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 will co-chair regional roundtable

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.

County Board backs Woodbury playground

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.

Madison's Place Playground will be 15,000 square feet and will include a splash pad.

Lakeland

Resident appointed as courthouse adviser

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

Organ, tissue efforts receive annual award

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.

Sheriff's Office begins radio system upgrade

The Washington County Sheriff's Office will begin an upgrade to its radio system, and the county will spend $48,000 for the software to match a grant from the Metropolitan Emergency Service Board.

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.

Office supply contract approved for $400,000

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.

Marine on St. Croix

Ten defibrillators donated to county

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.

The value of each device, with accessories, is $2,290. Accessories include a rescue backpack, defibrillation pad and ready kit. The units will be installed in Sheriff's Office atrol vehicles.

Kevin Giles