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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes November 14, 2006 Page 2 1 Ramsey County Commissioner Jan Parker approached the podium to present an update on 2 Ramsey County and discussed the informational and promotional materials, and a map in the 3 packets distributed among the Council. 4 5 Commissioner Parker stated Ramsey County received a AAA bond rating, of which it is very 6 proud of and takes very seriously. She explains the rating ensures the County receives good 7 interest rates on its loans. She stated that out of over 3400 counties in the nation, only 33 8 counties received this recognition. 9 10 Commissioner Parker reported in past the Ramsey County Library System had previously been 11 rated in the top ten in the nation and last year it moved up to the top five. She explained the 12 closest libraries to St. Anthony are in Arden Hills and Mounds View. She started last year the 13 Roseville library had the largest circulation in the state. 14 15 Commissioner Parker presented budget highlights for Ramsey County. She stated the County 16 continues to attempt to keep property taxes down. She reported the overall budget increase for 17 2007 is a two percent in expenditures and revenue, however, the tax increase is 5.5 percent due 18 to a decrease in federal funding. She reported a large cut was made to the human services area. 19 Commissioner Parker stated Ramsey County eliminated most of the human services functions 20 from the budget, cutting about $1.2 million, but had to increase taxes by $1.5 million to keep its 21 level of services. 22 23 Commissioner Parker reported a new 800 mega hertz radio system impacted the budget in 2006. 24 She stated she realized St. Anthony is not part of this system as they participate with Hennepin 25 County, however the two systems communicate with each other. She explained the 26 interoperability between Hennepin and Ramsey Counties is important. Commissioner Parker 27 explained the project cost Ramsey County about $36.5 million, with the city of Mounds View 28 being the first to come on line with other cities to follow. She stated Ramsey County built the 29 backbone of the system and subsidized the radios for the City at $2000 per radio, but the cities 30 would pay operating costs. 31 32 Commissioner Parker reported the entire city of St. Anthony, including residents in Hennepin 33 County, participated in the yard waste site. She explained the service is free for Ramsey County 34 residents and the City of St Anthony paid for those residents in Hennepin County to use the 35 services. She stated there had been a lot of participation by Hennepin County residents. 36 37 Commissioner Parker discussed the work Ramsey County has undertaken so as not to not be 38 caught unprepared regarding a pandemic flu epidemic. She stated Ramsey County Public Health 39 worked with cities throughout the County to make sure they are prepared. She invited the St. 40 Anthony City Council to participate in a tabletop exercise with the Ramsey County League of 41 Local Governments in the next year. She mentioned the Ramsey County Board took part in a 42 similar exercise and found ways to see where gaps might exist in the system. 43 44 Commissioner Parker mentioned the Ramsey County hazardous waste site. She stated the 45 County Board took action to encourage communities to come up with a uniform ordinance 46 regarding the clean up of meth.