Redeployment of funds for county property redevelopment
Summary
The county pooled $200,000 from two stalled property accounts into one flexible redevelopment fund. Commissioner Xiong pressed on why Boys Totem Town has sat vacant since 2021, costing millions to maintain, while staff cited environmental and archaeological studies and promised a disposition plan and workshop before year's end.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 4
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Sep 1, 2026.
Impact analysis
Up to $200,000 moved between existing county accounts — no new spending, but Boys Totem Town maintenance costs run in the millions annually.
Future buyers, developers, and the county tax base if the vacant properties are redeveloped.
Residents near Boys Totem Town who have waited years for engagement on the site's future.
Mentions & discussions (4)
Board of Commissioners — September 1, 2026
The county pooled $200,000 from two stalled property accounts into one flexible redevelopment fund. Commissioner Xiong pressed on why Boys Totem Town has sat vacant since 2021, costing millions to maintain, while staff cited environmental and archaeological studies and promised a disposition plan and workshop before year's end.
Budget Committee of the Whole — August 28, 2026
Only 13% of the 141 properties that qualified for forfeiture in 2025 actually forfeited, thanks to door-knocking interventions. The county has discharged about 1,000 of roughly 5,000 racist restrictive covenants, aiming for 100% by 2028.
Board Workshop / Discussion — April 7, 2026
Commissioners flagged underused parking lots — especially at Aldrich — as possible sites for small businesses or tax-generating development, and asked whether spaces could be leveraged for warming/cooling centers or expo use.
Board Workshop / Discussion — March 10, 2026
Staff showed conservative projections: the Les Bolstad golf course site could yield $6 million in value, downtown office conversions $18.5 million, and the Maplewood parks campus $7.5 million per acre — all currently tax-exempt or underused.
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