The Washington County Board of Commissioners continued its review of the county’s recommended 2027 budget in livestreamed and recorded workshops Aug. 4.
At the Aug. 4 workshops, the County Board reviewed the recommended 2027 countywide budget and the budgets for the departments of Accounting and Finance, the Office of Administration, Human Resources, and Information Technology, as well as the Board of Commissioners budget.
The board will continue hearing recommended budget presentations from county departments on the following dates:
• Aug. 11: Public Works, Capital Projects, Metro Transit Gold Line, and the Regional Rail Authority.
• Aug. 18: Community Corrections, Community Services, and Public Health and Environment/the University of Minnesota Extension.
• Aug. 25: Property Records and Taxpayer Services, Library, and Law Library.
• Sept. 1: Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office.
After the department budget presentations, the board will follow a budget process from September through early December, which will include:
• Sept. 22: Setting a preliminary levy.
• Dec. 1: Conducting a public meeting on the proposed 2027 budget and levy.
• Dec. 15: Adopting a budget and property tax levy for 2027, and the capital improvement plan.
The countywide budget recommendation is for a 7.9% levy increase to $160.7 million. If the recommended levy is adopted, the owner of a median-valued home that had a median increase in value in the county would see a $67 increase in the county portion of property taxes for 2027, or a 6.5% increase from 2026. The county has the second-lowest tax rate and the third-lowest property tax levy per capita in the seven-county metro area.
Federal and state cost shifts for mandated programs and services are significantly impacting the recommended 2027 budget. Cost shifts to the county in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act, and Long Term Services and Support (LTSS), along with state grant reductions, total $2,561,350. In all, cost shifts make up 2.38% of the proposed 7.9% levy increase for fiscal year 2027.
The recommended 2027 budget is also being impacted by rising costs of goods and services, inflation, and planned capital investments in county facilities and infrastructure.
The 2027 budget prioritizes the county’s current obligations to the public and employees. It does not fund any new programs. The budget maintains the historical ratio of roughly five employees per 1,000 residents.
The budget includes $39 million for several long-term capital investments in county facilities, including Park Grove Library and R.H. Stafford Library construction, South Environmental Center improvements, and fire safety updates at the Government Center, among others. Road and bridge investments increase from 2026 to $143 million, with the county’s investment in the Public Works South Shop, use of state and federal grants for major road investments, and the increase of the county’s transportation sales tax allocated to road projects. It also includes $6 million in park investments for projects such as the Hardwood Creek Trail extension, the Lake Elmo Park Reserve single-track trail, and capital project planning.
All budget presentations will be found on the county website. Archived livestreamed meetings are available on the county website at WashingtonCountyMN.gov/CountyBoard. Budget documents presented at the workshops are available at WashingtonCountyMN.gov/Budget.
County receives continued funding for embedded 911 crisis response staff
Washington County received a $250,000 Crisis Response Grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Minnesota Office of Justice Programs, to continue funding a full-time crisis response social worker in the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Response Center (ECRC).
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the grant agreement for the period of Aug. 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.
In 2025, the ECRC received 3,183 crisis-related calls, ranging from mental health emergencies to suicide attempts and threats. The social worker completes critical documentation and prepares cases for the Crisis Response Unit. The ECRC’s social worker has conversations with callers experiencing a mental health crisis and discusses the different resources and support available. This allows telecommunicators to stay focused on other emergencies.
Also Aug. 4, the board approved a one to four day temporary on-sale liquor license application and an off-site gambling license Aug. 4 from the Bayport American Legion.
The licenses are for the Yellow Ribbon Field of Bands event on Sept. 12, 2026, at the Washington County Fairgrounds, located in Baytown Township. The off-site gambling application is for conducting pull-tabs during the Annual Yellow Ribbon Field of Bands event.

The county processes all liquor licenses for the townships in the county. The county reviews the liability insurance, and the Sheriff's Office, the County Attorney’s Office, and the Public Health & Environment Department complete compliance/verification checks. Those requirements have all been completed for the liquor license application. The applicant’s license fees pay for the administrative costs of the county's administration, compliance, and verification checks.
Minnesota state law requires county board approval by resolution of permits for organizations to conduct off-site gambling within townships. The County Auditor reviewed the application, and the applicant meets the requirements to conduct pull tab activities. The approved gambling application will now be sent to the State Gambling Board for consideration.

