Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Meeting – June 23, 2026

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on June 23, 2026, at 9:01 a.m. in Council Chambers at the Courthouse, with all seven commissioners present: Chair Ortega, Commissioners Jebens-Singh, McGuire, McMurtrey, Miller, Moran, and Xiong. Also present were County Manager Ling Becker and Civil Division Director Jada Lewis. The meeting adjourned at 10:10 a.m. following a unanimous vote on all items, including approval of the agenda, minutes, administrative items, and an ordinance.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda of June 23, 2026 (Item 2026-230): Approved unanimously by roll call vote (7 ayes).
• Minutes of June 16, 2026 (Item 2026-231): Approved unanimously by roll call vote (7 ayes).

Discussion Items

• Lease Agreement with Meridian Behavioral Health, LLC dba EOSIS (Item 2026-184): Approved via Resolution B2026-080. The lease covers 17,300 usable square feet at 402 University Avenue East, St. Paul, for the period July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028. Commissioner Moran questioned the continuity of services, self-referral options, and financial accessibility. County Manager Becker and Dr. Thompson confirmed that the provider will operate with a sliding scale fee starting at zero, ensuring no one is turned away due to lack of insurance or inability to pay, and that self-referral (walk-in, phone) will be available. Commissioner Moran expressed support for the continuity of service to the community. Motion by Moran, seconded by Miller; passed 7-0.
• Minnesota Council on Local Results and Innovation’s Performance Measurement Program (Item 2026-226): Approved via Resolution B2026-081. The board ratified the county’s continued participation and the submission of an annual report to the Office of the State Auditor, due July 1, 2026. The report includes 10 measures selected from 27 state-offered options, with a $25,000 incentive for participation. Deputy Chief of Staff Andrew Greenley presented the report, noting that data are drawn from internal and state sources, not new surveys. Commissioners discussed the value of consistent measures for year-to-year comparison (Commissioner McGuire), the data’s role in informing county strategic priorities (Commissioner Jebens-Singh), and the need to avoid extracting data from communities (Commissioner Miller). County Manager Becker highlighted alignment with the county’s biennial budget performance metrics and community indicators, such as low birth weight rates and WIC access. Motion by Moran, seconded by Xiong; passed 7-0.
• Salary Schedule and Grade for New Job Classifications (Item 2026-232): Approved via Resolution B2026-079. The board approved salary schedules for two new unrepresented classifications: Occupational Safety and Compliance Administrator (Grade 102A, Schedule 37, annual salary range $77,262.62–$115,893.94) and Safety Officer (Grade 102A, Schedule 35, annual salary range $74,290.99–$111,436.48). Motion by Miller, seconded by Xiong; passed 7-0.
• Adopt Proposed Ramsey County Commissioner’s Salary Ordinance for 2027 (Item 2026-212): Approved via Resolution B2026-082. Motion by Xiong, seconded by Miller; passed 7-0.

County Connections

County Manager Ling Becker provided updates:

• The sixth annual Midway Job Fair will be held on June 30, 2026, at Allianz Field, in partnership with Workforce Solutions, the Workforce Board, and Minnesota United. Last year’s fair drew 700 attendees; this year 40 employers will be on site.
• The Heading Home Ramsey youth advisory board will participate in the Twin Cities Pride Festival on June 27–28 at Loring Park, focusing on youth homelessness and housing stability.
• Ramsey County is hosting 31 Right Track interns this summer, including Right Track Scholars (second year). The interns introduced themselves, sharing their departments (e.g., property management, parks and rec, library, public works, county attorney, public health) and career interests. A group photo was taken.

Outside Board and Committee Reports

Commissioners reported on recent activities:

• Commissioner Moran attended numerous Juneteenth celebrations, including the Black Excellence event with staff, Rondo Center, and the Anika Foundation at the Capitol. She received the Community Jiro Award. She also noted meetings with the YWCA and highlighted the importance of community engagement in county work.
• Commissioner Miller hosted in-district hours, attended the NYFS annual board meeting, walked in the White Bear Lake Maniotos Days Parade, and completed workforce board training (MOB). She also attended the Twins Native American Heritage Night.
• Commissioner McMurtrey attended Juneteenth events (Black Excellence, 30,000 Feet, Black Mnificent), met with Beacon Interfaith housing advocates, and participated in the JIP Tech (Joint Property Tax Advisory Committee) meeting with St. Paul and school district representatives. He previewed the Hmong International Freedom Festival (June 27–28, expected 50,000 attendees) and Como Como Pride event.
• Commissioner Jebens-Singh attended the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce update on Arden Hills/Shoreview economic development, toured Tubman East (domestic abuse services), had a compliance/ethics check-in, and spoke at the Special Olympics torch run. He also noted the quashing of federal subpoenas against local elected officials and called for independent investigations into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pready.
• Commissioner McGuire reported on the MELSA (Metropolitan Library Service Agency) meeting, where a preliminary budget was approved and e-book pricing legislation discussed. He highlighted Rosefest events (Roseville) and the importance of advisory board appointments.
• Commissioner Xiong attended Juneteenth events, the Boys Totem Town tour, and the TAB (Transportation Advisory Board) meeting, which approved the 2050 transportation policy plan amendment (including Bronze Line and J Line) and discussed EV charging needs. She also thanked the county manager for JIP Tech leadership.

Key Outcomes

• All six agenda items (Items 1–6) were approved unanimously by roll call votes, with resolutions B2026-079 through B2026-082 recorded.
• The lease with Meridian Behavioral Health/EOSIS was approved, ensuring continued detox and withdrawal management services with a sliding-scale fee and self-referral options.
• The performance measurement program participation and report submission were ratified, with a commitment to post the report on the county’s open data portal.
• New salary schedules were established for two safety-related job classifications.
• The 2027 commissioner salary ordinance was adopted.
• County Connections highlighted upcoming community events and the 2026 Right Track intern cohort.
• No board chair update was provided.