The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is purchasing a new tool to help train and support its public safety telecommunicators in the Emergency Communications Response Center (ECRC).

The County Board of Commissioners approved a five-year contract with GovWorx, not to exceed $175,000, to purchase CommsCoach. CommsCoach is an AI-enhanced software application designed to support public safety telecommunicator development through real-time performance feedback, skill-building prompts, and scenario-based coaching.

By integrating CommsCoach, the ECRC aims to elevate training quality, promote employee development, reduce performance-related errors, and increase caller satisfaction and responder safety. This tool will also support supervisor efficiency by streamlining coaching documentation and follow-up.

CommsCoach integrates seamlessly with call-taking and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems to deliver:

• Real-time micro coaching during live emergency calls.

• Skill tracking and trend analysis that identify performance strengths and improvement areas across individuals and teams.

• Scenario replay and training reinforcement.

• Alignment with national standards.

The decision to implement CommsCoach follows a thorough vetting process involving the Information Technology Department, the County Attorney’s Office, and the Office of Administration.

Also in county board news from June 17, the Washington County Board proclaimed July as Park and Recreation Month in the county.

The resolution passed June 17 continues “Free Tuesdays,” allowing vehicles to enter Washington County Parks for free on the first non-holiday Tuesday of each month.

Park and Recreation Month highlights the value of parks and trails in Washington County. Parks play a key role in improving quality of life by supporting residents’ health and the county’s economy and environment. They help clean the air and water, protect wildlife, and preserve the natural beauty of the area. Parks also give people a place to enjoy nature, exercise, and improve their mental and emotional well-being, including those with disabilities.

Beyond health benefits, parks and recreation programs strengthen the local economy by raising property values, attracting tourism, and supporting local businesses.

Washington County Parks manages nearly 4,800 acres across eight parks, three regional trails, a conservation area, and the Historic Courthouse. In 2022, these parks welcomed around two million visitors.

The county also offers free park access on select days like Earth Day, National Get Outdoors Day, and the Friday after Thanksgiving, as well as for eligible low-income residents and veterans with service-connected disabilities. For more information about Washington County Parks, events, and programs, visit WashingtonCountyMN.gov/Parks.

As for independent living services, the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved contract amendments with two semi-independent living services providers to continue providing the services through June 2028.

Semi-independent living services (SILS) are services needed by an adult with a developmental disability or related condition(s) to live successfully in the community. The goal of SILS is to support people in ways that enable them to achieve personally desired outcomes and lead self-directed lives. SILS service providers are based on individual choice, meaning if an individual chooses a provider that is not already contracted with Washington County, Washington County will use a lead-county contract or consider a contract with the provider.

The County Board extended the contracts with Outcomes, Inc. and Thomas Allen to provide SILS through June 30, 2028. The contract amendment with Outcomes, Inc. added $45,000 in annual funding for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. The contract amendment with Thomas Allen added $10,000 in annual funding for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028.

The contracts are largely funded by state funds (85%), with the remainder coming from county levy dollars.

As for road related news from County Board, the Stillwater license Center will host driver exams.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division will offer driver exams at Washington County’s Stillwater License Center five days a week through July 31.

The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a lease amendment June 17 with DVS to allow the agency to continue offering driver exam station services five days a week for an additional month. As it currently stands, DVS will return to two days per week at the driver exam station in the Stillwater License Center as of Aug. 1, 2025.

DVS’s existing agreement is a five-year lease beginning Dec. 1, 2021, and continuing through Nov. 30, 2026.

As for road project news from June 17, the Washington County Board approved a construction contract with Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc. (SEH Inc.) and a cooperative cost agreement with the City of Cottage Grove for the County Road 19A – 100th Street realignment project June 17.

Washington County and the City of Cottage Grove completed a study for a southwest arterial alignment through the City of Cottage Grove in 2020. From this study, a phase 1 project from U.S. 61 to Jamaica Avenue was identified as a priority. To date, the project has received $13.67 million in state and federal grants, which have set deadlines to be authorized for construction, or they may be lost. To ensure these deadlines are hit, it is critical to continue engineering of the project to reduce impacts and costs, coordinate with the CPKC Railroad, and begin our environmental review in 2025.

The County and City approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in February 2025 to help guide the project to construction.

The contract with SEH Inc., totaling $678,625.44, is for providing roadway and bridge engineering, topographic survey, utility coordination, CPKC Railroad coordination, and environmental review documentation for the federal and state grant requirements. A request for proposals was issued in March, and the county received five proposals from qualified firms. SEH Inc. was selected as the most qualified consultant.

