June 16, 2020

Contact

Nicole Frethem
Commissioner, District 1
651-266-8362 or 651-425-9580 
Email

Sheena Denny
Principal Aide
651-266-8355
Email

Nancy Larson
Administrative Assistant

Previous newsletters, can be viewed on the Ramsey County website.

Follow on Facebook

Commissioner Frethem is sharing information and access to resources in real time on Facebook. Follow us there for more COVID-19 and other county content.

Virtually meet with Commissioner Frethem on Zoom

We will be holding virtual chats and check ins via Zoom on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.

• June 18 Facebook event
• June 25 Facebook event
• July 2 Facebook event

Learn more at the Facebook Event Invites or join in by clicking the link https://zoom.us/j/4574765166 and entering the Meeting ID: 457 476 5166 at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 18.

Apply now to vote by mail

All eligible voters in Ramsey County can vote by mail in both the Aug. 11 state primary and the Nov. 3 general election.

Voting by mail is safe, easy and convenient. You do not need to provide a reason to vote by mail. You can request your ballot now for both the state primary and general election. Additional information on voting by mail can be found here. 

Census Update

District 1 cities are doing great at completing their census forms - well above the state and national average. Take a look at these response rates:

1. White Bear Township – 86.9%
2. Shoreview - 85%
3. Gem Lake - 84.6%
4. North Oaks - 84.3%
5. Arden Hills - 82.6%
6. Vadnais Heights - 82.3%
7. Blaine - 81.1%
8. Spring Lake Park - 78.8%
9. Mounds View - 76.6%

If you haven't completed your census yet, you can do it online at my2020census.gov to report who is living in your home. The census helps define our representation and funding allocations at the national level so a high response rate is critical. Your information is confidential and cannot be shared for any other purposes.

For more information about the census, check out ramseycounty.us/census.

Board of Commissioners Virtual Board Meeting

The board meetings on June 9, 2020 and June 16, 2020 were held via zoom and can be viewed on the Ramsey County website.

Video Available for Community Conversation on Water Management

Thank you to all of the community members who attended our virtual community conversation. We appreciate our partners who presented information including Peter Boulay from the MN DNR Climatology office, the Rice Creek Watershed District, Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO), Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, the cities of Shoreview and Vadnais Heights and Ramsey County Parks and Public Works departments.

We are still working on assembling the Q&A document and securing additional answers. If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can watch the recording online.

If you attended the meeting virtually or watched the video online, please provide some feedback on the meeting to help us improve future meetings by filling out this online survey.

Organizers wrote names of victims of police brutality in chalk outside the Shoreview City Hall and Community Center

Awaken the Suburbs: Youth-led march in northern suburbs

This past weekend, youth in the northern suburbs organized a protest march to demand justice for Black and Brown victims of police brutality. Their goal was to awaken the suburbs to join in support of the fight for justice. The organizers encouraged all attendees to wear masks and to socially distance as they walked from Shoreview City Hall to Arden Hills City Hall down the westbound lane of Hwy 96. After the march, numerous youths shared their experiences of racism in the suburbs including experiences in the Mounds View School District.

I want to commend our young leaders for raising their voices for justice. This was a peaceful, honest, and hopeful gathering that received national attention. I am inspired by our youths and hope that we can all continue to learn and grow and do important work to ensure that all in Ramsey County are valued and thrive.

Organizers shared information at the event including anti-racist resources for adults and parent resources for raising anti-racist children. For additional resources and information on America's history of racism and injustice, and Commissioner Frethem's statement on the murder of George Floyd, visit Commissioner Frethem's June 5th newsletter. 

Marchers walking down westbound 96