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Metro briefs: West-metro city of Victoria seeks applicants for City Council

By Star Tribune

January 16, 2021 at 6:45PM

VICTORIA

Applicants sought for City Council

Victoria is seeking applicants to fill a City Council position created when former Council Member Deb McMillan was sworn in as mayor.

Applicants for the at-large council seat must be at least 18 years old and live in Victoria. The term expires on Dec. 31, 2022.

The City Council will publicly interview candidates after its regular Feb. 8 meeting. The interviews will be broadcast live on Mediacom Channel 8 and the City's YouTube channel.

To apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/victoriacc.

KATY READ

PLYMOUTH

New police chief grew up in the city

Deputy Police Chief Erik Fadden will become Plymouth's new police chief on Feb. 1. He replaces longtime chief Mike Goldstein.

Fadden also replaces Goldstein as public safety director. The Public Safety Department includes the Plymouth Police and Fire departments, as well as emergency management services.

Fadden grew up in Plymouth and graduated from Wayzata High School. He became an officer in the Minnetrista Police Department in 2001. He was hired as an officer in Plymouth in 2004, promoted to sergeant in 2009 and to deputy chief in 2018.

KATY READ

Ramsey County

County Board waives nonprofit's rent

Ramsey County will forgo collecting $118,000 in rent from the nonprofit Face to Face Health & Counseling Service.

Citing financial hardship because of the pandemic and the importance of the nonprofit's services, the County Board agreed to forgive $44,000 in rent owed in 2020 and waive $74,000 in rent for 2021.

The nonprofit, which provides services for young people ages 11 to 24, leases space from the county in downtown St. Paul for SafeZone, its drop-in service location for homeless youth. The nonprofit provides assistance finding food, clothing and shelter at SafeZone.

Shannon Prather

Washington County

Hundreds apply for COVID relief grants

Hundreds of Washington County businesses laid low by the COVID-19 pandemic have filed for county relief grants in the latest round of taxpayer funding to help them out, said Washington County Administrator Kevin Corbid. Bars, restaurants, gyms and other spots affected by efforts to stop the spread of the disease have filed 325 applications since the county began accepting them on Jan. 7.

The county has $5.06 million to distribute, with grants of up to $15,000 for businesses, $10,000 for nonprofits and $7,500 for home-based businesses or sole proprietorships.

Eligible businesses are those affected by an executive order; they must employ 75 or fewer people and report less than $5 million in annual revenue, and have been in business since at least Nov. 1 of last year.

The county also waived annual licensing fees for some businesses, saving them anywhere from a few hundred dollars to two or three thousand, said Corbid.

About three quarters of the grant money has been applied for; Corbid said the first grants should go out the door before the end of the month.

Matt McKinney