Remarks by Mai Chong Xiong
51 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
- Play at 1:07:34
“Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a few questions. For the engagement, I think it's really good that we're measuring the engagement. How are we incorporating feedback that we get on social media and relaying that to departments? Thank you, Commissioner.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 1:08:25
“Okay, that's great. And then, you know, I think it's, I really like how you're tying the successes of the partnership around the Hmong language and tying that to, like, you know, the increases for services because that's exactly what we want and that's exactly the investment of why we invested I believe a few years ago we considered also in the Spanish language also to pilot and also in other languages What may you share more about some of the decisions or what what what else you see needed?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 1:10:31
“Okay. And then finally just to our online web page, when are we, has that transition and move been finalized now? And are all departments, or I guess like how are you working with departments to make sure that there aren't any broken links or that it's accessible online too on the web page and that it has current information?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 1:12:48
“And last question, Madam Chair, is what is the top search for Ramsey County's website?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 1:35:16
“Oh, yeah. I just wanted to name one more thing, too, that I've been trying to work with. It's just also using plain language in our work as well, too, and actually in all government documents. And so I don't know if that effort had been undertaken. plain language is just so important to communicating across diverse communities, as well as how I like to think about is communicating to folks with an eighth grade reading level, because that's where the U.S. is in terms of literacy.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 2:14:14
“Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, just speaking about cybersecurity, what are the lessons we've learned from other local governments or what we've seen? You know, St. Paul, from St. Paul's experience, they made additional investments this year and last year, too. May you speak a little bit more on the county's investments or previous investments?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 2:18:23
“That's really great to hear, and I think that's also something that we should even talk about, because throughout all this supplemental performance measure year, I am actually referencing back to our budget and to say this is the value that our taxpayers are getting. So thank you very much, and keep up the good work.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 4:53:44
“Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, I have questions about just two items. One is on the revised countywide administrative policies. What are we measuring the percentage out from, for example, from 2025? The 6%, is that 6% of the 150 countywide administrative policies?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 4:54:17
“Okay. Let's see. I think my feedback around that is just we should be basically more intentional about our goal for each year rather than saying that we're doing just a percentage of it. We should be setting a goal that we're going to tackle on five administrative policies this year because this is the amount of time that it's going to take versus measuring out of the whole of 150 administrative policies. So that's my feedback about that. And that would be more valuable as a policymaker for us in tracking and making sure that the most important policies are the ones that are bubbling up and…”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 4:56:01
“And then may we also just get an update as well too later on in terms of like what the priorities are or what your office is going to be focused on?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 4:56:34
“Okay, perfect. And then the other one too, the recovery for damages caused by a third party. May we also get information more on the dollar amounts for those previous years? You know, and I just also want to take an opportunity to just thank the team for recovering such high percentages compared to the general, you know, just general claims. So kudos to that. Yes, thank you, Dan.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 4:57:43
“Okay. All right. Thank you. Commissioner Miller.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 28, 2026
- Play at 44:07
“Thank you, Director Wilkins. I think you're doing a great job just articulating the performance measures and the goals connecting to it. I want to go back to the slide on the average number of days on the coordinated entry. And then also tying that in with the budget that you have laid out. We are seeing your department's budget shrinking and your goals are really to reduce and cut the wait time in half essentially. What is that strategy there? And then also, When you're looking at the context about housing capacity or like the housing availability, what types of housing are we looking for…”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 47:43
“Okay. And then the other part that I just wanted you to lift a name that you said really fast and just emphasize is the resources that's actually needed right now to keep someone housed. That even the bundling of those resources are not enough. Are you also keeping track about what is needed so that we can tell that story and share that with our state legislators?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 48:38
“So how much is that that's needed? As far as overall? Yeah, for this and also for coordinated entry. Okay.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:31:29
“May I go first? Yes, please. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a question about this, about some of the trend here, and if you can explain a little bit, also provide more of a narrative on what's happening here from, I guess, to 2020 to up to now. We're at 46% for 2026 for the timeliness on the expedited SNAP applications. May you explain kind of what was happening in between 2022 and 25 there?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:32:48
“Okay. Yeah, I'm just trying to understand that too and some of the rationale because also like if there were changes in policy at all from the state at that time. Mm-hmm. Were there changes in policy from the state during the COVID or even pre-COVID?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:53:13
“Thank you. OK. Commissioner Zong. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a question about this, too, because are we is this helpful information for us in terms of getting the funds out? Because they have strict guidelines already, too, and a criteria. So 100 people can apply but may not be eligible, and then you'd be at 0%. So that's why I'm asking, how has this data been helpful to your department?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:55:06
“Right. And what I'm getting at, too, is they have to meet a specific criteria already. Correct. Shouldn't the data that we are looking for is of the eligible applicants? How many are we processing or approving?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:04:24
“Yeah, I just want to put another pin into the question that Commissioner Jeven-Singh and I had about this, because I'm just a little bit perplexed about it too, because I know that we have restrictions around the emergencies, but one of our goals around holistic support, resident-centered holistic supports, meaning that people are identifying to us that they have an emergency, but even though it doesn't fall under the county programs, are we actively working with partners to get them to that resource? So that's a better measure for us on the things that we can control that I think that it…”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:40:41
“Great Thank You madam chair um may we just go back to the percent of Minnesota family investment program participants employed I Just had a question about like you know just across the board the percentage is really low and are we measuring Like new employment that they have from participating in the program I”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:42:14
“And so this is current MFIP participants who are not working?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 2:42:53
“OK, great. And do you have a number on this? Because the percentage is just really low, and I just don't have a grasp on how many total. Yeah, I can provide that as follow up as well. OK, great. Thank you.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 3:13:22
“Thank you, Madam Chair. Let's see. I just want to first say thank you so much for being able to capture and work with residents so directly and intimately. Just having this resident voice is so important for folks. And on the topic around housing and homelessness that Chair Moran mentioned here, what has the role of our department been around the encampment and also doing direct engagement out on the ground to see if there are folks who are veterans or a family of veterans that could also be eligible for services? Sure.”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 3:14:55
“OK. And is that a question that we're actively asking all the residents, too, that we're encountering? I believe former Commissioner Martinson said that the term, it's like, have you served in the military? Or are you a veteran? That there was a difference in how people responded, whether or not they identified as a veteran. And that you would have to say, have you served in the military?”
Board of Commissioners · Aug 27, 2026