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Commissioner Miller's children pictured above with her nieces and nephew at the Mille Lacs annual powwow in August 2024.
Boozhoo! Hello neighbors,
May is a meaningful month in Minnesota! It’s American Indian Month, a time to celebrate the strength, culture, and contributions of our American Indian communities. As an Ojibwe woman and your Ramsey County Commissioner, this month holds deep personal significance for me. It’s also a great opportunity for all of us to learn, engage, and deepen our relationships with Native communities through stories, events, and meaningful conversations that honor our shared history and future.
May is also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a chance to recognize the rich diversity and leadership of AAPI communities across our county. And it is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder that caring for our mental well-being is essential to thriving as individuals and as a community.
We know there are many other issues to be aware of, so if you have events or happenings you'd like us to highlight, please contact my office at 651-266-8368 or email Kathleen at kathleen.murphy@co.ramsey.mn.us.
My office is always here to answer your questions, navigate government services, or help us all foster connections to make Maplewood, North St. Paul and White Bear Lake even better places to live, work and play. Please feel free to reach out via email at Kelly.Miller@co.ramsey.mn.us.
Miigwech, or thank you, for this opportunity to serve you.
 If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up here!
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Ramsey County’s Community & Economic Development (CED) team has released its annual report, highlighting the impact of its work over the past year, and the ways it helped residents and communities grow stronger.
From small business support to housing development to homeownership, the CED team’s efforts are rooted in community and equity. This year, hundreds of residents benefited from programs that helped launch or expand businesses and access stable and housing.
In partnership with local organizations and developers, the department helped transform vacant properties, brought new investment to neighborhoods and worked to ensure that the voices of residents shaped the future of their communities.
Whether supporting entrepreneurship in historically underserved areas or helping families find a place to call home, the CED team is committed to making Ramsey County a place where all residents can thrive.
Read the full 2024 Community & Economic Development Annual Report to learn more about the work and what’s ahead.
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Workforce Solutions and the WIB are leading efforts to support employers to create a sense of welcoming for all employees within their organizations. One of these efforts is to provide an Inclusive Employer Toolkit. The toolkit aims to help employers provide a more welcoming environment for all by offering practices to build inclusion in the areas of employee recruitment, hiring, onboarding and retention.
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The Onboarding section of the toolkit provides resources to help employers create a welcoming and supportive experience for new employees, setting the foundation for long-term success. It offers guidance on developing structured onboarding programs that foster connection, clarity, and confidence from day one. Key strategies include assigning mentors, providing clear communication about workplace expectations and resources, and ensuring all employees feel valued and included in workplace culture. By prioritizing an inclusive onboarding process, employers can enhance employee engagement, reduce turnover, and build a stronger, more connected workforce.
View the toolkit.
Youth Works! is a county-wide youth employment collaborative that helps opens doors of opportunity for youth and young adults in Ramsey County.
Together, we ensure alignment and coordination among the youth and young adult employment ecosystem to most effectively support young people (ages 14-24) in gaining access to employment, training resources and career pathways opportunities.
On April 3, we acknowledged the achievements of Donnell Bratton and Stephany Aguirre Lopez as recipients of the Youth Workforce Champion Awards. These individuals have shown outstanding dedication to nurturing and empowering the youth of Ramsey County through personal and career development initiatives.
 Youth Workforce Champion Awards were presented to Donnell Bratton and Stephany Aguirre Lopez (center holding plaques) by (l to r) Youth Committee Chair Aalayha Traub, Commissioner Miller, WIB Executive Director Catrice O'Neal, and WIB Chair Elisa Rasmussen.
Subscribe to receive Youth Works! news and updates
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Come learn more about Youth Works!
Every Second Wednesday
11 a.m.-Noon
Zoom Webinar
View event details
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County Road F: McKnight Road to Gisella Boulevard Sidewalk
Final work on the sidewalk began the week of April 28. Watch for workers and equipment on the side of the roadway. The work is scheduled to be completed by May 12, depending on the weather.
