[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6271140,"mediaKeyId","3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34","parentId",3029432,"title","St. Louis County amends transportation sales‑tax plan and clears $45 million Central Range public‑works building for bond financing","audioSeconds",1131,"startMs",3965000,"endMs",5096000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34&start=3965&end=5096","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34/thumbnail_3965000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271140/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/St-Louis-County-amends-transportation-salestax-plan-and-clears-45-million-Central-Range-publicworks-building-for-bond-financing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271140-c0c76730429ee39ce17020735c960f5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447605&Signature=DgSu31jPd6ZcTMi-omK4Z80i7q05wSmTb-D7tFikYiyc625JZhQWsddg9MVlyXw8Ph~5EwtsC9pZRoPjVfimJgfvzkJYE0LC7RVnOHD6jSN-5bhgBbLKCGgsnf7GABep-vYBmqRi6m1UaOao4OqiDhZvUAkIo4YI9EBEmVMH4tDWkBkc4ctG1~GHjOzfAw16pfy3~xGZ6yIkyIKA7gDuFmbDOCSNfdAeWhOs7MgeetORjlUWdS5waR~dEJVnywjyP4MFijQoiKK5cXr~1qo3u6xreKvDdIqX2Aw4eRklfTB740KGHFjpfdYOp2M4OH3fRRS8d13VwzBipt3yrAp3Ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Louis County, MN","date","2025-04-17T01:04:31.04Z","article","St. Louis County commissioners voted April 15 to amend the county’s Transportation Sales and Use Tax (TST) Transportation Improvement Plan to make facility projects — including a proposed Central Range Transportation Building — eligible for TST proceeds. Commissioners also approved amendments to the county capital improvement plan and a resolution stating intent to issue general obligation transportation sales and use tax revenue bonds to finance the new Central Range facility.

Deputy County Administrator Jim Fallacy (presented as deputy administrator in the hearing) and county planners told commissioners the TST has generated about $155 million in total revenue since 2015 and currently yields roughly $21.5 million annually. County staff said they will limit new debt so debt service for all TST‑backed bonds does not exceed about 50% of the annual TST revenue (around $10.75 million), preserving pay‑as‑you‑go capacity for roads, bridges and safety projects.

Why it matters: the change makes a transportation facility — a public works campus that houses maintenance equipment, shops and engineering staff — an eligible capital project to be repaid using TST bond proceeds under Minnesota law. County staff said using TST revenue for this project will free property tax levy capacity that traditionally finances similar facilities.

Project and timeline: the Central Range Transportation Building is planned on two tax‑forfeit parcels near the County State Highway 5 and Trunk Highway 169 interchange in Balkan Township. County staff described a proposed campus sized to house about 42 employees and 17 tandem plow trucks, plus graders and other heavy equipment. County planners estimated the project cost at roughly $45 million. Staff proposed a multi‑phase schedule: site work in 2025, sanitary sewer extension in 2025–26, design and bidding through late 2025 and construction in 2026–27, with a target move‑in date around Aug. 1, 2027.

Deputy administrator Fallacy and sustainability planner Carol Adelen said the county analyzed alternatives and selected the site to maximize operational efficiency for the district’s service area. County officials said the new building will reduce equipment exposure, improve employee safety and support faster response times across the district.

Financing details: county staff proposed financing the project with TST‑backed general obligation bonds sized to keep combined TST debt service within the county’s policy target. Using a 20‑year bond structure, staff estimated the new debt would bring TST‑related debt service to roughly $10.5 million annually for a limited period, near but within the board’s 50% guideline. The county will apply to the State Credit Enhancement Program to improve borrowing terms.

Officials from the city of Hibbing, including Mayor Pete Hajduk, spoke in support of the project. Hajduk said the existing joint public‑works campus in Hibbing is too small for current needs and that a new facility will improve public safety, worker safety and long‑term service delivery for the region.

Auditor Nancy Nielsen said county staff and Baker Tilly and bond counsel had prepared for the transaction and that she was comfortable supporting the bond issuance process. Community partners including the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission also voiced support at the hearings.

Board action: commissioners held a public hearing and then voted to amend the TST Transportation Improvement Plan to list facility projects, approved an amendment to the county capital improvement plan that adds the Central Range Transportation Building, and passed a resolution stating the county’s intent to issue general obligation transportation sales and use tax revenue bonds (series 2025A) to support the project. Final bond terms and sale will follow standard bond‑issuance steps and rating calls.

What remains: staff said detailed design, sanitary‑sewer coordination with the Central Range Sanitary Sewer District, and final bond marketing remain to be completed. The county emphasized a policy limit to preserve approximately half of the TST revenue for road, bridge and safety projects.