The City of Cottage Grove had available funding for the project above the $250,000 in the MOU and has agreed to fund $428,626 of this contract to ensure the project can continue to progress. The County Board approved a cooperative cost agreement June 17 for services with SEH Inc. The board also approved a budget amendment shifting $250,000 of budgeted but unspent state aid funds to the project to pay for the county’s portion of the contract.

Also in road news, the Washington County Board approved a $342,420 contract June 17 with Sir Lines-A-Lot LLC for the Washington County 2025 spring latex striping project on roadways in the county.

Lane striping is required on roadways meeting certain width and traffic volume thresholds as outlined in state standards and various federal regulations that require the state to establish such mandates. Many Washington County highways meet these thresholds. Bids for latex striping are requested on an annual basis and were opened this year on May 20.

Washington County also partners with local communities throughout the county for roadway pavement marking. Cities and townships will be able to have their roads striped under Washington County's contract and reimburse the county for those quantities. The contract total includes these anticipated local requests. The amount the county will spend to stripe county roadways under this contract is expected to be less than $342,420.

Also in road project new, the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $2,127,025.58 contract June 17 with OMG Midwest Inc., dba Minnesota Paving & Materials, for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 15 (Manning Avenue) roadway improvement project.

The project will repave CSAH 15 from Trunk Highway 36 to 80th Street in the cities of Stillwater and Grant. It will also include the installation of ADA pedestrian ramps, trail resurfacing, replacement of aging highway signs, and pavement striping.

This section of CSAH 15 sees anywhere from 11,300 to 18,300 cars per day. This section of roadway was last reconstructed and expanded in 2008 and needs pavement resurfacing due to deteriorating pavement conditions on both the roadway and trail surfaces. This project had been planned as part of Washington County’s Pavement Preservation Program.

Bids for the project were opened on May 27, 2025, with OMG Midwest Inc., dba Minnesota Paving & Materials, coming in as the lowest of four bidders. The project is expected to begin at the end of June.

Continuing road related news items, Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $272,461.52 contract one 17 with Stonebrooke Engineering Inc. for preliminary and final design services for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 38 pavement preservation project.

The asphalt roadway and trail pavement will be resurfaced along the CSAH 38 corridor in St. Paul Park, Newport, and St. Paul, with anticipated construction in 2026. The anticipated project scope also includes ADA improvements, stormwater management, signing, and striping.

On March 28, 2025, the county received four proposals from qualified firms to perform design services for this pavement preservation project. Stonebrooke Engineering was selected as the most qualified consultant.

The scope of work includes:

• Project coordination.

• Public and agency involvement.

• Drainage analysis and design.

• ADA design.

• Construction staging and detour planning.

• Completing permit applications.

• Producing construction documents.

• Calculating estimated costs.

The County Board also passed a budget amendment shifting $307,900 in budgeted but unspent state aid funds to the project to pay for the consultant costs.

That’s not all for road news from June 17 County Board.

Also in view, the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $2,380,518 contract June 17 with Bituminous Roadways Inc., for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 13 (Inwood Avenue North) improvement project in Lake Elmo.

The project will repave an approximately two-mile portion of CSAH 13 from CSAH 10 (10th Street North) to CSAH 6 (Stillwater Boulevard North). It will also include stormwater improvements, new turn lanes, replacement of aging highway signs, and pavement striping.

This section of CSAH 13 sees around 12,000 cars per day. It was originally paved in 1964, and different portions of this project area have been overlaid in 1985, 1996, 2005, and 2009. This portion of CSAH 13 needs pavement resurfacing due to deteriorating pavement conditions on the roadway, particularly noticeable degradation of the joints that run across the width of the pavement.

Bids for the project were opened on May 20, 2025, with Bituminous Roadways Inc. coming in as the lowest of four bidders. Project construction is expected to begin this year.

Closing out the June 17 update from County Board, the Washington County Board of Commissioners and County Auditor convened as the County Board of Appeal and Equalization at 5 p.m., June 17, to conduct its annual review of the value and classification of property in the county.

The date and time of this meeting were shared with the public on valuation statements mailed to each property owner. Individuals who wish to have their appeal heard by the County Board of Appeal and Equalization were asked to register with the County Assessor. Pre-registration allows staff the chance to review the property and provide information to the Board.

This is the first of two meetings of the County Board of Appeal and Equalization required by state law. Property owners were allowed to speak to the Board and present their case.

The second meeting of the Board of Appeal and Equalization will take place on the morning of June 24, 2025. At the second meeting, the Board will review recommendations from staff, ask questions, discuss, and act on each appeal.