 Hello everyone,
I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. Ramsey County continues to respond to the ongoing crisis. To learn about what we are doing at https://www.ramseycounty.us/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-information.
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Since we cannot gather to celebrate this day as we traditionally would, I have shared information below about ways you can celebrate at home.
My physical office remains closed for in person meetings, but my office will continue to serve constituent needs that come up, and will be available via phone (651-266-8359) or email (district2@ramseycounty.us) to answer any inquiries you may have.
I wish you well as you continue adjust to the changes in your life. Please be safe and healthy, and don't forget to wash your hands!
Sincerely,
Mary Jo
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Celebrate Earth Day at upcoming events
Help Clean Up Ramsey County Parks
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by pledging to help clean up Ramsey County's parks April 25 - 26, 2020.
While the county's Earth Day cleanup has traditionally been a large group volunteer event, no formal gathering is required to make a difference this year. Individuals and households are invited to participate by picking up litter at any one of Ramsey County's open parks. A number of preventative health measures have been established for this year's event.
Learn more and register
#ChalkTheTrails
#ChalkTheTrails is an opportunity to do your part to help keep trails clean and chalk your walk with uplifting messages and drawings. You might even win a prize. This program is hosted in partnership with Shoreview Parks & Recreation.
From Roseville Area League of Women Voters
Take every-day actions to protect our water and earth.Small, ongoing actions by many make a difference. Let’s make this an Earth Year, with renewed commitment to do our part. Here are a few easy ways to get started:
- Sign up to remove leaves and debris from a nearby storm drain. Please invite a friend or neighbor to do the same and let’s see how many drains we can adopt. Find information at https://www.adopt-a-drain.org/.
- Pick up trash that accumulated over the winter in your neighborhood or local park. Work alone or in a small group and recycle as much as possible.
- Look for neonicotinoid-free plants when selecting your spring plantings. Neonicotinoids are pesticides that are very toxic to pollinators, beneficial insects, and aquatic invertebrates. Learn more: http://www.xerces.org/pesticides/understanding-neonicotinoids
- There are many more suggestions for you and your family found here: https://www.earthday.org/take-action-now/.
Earth Day Action Quest
Earth Day Action Quest offers Earth-focused activities for families at home. You’ll find a number of fun, family-friendly activities that celebrate and protect our planet. Make colorful art for your neighbors to see, view a video of items being recycled at a materials recovery facility, learn how to store food to prevent it from spoiling and being wasted, and more. Complete the challenges with your family to leave the Earth a better place for future generations, pick up some thrifty habits, and enjoy the spring weather. This program is brought to you by Ramsey County, Washington County, and Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy.
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Watch Board Meetings Live
Each Tuesday, the Ramsey County Board meets virtually at 9:00 am, and you can tune in from home to get information, including updates on our COVID-19 response work.
Visit https://www.ramseycounty.us/your-government/leadership/board-commissioners/board-meetings-information for additional information.
Since the board is unable to meet for traditional workshops, they will receive presentations from staff on various topics. Today's meeting included an overview of the 2019 Workforce Statistics Report. A PDF of this report can be found online by clicking here.
Mary Sue Hansen, winner of the 2020 Vern Vick Memorial Award
The Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County is excited to announce that the recipient of the 2020 Vern Vick Memorial Award is Mary Sue Hansen. This award is given annually to an individual or group who has contributed exceptionally to the support and empowerment of Ramsey County’s youth through personal, academic or career development.
“We are thrilled to honor Mary Sue with this deserving award. She loves our community and her work demonstrates a deep commitment to ensuring all those who work with youth are connected and networked together in order to close so many of the gaps that exist in our community for your young residents,” stated Ling Becker, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions Director.
READ MORE
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 Thank you to the staff of the Ramsey County Libraries as they work diligently to provide services in unique ways as we follow the Stay at Home order! Learn more at rclreads.org.
National County Government Month (NCGM), held each April, is an annual celebration of county government. NCGM is an excellent opportunity for your county to highlight effective county programs and raise public awareness and understanding about the various services provided to the community.
The coronavirus pandemic highlights the importance of county government. Counties are on the front lines protecting our communities from coronavirus and other illnesses that have the potential to become a pandemic. Counties support over 900 hospitals and operate over 1,900 public health departments, which are the ground troops in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. Local health departments are working to protect public health by communicating with transportation officials, educating health care providers and communicating to the public best practices to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
Learn about Why Counties Matter at https://www.naco.org/resources/featured/counties-matter.
