The Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted two donations made to the Sheriff’s Office Sept. 24.
The first donation for $1,028 was made by the Oakdale Gun Club. The donation will be used by the Training Unit to purchase targets, equipment, and to complete target frame repairs at the Sheriff’s Office firearm range.
The second donation for $5,420 was made by Joshua’s Hope. Joshua’s Hope is a nonprofit started by the Greene family, whose family member Joshua died of an accidental fentanyl overdose. The Greene’s raised money through a Joshua’s Hope golf fundraiser and their donation will be used by the Washington County Drug Task Force for law enforcement training and community education initiatives.
County Board approves grant for traffic enforcement
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $212,200 grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety Sept. 24.
The funding is part of the 2025 Enforcement Grant Program, which promotes safety for those who use public roadways. The grant, awarded for the period of Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025, provides reimbursement for overtime costs associated with enforcement of the following violations: Impaired driving, pedestrians, seat belts, speed, distracted driving, and move over laws.
Participating agencies in the 2025 Enforcement Grant Program include the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Police Departments of Bayport, Cottage Grove, Forest Lake, Oakdale, Oak Park Heights, St. Paul Park, Stillwater, and Woodbury. The Washington County Sheriff's Office will act as the fiscal agent for this grant.
County Board approves solar panel contract for Central Service and License Center
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $191,014 contract with Energy Concepts for the purchase and installation of rooftop photovoltaic solar panels Sept. 24.
The solar panels will be installed on the Central Service and License Center currently under construction near the corner of Woodlane Drive and Guider Drive in Woodbury. The facility will be the first county building to have rooftop solar panels installed.
In addition to rooftop solar panels, the building also incorporates sustainable design elements in its building materials, stormwater runoff, and indoor air handling and lighting systems. The facility will also have the infrastructure for installing EV charging stations in the future.
The Central Service and License Center will replace the current service center at 2150 Radio Drive and offer expanded services to better meet the needs of residents in the central part of the county. Construction began this May with a target completion date of the Summer 2025.
The County Board also approved a maintenance agreement with the City of Woodbury for the Central Service and License Center Sept. 24. This maintenance agreement defines the responsibilities of the County and City for fire hydrant, private sanitary sewer, watermain, street sweeping, and stormwater management maintenance and repairs.

County to provide snow removal, maintenance services for Metro Transit Gold Line
Washington County and the Metropolitan Council have entered into maintenance agreements for the county to provide snow removal and maintenance services along the majority of Metro Transit’s Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) guideway.
Under the agreements, the Metropolitan Council will reimburse the county all costs to maintain the route from Mounds Blvd. in St. Paul to Guider Drive in Woodbury at the same levels it does with county roads for the next 10 years or when the budget cap of $5,000,000 is met. These services include snow and ice control, snow removal, mowing, lane striping, and pothole filling. The Metropolitan Council will provide the county up to $859,040 in project funds to purchase equipment to provide the services. The Metropolitan Council will maintain Gold Line BRT stations.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the agreements Sept. 24.
The Gold Line BRT is expected to open to the public in March 2025. Washington County contributed $120.5 million in funding for the project, none of which came from property taxes.