In the recent meeting on Dec. 19th, the Washington County Board of Commissioners announced a swath of contracts, appointments, and salary decisions shaping up the County's game plan for the upcoming year. One such action saw Randy LaFaive landing a spot on the Workforce Development Board, to represent business interests until mid-2026, a decision detailed in a release obtained by Washington County's official website.
Officials weren't quick to approve a $223,032 contract with Tubman for domestic violence support services, marking a 5% increase from last year. Equal attention was given to mental health, as Canvas Health locked in an $85,000 deal to carry on with psychological services without upping the cost from 2023. For youths on the verge of legal trouble, Juvenile Diversion Services courtesy of Lakes Center For Youth and Families and the Youth Service Bureau Inc. will continue to offer a wayward hand, with their financial backing approved through 2025.
Election judges in Washington County can expect a bump in their paychecks, with an increase approved by the Board. According to the County's announcement, the wages will jump to $13 an hour for judges, $15 for co-head judges, and both head judges and vote center judges will rake in $17, with the vote center lead judges topping out at $17.50. These raises were benchmarked against other municipalities in a bid to stay competitive and fairly reimburse the demanding work of managing the polls.
The long arm of the law in Lake Elmo is ensured to extend for another five years, as the County will maintain law enforcement services following an agreement extension. The contract includes additional deputy firepower and comprehensive support at a semi-annual cost to the city, according to the details released by the County. In a heated battle against sex trafficking, the Sheriff's Office will also get a robust $726,000 grant injection from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to fuel investigations.
Lastly, a property dance sees the outgrown Woodbury Service Center trading hands back to the City of Woodbury. The center, once a hub of civic interaction, will ultimately give way to a trail connection that links to a new—yet-to-be-opened—central service installment coming in the summer of 2025. On the salary front, the County's top brass including the Sheriff, Attorney, and Administrator will pocket a solid 6.5% pay rise for 2024. Meanwhile, the board themselves will be bringing home $79,902 each same percentage increase, a fact cited by the County's announcement.