Ending: The board’s votes move the Central Range Transportation Building from planning to the financing stage; county staff will return with final bond documents, application materials for state credit enhancement and contract documents as design and bidding progress.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Louis County Board Meeting - 04-15-2025","oneSentenceSummary","St. Louis County commissioners voted April 15 to amend the county’s transportation sales‑tax plan and to approve capital plan changes enabling issuance of TST‑backed bonds to finance a proposed $45 million Central Range Transportation Building near Hibbing.","taxTitle","St. Louis County, Minnesota","taxId",3768,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271145,"St. Louis County HRA and County Board approve pledge to back $4.6 million Washington Manor bond issuance",1892,2050000,3942000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34&start=2050&end=3942","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34/thumbnail_2050000.jpg","/articles/6271145/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/St-Louis-County-HRA-and-County-Board-approve-pledge-to-back-46-million-Washington-Manor-bond-issuance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271145-e53d9409cfad0dcb3823c30dd36ef3f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447605&Signature=C69N3CEdjCVIX-ZI81xxmjZ3LCpxvlXa2tb0DIwj8dTikEK2yhXqbP-Nec60UlMN01zBKRjCXsInwWuDzk6O7dk-Qubd8PEe2h~nRz7Z0RVoCuVQ36peXPo4CkogFZ2GskULrSxK5VflyLXuft7k0dSsbT369lD5t5PzU4C62i5cbnNkLqiLA4gyBFc55MkbdazhW57x8qP-mEDz34J8B5pk6cLOHtVe5IPXFSpPjjRAys59QvfsZ4Yxd-FM0C7~VnwbpNctJRNuJOpAmpDLzzSHYuMgi~OSXvYeOlagiZrBqAHJSBpDowEPXjQAPeH~gbVY5EsEz~VqfAkp-q1efA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Louis County Housing and Redevelopment Authority and the St. Louis County Board voted April 15 to allow the City of Virginia HRA to issue up to $4.6 million in bonds to acquire, preserve and rehabilitate Washington Manor, a 63‑unit senior housing development at 801 Ninth Street North in Virginia.

The vote followed a joint public hearing in which county staff and Virginia HRA leaders described the project and the legal steps required for the county to serve as additional security on the bonds. Darren Jablonski, Executive Director of the County HRA and director of Economic and Community Development, told the boards the City and HRA plan to issue bonds “in the amount of not to exceed $4,600,000” with a term of about 35 years and that the city will indemnify the county against defaults.

The county HRA resolution approved ownership and operating arrangements the statute requires when a county pledges credit for HRA debt; the County Board resolution approved pledging the county’s full faith and credit as additional security for the issuance. Commissioner John Nelson moved the HRA resolution; Commissioner Lynn Yukovich seconded. The HRA vote was taken by voice and the motion carried. The County Board later moved and passed a mirror resolution to pledge the county’s credit.

Why it matters: county support of local bond issuances can lower borrowing costs for smaller cities by leveraging the county’s higher bond rating. County officials told the boards that the pledge is meant to reduce the city’s costs so more money can go to capital work in the building rather than interest payments.

DANA HILTONEN, executive director of the Virginia HRA, described Washington Manor as “market‑rate senior housing” that the HRA will acquire from the city for $1 and rehabilitate. Hiltonen said the units are priced in the local market range — roughly $812 for a one‑bedroom on the low end to about $1,200 for a two‑bedroom on the high end — and that the HRA expects to use bond proceeds plus a 0% local public utility loan and other sources to pay for required capital improvements including a steam conversion.

Auditor Nancy Nielsen told the boards she and county staff worked on rating calls and said she was “very pleased” to be able to support the city of Virginia using the county’s bond rating. Kristy Kane, executive director of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, spoke in support of the project and noted regional studies that flagged senior housing needs on the Iron Range.

Discussion and safeguards: speakers emphasized that the city will indemnify the county and that, under state law, the county HRA must own part of the facility when county credit is pledged. Jablonski said four parties — the City, the City HRA, the County HRA and the County — will sign a joint powers agreement that spells out the issuance and the pledge and the operating agreement governing management of the property.

Board action and next steps: both HRA and County Board members voted to approve the resolutions at the meeting. Jablonski outlined a timeline in which the City of Virginia and the Virginia HRA will complete their required hearings and bond‑issuance steps; the county will also submit an application to the State Credit Enhancement Program to seek improved borrowing terms.