In courthouse news, the board approved a $243,030 contract Aug. 4 with S & B Elevator Inc., doing business as Midwest Elevator & Drilling, to replace the elevator at the Washington County Historic Courthouse in Stillwater.
The Washington County Historic Courthouse, constructed in 1870 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, relies on its existing elevator to provide public access during daily operations, special events, and formal gatherings. The current elevator was installed in early 1986 and has increasingly required difficult-to-obtain replacement parts. Ongoing issues with the controls and general operation can no longer be reliably corrected.
To ensure continued safe, dependable, and accessible service for all visitors, the elevator now requires full replacement. Collaborative Design Group, the county’s architect for this project, has completed plans and specifications that meet county requirements for replacing the elevator system.
The project will include new hydraulics, updated controls, and a replacement cab. Bids were opened on June 30, 2026, and Midwest Elevator & Drilling submitted the lowest of three bids.

In grant awards, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a $333,417.60 grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s 2025 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to support the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management division.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the grant agreement for the period of Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027.
The UASI grant program assists high-threat, high-density urban areas in building and sustaining the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. The grant will fund the county’s Emergency Management planning efforts, equipment, training, and exercises. The grant award does not require a local match.

As for donations, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a $4,000 donation from Prohibition Barbers to support the Shop with a Cop community engagement event.
On Aug. 3, the Sheriff's Office partnered with the Oakdale Police Department to hold a Back to School Shop With a Cop community engagement event at the Oakdale Target.
Prohibition Barbers of Stillwater donated $4,000 in Target gift cards to cover the cost of 10 students to shop for school supplies and other necessities for the upcoming school year. The donation also covered the cost for a special education teacher to shop for items to stock their new classroom.
The Sheriff’s Office invited students nominated by a local elementary school to participate in the event. The school selected students who could use additional help to make the back-to-school season a little less stressful for themselves and their families. The children were paired with deputies from the Sheriff's Office and officers from the Oakdale Police Department to shop for their back-to-school items.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted the donation from Prohibition Barbers Aug. 4.

Also from Aug. 4, the board approved two joint powers agreements Aug. 4 with the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State for 2026 primary and general elections.
The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State is the recount official for any federal or state race part of an election. To be prepared for any primary election recount, the State of Minnesota, acting through its Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, has provided an agreement putting arrangements in place should it become necessary to conduct a recount.
Under the agreements, Washington County will act as a Recount Official designated by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State and will conduct a recount of the votes cast in Washington County and in any additional jurisdiction mutually agreed upon by the county and the state.
The county will be paid four cents for each ballot handled during any recount covered by this agreement, with a minimum payment of $100 if a recount occurs in Washington County.

Closing out the Aug. 4, update from county board, members approved a $182,314 contract with Sunram Construction, Inc. for the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 14 (34th Street North) trail improvement project in Oakdale.
The project will reconstruct the off-road, multi-use trail adjacent to CSAH 14 from Granada Avenue to Hadley Avenue in Oakdale. The existing trail was built in 2006 by the City of Oakdale when the roadway was under state jurisdiction. A recent assessment showed the trail has widespread surface distress and deterioration consistent with the end of pavement life. The existing condition is negatively affecting usability for all trail users and will continue to degrade without reconstruction.
The scope of the proposed project includes removal of the failing trail pavement and installation of new bituminous surfacing along the full length of the segment. Replacing the deteriorated pavement will improve accessibility for individuals using wheelchairs, mobility devices, strollers, and other wheeled equipment. The smoother, ADA-compliant surface will provide a safe and reliable connection between adjacent neighborhoods and local destinations.
Bids for the project were opened on June 23, 2026, with Sunram Construction, Inc. submitting the lowest of four bids.
In addition to the contract, the County Board approved a cooperative agreement with the City of Oakdale defining maintenance responsibilities.