St. Louis County Board of Directors Committee of The Whole July 7, 2026

The St. Louis County Board of Directors Committee of the Whole met on July 7, 2026, at the Minnesota Discovery Center. The meeting included several procurement-related discussions and contract approvals. Notably, the board authorized opioid remediation funds to contract for community-based criminal justice proposals and upstream substance use prevention programs in schools, partnering with the University of Minnesota Extension for a three-year initiative. Public Works presented and approved a competitive award of bids to KGM for multiple transportation projects funded by transportation sales tax dollars. The board also approved a resolution authorizing the county auditor to levy for fire protection and first responder services contracts in unorganized territories for 2027, with a total levy of approximately $847,000 to support volunteer fire departments and EMS services. Additionally, election judges for unorganized townships were appointed with a new hourly compensation rate reflecting employee status. Other discussions included updates on landfill operations and environmental initiatives, as well as upcoming presentations on project labor agreements (PLAs) at the NACO annual conference. Motions for all procurement and contracting items were passed unanimously.