Proceedings

Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – May 26, 2026

Board of Commissioners & Authorities — Tuesday, May 26, 2026
BodyRamsey County, Minnesota
SessionBoard of Commissioners & Authorities
DateTuesday, May 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:44:26

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0:06

Okay, there we go.

0:08

Sorry, everyone.

0:10

Chapin Singh.

0:12

Here.

0:12

McGuire.

0:13

Here.

0:14

McMurtry.

0:15

Here.

0:15

Miller.

0:16

Here.

0:16

Moran.

0:17

Here.

0:18

Young.

0:18

Here.

0:19

And Ortega.

0:20

Here.

0:22

Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:24

Our Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America.

0:29

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:32

One nation under God.

0:34

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:44

Land acknowledgement Commissioner Jean.

0:48

Thank you, Mr.

0:48

Chair.

0:49

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

1:00

Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life.

1:06

And some have lived on this land since time immemorial.

1:09

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

1:17

We are standing on the ancestral lands of the Dakota people.

1:21

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

1:27

We pay respects to their elders, past and present.

1:31

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.

1:40

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

1:48

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

1:52

Thank you.

1:54

Thank you.

1:57

We now have a proclamation for Asian agenda.

2:03

Oh, I am so sorry.

2:05

Yeah.

2:07

I'll entertain a motion on the agenda of May 26, 2026.

2:14

Second.

2:15

Any discussion?

2:17

Roll call.

2:18

Zhang.

2:19

Aye.

2:19

Chabin Singh.

2:20

Aye.

2:21

McGuire.

2:22

Aye.

2:22

McMurtry.

2:23

Aye.

2:24

Miller.

2:24

Aye.

2:25

Moran.

2:25

Aye.

2:26

And Ortega.

2:27

Aye.

2:27

I'll entertain a motion on the minutes of May 19th, 2026.

2:32

So no discussion, roll call.

2:36

Zhang.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety█████████████████████21%
Community Engagement███████████████████19%
Economic Development████████████████16%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████8%
Procedural████4%
Racial Equity████4%
Mental Health Awareness████4%
Public Safety████4%
Voting Rights███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – May 26, 2026

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners met on May 26, 2026, from 9:05 a.m. to 10:49 a.m. in Council Chambers, Room 300 of the Ramsey County Courthouse. All seven commissioners were present. The board unanimously approved consent items, issued a proclamation for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, advanced a commissioner salary ordinance to a public hearing, approved trail easements, supported nominations for national leadership positions, and committed up to $11 million in local matching funds for the City of Saint Paul’s federal grant application to reconstruct the Eastbound Kellogg RiverCenter Bridge.

Consent Calendar

  • Agenda of May 26, 2026 – Approved by roll call (7-0).
  • Minutes of May 19, 2026 – Approved by roll call (7-0).

Proclamation

  • Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – Commissioners McGuire and Xiong presented the proclamation, declaring May 26, 2026 as AANHPI Heritage Month in Ramsey County. Members of the county’s Asian Descent Network accepted, highlighting the importance of safe spaces and community solidarity.

Discussion Items

  • Recognition of County Engineer Brad Estosian – County Manager Becker introduced Brad Estosian, recipient of the national David P. Brand Safety Award from the National Association of County Engineers. Speakers from Washington County and the Minnesota County Engineers Association praised his career contributions to roadway safety. Estosian thanked his family and colleagues.
  • Proposed Commissioner Salary Ordinance for 2027 – The board voted to waive the first reading and set a public hearing for June 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers. Motion passed unanimously (7-0). Resolution B2026-065.
  • Vadnais-Snail Lakes Regional Park Trail Easements – The board approved three temporary construction and permanent easement agreements with private residents (Wesley and Tara Crouch, $37,000; Lawrence and Tammy Swope, $4,800; Cynthia Segura and David Hodgson, $1,800) and two agreements with the City of Shoreview for trail segments. Authorized the Chair and County Manager to execute. Motion passed unanimously (7-0). Resolutions B2026-066 and B2026-067.
  • Support for NACo 2026 Leadership Nominations – The board expressed support for the candidacy of each commissioner for various National Association of Counties committees. Motion passed unanimously (7-0). Resolution B2026-068.
  • Support for City of Saint Paul’s Bridge Investment Program Grant Application – The board approved a letter of support and committed up to $11 million from county transportation funds as a local match for reconstructing the 90-year-old, structurally deficient Eastbound Kellogg RiverCenter Bridge. Presenters from Ramsey County Public Works and the City of Saint Paul described the project as nearly 100% designed, critical for downtown connectivity, and aligned with the Building Stronger Together economic development strategy. Commissioners discussed the project’s urgency (federal deadline May 28), funding proportions, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and the need for cooperative agreements. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). Resolution B2026-069.

External Reports and Board Chair Update

  • Commissioners reported on community events, including mental health awareness, the ongoing impacts of Operation Metro Surge, a tour of supportive housing at Kimball Court, Memorial Day observances, and visits to other cities’ riverfront parks. Commissioner McGuire noted a transportation advisory board discussion on speed cameras. Chair Ortega reported on a meeting with a county chair regarding data centers. No formal actions were taken.

Key Outcomes

  • All consent items and administrative resolutions passed unanimously (7-0).
  • Proclamation for AANHPI Heritage Month adopted.
  • Public hearing for the 2027 Commissioner Salary Ordinance scheduled for June 16, 2026.
  • Up to $11 million committed as local match for the Kellogg Bridge grant, contingent on federal selection and future approval of funding agreements.
  • Board workshops on the 2026 legislative session and economic development (RiversEdge and Rice Creek Commons) were scheduled to follow the meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, there we go. Sorry, everyone. Chapin Singh. Here. McGuire. Here. McMurtry. Here. Miller. Here. Moran. Here. Young. Here. And Ortega. Here. Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Our Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Land acknowledgement Commissioner Jean. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, 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 homes in hope of a better life. And some have lived on this land since time immemorial. Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We are standing on the ancestral lands 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. 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 here together today. And please join us in uncovering such truths at any and all public events. Thank you. Thank you. We now have a proclamation for Asian agenda. Oh, I am so sorry. Yeah. I'll entertain a motion on the agenda of May 26, 2026. Second. Any discussion? Roll call. Zhang. Aye. Chabin Singh. Aye. McGuire. Aye. McMurtry.

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