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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11/03/2015
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
Votes Tuesday provide funding and financing for HCMC outpatient center, dedicate state grant to health enhancement projects, create opportunities for water improvement in creeks, rivers and lakes.
 Board approves funding for HCMC outpatient center
The County Board approved a plan to proceed with
construction of an HCMC ambulatory outpatient specialty center.
The board approved the Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc., proposal for a total
construction budget up to $220.8 million, and a Hennepin County capital investment of $18.9 million.
The county also will issue general obligation bonds totaling $191.9 million,
with debt service on the bonds to be paid by Hennepin Healthcare System over the
next 25 years. Hennepin Healthcare System also is investing $10 million in operating funds toward the project. Located between 8th and 9th streets and
Park and Chicago avenues, the center’s six floors and 377,000 square feet will
house a combination of clinics and services, including 27 outpatient clinics
for primary care and specialty services; same day surgery center; radiology
services; breast center; an outpatient pharmacy; and a comprehensive cancer
center.
Read
more about the ambulatory outpatient specialty center proposal.
The County Board accepted a five-year, $5.7 million grant from the Minnesota Department of Health to implement the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP). The program funds local projects that increase opportunities for healthy activities. In Hennepin County, it is administered by the Public Health Department. The funds must only be used to develop new activities, expand current efforts to reduce obesity and tobacco use, or replace discontinued funds from the state or federal government, or a third party. Outcomes from collaborations include:
- Three post-secondary campuses passed tobacco-free policies, affecting 6,319 students and faculty.
- 267 multi-unit rental properties adopted smoke-free policies, affecting 11,844 apartment units and 29,610 people.
- The County Board approved the Hennepin County Bicycle Transportation Plan, and pedestrian and bicycle plans were completed and adopted by Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Maple Plain, and Robbinsdale.
- 99 employers with more than 28,500 employees made changes in their worksites to encourage healthy food choices, physical activity and breastfeeding for new moms, and 34 employers made changes to tobacco policies.
- Six new community gardens and orchards were established on publicly accessible grounds and over 49,000 pound of fresh produce were grown and distributed to local food shelves.
Future projects will continue some of the same projects, and expand efforts to increase health.
Read
more about SHIP projects in Hennepin County.
The County Board approved a
request to set a special levy to support projects on four watershed districts:
Bassett Creek, Shingle Creek, West Mississippi and Elm Creek. The special levy
is separate from the general property tax levy, which is set to be approved
next month. In most cases, member cities are subject to cost-sharing
agreements. Projects include:
- Bassett Creek: $1.2
million for two water quality and quantity improvement projects, reducing
pollutants into Bassett
Creek and reducing phosphorus loading into Northwood Lake.
- Shingle Creek: $317,500
for two water quality projects and to support a best management practices
program. One project will reduce the internal loading in Twin and Ryan
lakes in Brooklyn Center. The other, in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park,
will incorporate stream reaeration structures to increase the dissolved
oxygen levels in the creek.
- West Mississippi:
$50,000 to support a cost-share program, which will implement small
water quality projects throughout the watershed to protect and improve the
quality of water resources.
- Elm Creek: $250,000 to
stabilize approximately 5,000 feet of streambank using bioengineering and
re-vegetation techniques, and expand regional stormwater ponds to
incorporate additional treatment practices to reduce pollutant loadings to
Elm Creek.
Read
more about the watershed projects.
Acting Community Works Director Kevin Dockry was named to lead the department that works to manage intersections between commercial and residential development, and transit by cars and trucks, mass transit, bicycles and pedestrians. Dockry, who brings more than 27 years of experience to the post, has run the department since April.
The board also confirmed Christopher Sagsveen as director of Transportation Operations (roads and bridges), effective immediately. Sagsveen is an experienced civil engineer who brings more than 13 years of experience and knowledge to the position. He has served as acting director since May.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
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