Briefs: Oakdale plans to train residents in forestry

The city of Oakdale is partnering with the University of Minnesota Forest Resources Department on a pilot program for community forestry. Residents can train to become citizen pruners and learn general tree identification, biology and pruning techniques.

A training session has been scheduled for Saturday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $25. Course material will be taught by the University of Minnesota Forest Resources Department and the city of Oakdale. Pruners must work 10 volunteer hours a year. Contact Valerie Price at 612-625-2361.

Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens has been selected co-chair of the Regional Council of Mayors (RCM), made up of local elected officials who discuss issues of regional significance.

Stephens will serve a two-year term and share the post with Edina Mayor Jim Hovland.

She was elected mayor of Woodbury in November 2010 and was re-elected to a second term in November 2014. She also served one term as a Woodbury City Council member from 2007 to 2010.

The Washington County Board recently sent two messages to the county legislative delegation, one supporting changes in absentee voting, and the other supporting funding for Madison's Place Playground, an accessible playground planned for the Bielenberg Sports Center in Woodbury.

The county is asking that anyone voting in person be allowed to place a voted ballot directly into the ballot counter, rather than using the supplies and procedures used for mail voting. If that change were made, administrative costs would be reduced by more than 50 percent, voters would save time, service would be improved, and errors would be reduced, the county said.

Kathleen Lamey, Lakeland, has been named the District 3 representative to the Washington County Historic Courthouse Advisory Council.

Lamey will serve a term that will expire Dec. 31, 2016.

The council reviews current operations and long-range plans of the Historic Courthouse's use and restoration.

Washington County has received the 2014 Community Partner of the Year award from LifeSource, the nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest.

The county uses digital sign boards in its licensing centers to promote organ, eye and tissue donations. The county operates licensing centers in Woodbury, Stillwater and Forest Lake.

The board received a grant from the 2014 State Homeland Security Program to purchase equipment and software for future 7.19 ARMER radio system upgrades. The amount allocated to Washington County is $24,325.27, but to receive the money, the county is required to spend $48,650.54 on software for the radio system by Nov. 1.

The total projected cost for the radio system is about $897,500.

The Washington County Board has authorized a contract with Office Depot to supply county workers with office supplies and equipment.

Office Depot Inc. will provide a 55 percent discount off the company's catalog price for supplies. The annual cost for all supplies is about $400,000. The contract is for 2015 and 2016.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office accepted 10 donated automatic external defibrillators from Mark Altmann, a Marine on St. Croix resident, after the County Board agreed to the gift April 21.