Learn more about the project
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Rice Street Reconstruction: Maryland Avenue to Wheelock Parkway
The Arlington Avenue intersection with Rice Street is open.
Rice Street is closed from Nebraska Avenue to Wheelock Parkway for utility and road reconstruction and is closed from Ivy Avenue to Cottage Avenue for bridge work.
To access local businesses, use Arlington Avenue, Montana Avenue and other posted local streets and detours. Slow down and watch for workers and your neighbors walking and crossing the road.
Learn more about this project
Please drive carefully in work zones
- Slow down when approaching every work zone, then navigate with care and caution.
- Stay alert; work zones constantly change.
- Watch for workers and slow-moving equipment.
- Obey posted speed limits. The fine for a violation in a work zone is $300.
- Minimize distractions behind the wheel.
- Be patient; expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
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 MMCD Expands Drone Program to All Seven Counties
Spring is here and the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District is out in neighborhoods and parks on a mission to protect residents from mosquitoes and make the outdoors better. MMCD’s control program focuses on mosquitoes in their larval stage in stagnant water with materials applied via the ground, helicopter, or backpack. In 2025 MMCD will be using drones to control mosquitoes in all seven metro counties.
Check out KARE 11’s Story on How Drones will Control Mosquitoes This Year
Spring Mosquito Forecast and Midsummer Surge Expected
Crews are already hard at work targeting spring mosquito species that are in the water and getting ready to emerge. The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District is projecting that spring of 2025 might have a slower start than previous years because of less rain and snowmelt than 2023 and 2024. However, the model that projects cattail mosquitoes, a unique species that overwinters as larvae in the water and emerges around the 4th of July, will be more abundant than any of the past 4 years.
Read MMCD’s Spring Mosquito Update and Forecast for 2025
Ramsey County Libraries Deputy Director Ray Lockman, author Mona Susan Power, Commissioner Miller, and Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh at a Friends of Ramsey County Libraries fundraiser on April 12.
Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire, County Attorney John Choi, SPIP Operations Director Rebecca McLane, Sheriff Bob Fletcher, Commissioner Miller, and Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh at the 12th Annual Northland Cup hockey game between the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County on Sunday, April 13.
Ramsey took back the Cup this year with a win of 7-2, while raising a record $25,798 for the Domestic Violence Intervention Project.
Commissioners Jebens-Singh and Miller with May yer Thao (middle in green jacket), President & CEO of the Hmong American Partnership (HAP), Saint Paul City Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson and others at the Hmong National Development Conference in Minneapolis.
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The Waldo is another new affordable housing project led by JB Vang starting in Maplewood. Commissioner Miller was at the groundbreaking and got a tour of The Juniper next door where construction is underway.
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The grand opening of the Ramsey County Environmental Service Center was held on Thursday, April 24. Shown here with Environmental Health Manager Daniel Schmidt, Director of Public Health Amy Caron, Commissioner Garrison McMurtrey, and Recycling & Energy Division Manager Michael Reed.
Commissioner Miller toured both locations of the White Bear Area Food Shelf with Director Perry Peterson in April. The curbside pickup on Whitaker Street provides convenient grocery staples, while the Community Market on County Road F operates like a small neighborhood market. |
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Commissioner Miller at the Tamarack Volunteer Appreciation Pancake Feast on Thursday, April 24.
As the newest Commissioner appointed to the environmental committees of the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) and the National Association of Counties (NACo), Kelly met with the North East Metro Climate Action group in April to discuss their priorities and concerns for the state and the county.
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Commissioner Miller was one of several policy makers to address the White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce's legislative breakfast on Tuesday, April 29. |
After several years of planning, the first segment of Outlot A of the Rice Creek Commons development officially broke ground on Wednesday, April 30 to welcome Micro Control Company as the first tenant.
 CLICK on any of the events below for more information.
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If you know of events happening in Maplewood, North Saint Paul or White Bear Lake, please let us help you share the information! Send details and any graphics to Kathleen HERE.
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