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Property tax and valuation process changes due to COVID-19
Ramsey County recognizes there are questions about property tax payment deadlines due to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our community. The County is working with local and state partners on options to create flexibility for taxpayers facing financial hardship.
The existing deadline for first half property tax payments is May 15. Ramsey County is working to identify options in the weeks ahead to share with taxpayers before this deadline.
Questioning or appealing your valuation
Annual property valuation notices and tax statements for 2020 were mailed to Ramsey County property owners in mid-March. Valuation notices include your property classification, estimated market value and taxable market value, which is used to determine property taxes payable in 2021.
Digital copies of the valuation notice and tax statement are available in the tax and value lookup system.
Please review your valuation notice carefully. If you believe there is an error, now is the time to appeal or question your classification or valuation. It will be too late to appeal when proposed taxes are mailed in November. The first step in the process is to contact the Assessor’s Office about your questions or concerns at 651-266-2131.
If you choose to formally appeal your property value to the County Board of Appeal and Equalization, the appeal forms must be postmarked by May 8.
Learn more about appeal options
Volunteering to serve our community during the COVID-19 pandemic
If you are interested in volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic, the following organizations have information on local and remote opportunities.
Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Ramsey County will need additional support during the extended COVID-19 response. MRC is a countywide resource of health professionals and other volunteers who strengthen our community by preparing for and responding to public health and related emergencies.
If you or someone you know are interested in helping your community during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the Medical Reserve Corps page to learn more and sign up.
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donation site now open
Ramsey County has established a drop-off site to accept requested donations for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff who work on the front lines responding to COVID-19. The following items are requested in unused (sealed or open) condition:
- N95 respirator masks.
- Medical, surgical or industry face masks.
- Tie-in-back gowns.
- Face shields.
- Surgical gloves (nitrile or vinyl).
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Cloth face coverings (homemade face masks).*
*- donations of any homemade face coverings should accord with current guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.
The drop-off site is located on the northeast corner of the county’s Public Works campus (near the used oil and filter collection shed) at:
1352 Ben Franklin St.
Arden Hills, MN 55112
View location on an interactive map
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County golf courses begin reopening April 18
In accordance with Governor Walz’s Executive Order 20-38, Ramsey County golf courses will begin reopening on Saturday, April 18. Opening dates will range between Saturday, April 18 to Wednesday, April 22.
Special procedures have been established to limit contact and minimize touchpoints throughout the courses. Golfers are encouraged to prepay by booking their tee times online. Credit card payments will also be taken over the phone for golf and carts. Most clubhouses will be open for restroom access only; food, beverage and merchandise sales will not be available at this time.
Learn more at https://www.ramseycounty.us/content/county-golf-courses-begin-reopening-april-18.
COVID-19 disaster relief grants available for veterans
The Minnesota Legislature has approved a one-time financial relief grant of $1,000 to counter the negative effects and economic impact COVID-19 has had on veterans and their families. Applications for the disaster relief grant will be taken starting April 6, 2020. The grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to the length of existing funds.
To qualify for the COVID-19 Special Needs Grant, applicants must be:
- A veteran or the surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a deceased veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447, and
- A Minnesota Resident, and
- Have been negatively financially impacted by COVID-19
Veterans married to each other are both authorized to apply for and receive their own disaster relief grants.
Visit the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Relief Grant page for more details and application information, or contact Ramsey County Veterans Services for support and assistance at 651-266-2545 or online.
COVID-19 impacts on county services
Ramsey County remains open for business, but have implemented new methods of service delivery. Please do not attempt to access county services in-person at this time. This is both for your safety, as well as the safety of Ramsey County employees during this time.
If you have a question or need assistance with a county program or service, your first step should be to call the Customer Contact Center which is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
651-266-8500
Ramsey County’s office phone lines are open during regular hours. If you receive a busy signal or message when calling, it’s because of the heavy cell phone call volume in the Twin Cities metro area.
If your issue cannot be resolved over the phone, you will receive instructions on next steps.
Executive orders from Governor Walz
These orders further strengthen Minnesota's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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