Talk with County Commissioner McMurtrey

Rennie Gaither

Spring has arrived! “Meteorological spring” began March 1 and will last until May 3. The spring or vernal equinox kicked off on March 20 this year, marking when the equator receives the sun’s most direct rays. For many of us in the upper Midwest, spring, especially around the vernal equinox, can seem like the “season of springboks,” with temperatures sometimes “pronking” from freezing to very mild.
Would it be a stretch to say that the political winds in America these days feel somewhat akin to this tempestuous seasonal changeover? With his clamorous promise to “Drill, Baby, Drill” and decision to pull the United States from the Paris Agreement – again! – President Trump’s agenda vis-a-vis climate change bodes ill for environmentalists working to mitigate the effects of global warming.
Which sparked questions in my mind around local government’s role in helping support greater community resilience in the face of these and other challenges. So I reached out to newly-elected Ramsey County Commissioner Garrison McMurtrey for his thoughts and ideas. Commissioner McMurtrey lives in Como Park; he represents District 3, which includes Midway, Como and Frogtown.
I asked him about the role of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. McMurtrey said: “Ramsey County has a budget of over $800 million, which includes investments in things like infrastructure and housing. Additionally, nearly half of the county budget goes towards social services, including elder protection, food assistance, foster care, etc.”
These social services help support residents in vital ways. The board’s importance as a decision-making body in terms of fund allocation rests on strong public policy options. Importantly, the board and county agencies are part of a nexus of government agencies tasked with identifying and deciding where capital can best be utilized and policies made actionable.
Commissioner McMurtrey also shared some of his priorities. “I want to ensure that we are centering economic justice. There are three particular priorities that I want to focus on as county commissioner,” he offered. “First, I want to ensure we are prioritizing the development of affordable housing. Second, there is also an opportunity for us to invest in key corridors throughout the county. That investment includes funding for multimodal transportation infrastructure and support for small businesses. Finally, I want to ensure that our county services are welcoming, accessible and responsive to the needs of our community.”
Affordable housing, infrastructure investment and small business support contribute to the economic health of communities and help fulfill human needs. So, too, investment in environmental health.
Commissioner McMurtrey related some specific areas: “I will ensure that we are investing in an infrastructure that prioritizes modes of transportation other than just cars.” He identified bicycle lanes, bus rapid transit, and sidewalks. He added that he’d work closely with the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center to support their work in sustainable waste processing. “I want to ensure that the county is investing in urban canopies, especially for our neighbors who are disproportionately impacted by climate change,” he stated. The latter is especially important for those of us working to build natural green spaces. We look forward to continued county partnership in helping to address disparities in environmental impact.
Hope to see everyone at the annual Frogtown Spring Cleanup, Saturday, April 19th at Frogtown Park and Farm. Be sure to keep up with all our Frogtown Green events and opportunities at https://www.frogtowngreen.com/copy-of-programs. 
Rennie Gaither is a Frogtown Green volunteer. Frogtown Green is a resident-led and volunteer-powered environmental initiative in St Paul’s most diverse neighborhood. If you’d like to know more, browse frogtowngreen.com or call 651-757-5970.