Community context: Commissioners who spoke noted waiting lists for senior housing in the region and said preserving existing senior units was a priority to avoid losing housing stock in smaller communities. County officials said a similar partnership had been used previously with Ely.

For now the action is a county pledge and approvals to participate in the financing; the City of Virginia and its HRA will complete their public hearings and the formal bond issuance steps before funds are borrowed and work begins.

Ending: The board recessed its regular meeting after the HRA actions and later reconvened to pass the County Board resolution backing the bond issuance. County staff and the Virginia HRA said they will continue required steps and return with final issuance details.","After a joint public hearing, the St. Louis County HRA and County Board approved resolutions allowing the City of Virginia HRA to issue up to $4.6 million in bonds for rehabilitation of Washington Manor, a 63‑unit senior housing building, with the county pledging its full faith and credit and the city agreeing to indemnify the county.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271136,"St. Louis County proclaims Telecommunicators Week; public health staff and community leaders honored",1841,112000,1953000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34&start=112&end=1953","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029432-61fff0786b6926cae3cbde314f010e34/thumbnail_112000.jpg","/articles/6271136/St-Louis-County/Minnesota/St-Louis-County-proclaims-Telecommunicators-Week-public-health-staff-and-community-leaders-honored","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271136-9a7307a9a86bdc4ebd77d1efa88918a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447605&Signature=DrLeq0IOxrBZguKdMlqdHhgRj08Svb10vkfhAtkDchanDq5DvhQFoYUvOAEKXre49-h8UB8frx2zbgUm8w9gFg0kLp4WE6FuCh6s3paYhwEiRc2if~8c5kCFMf69Q5UP2sFGcg1J4UqR2BnKCdg870~PP~kpXlUbuotJHdcpiNtN-wI74GmbbU4udoB1-1~IIcP9o3~woBO4zSaXxH1-VU5wiVloJeu50ZoSM5W8niOyvRCC054ImJd20IBm3W1QJ2ZUEZTquQPzcopn~DfZlbNGiFLvgN-W64OAw3qjo4vwBW6XqjKG0IFQLth9G31y-2S2Y0fEq3f2-KxKtoopYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Louis County Board read a proclamation April 15 declaring the week in April 2025 as National Telecommunicators Week in St. Louis County and recognized dispatchers, technical staff and support personnel who staff the county’s 9‑1‑1 emergency communications centers.

Director Dewey Johnson of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office 9‑1‑1 emergency communications division described dispatchers’ work at the podium, saying the group answered more than 194,000 calls in 2024 — roughly 400 calls per day — and praised their skills at navigating technology and supporting first responders. An undersheriff and other public‑safety leaders joined the recognition.

The board then presented the 2025 St. Louis County Public Health Achievement Awards, honoring public‑health professionals and community leaders for work on the Iron Range and in Duluth. Director Amy Westbrook of St. Louis County Public Health described recent department initiatives including aging services, a perinatal mental‑health campaign, a lead‑prevention campaign and school‑based outreach on youth cannabis prevention.

Award recipients and citations included:

- Dr. Jan Baldwin, Essentia Health Clinic (Hibbing): Recognized for leadership in perinatal substance‑use collaboration and community health advocacy.

- Nathan Kesti, outreach specialist, Downtown Duluth: Honored for street‑level outreach that linked dozens of people to housing, employment and treatment and for coordinating with local social‑service partners.

- Mel Alvar, Safe Harbor regional navigator, PAVSA: Recognized for 20 years of grassroots harm‑reduction work, regional coordination on sexual assault response and leadership on anti‑trafficking case consultation.

- Christina Troke, HealthEquity Northland (community co‑designer lead): Honored for leading a birth equity co‑design project that engaged people with lived experience to improve maternal outcomes and launched education and feedback tools for health systems.

Speakers including commissioners and department directors emphasized the emotional toll on public‑safety and public‑health workers and the need for continuing mental‑health support and resources. Commissioner remarks thanked award winners and highlighted the county’s broader public‑health partnerships and challenges, including federal funding pressures.

Ending: The board moved from the recognition portion into the business portion of the meeting, noting the awards and proclamation as part of a larger agenda on public safety and health.","The County Board read a proclamation honoring 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators and presented the 2025 St. Louis County Public Health Achievement Awards to four recipients for community health work across the Iron Range and Duluth.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

St. Louis County amends transportation sales‑tax plan and clears $45 million Central Range public‑works building for bond financing

St. Louis County HRA and County Board approve pledge to back $4.6 million Washington Manor bond issuance

St. Louis County proclaims Telecommunicators Week; public health staff and community leaders honored