Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
Marion Greene Commissioner, 3rd District 612-348-7883
Ray Hoover Principal Aide 612-348-7125
Pam Fahlstrom Administrative Assistant 612-348-0863
Join me in my effort to expand awareness of and involvement with Hennepin County! I'm holding office hours across the district each month. Come with questions, come with opinions, or just come to say hi.
This month I'll be at Spyhouse in the East Isles neighborhood on December 11th from 2-4 PM.
The 3rd District serves
the city of St.
Louis Park, and parts of west and downtown Minneapolis.
View larger map
Hennepin County accepting applications for citizen advisory boards
Every year, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners appoints
county residents to volunteer service positions on advisory boards,
commissions, councils and special task forces. Appointees deal with a variety
of topics of concern to the county, advise commissioners on issues and programs
and help set policy.
2016 Budget Hearing Schedule
In September, the board held a series of public hearings on the proposed 2016 budget. The process will wrap up in December.
Click here to see the Schedule.
All meetings happen in the County Board Room of the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
Click here to learn about a pilot program to clean up abandoned homes in Hennepin County.
County departments, agencies & other entities
Hennepin County libraries
Hennepin County Medical Center
Hennepin volunteers
Online services
Phone directory
Service Center information
Southwest Light Rail
Understanding your property tax
City of Minneapolis
City of St. Louis Park
|
Greetings!
I hope you enjoy this month's District 3 newsletter. Visit our website to find more ways to connect with the county. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I value your opinions.
My best,
National Adoption Day
On Saturday, November 21 Hennepin County observed National Adoption Day. During court
hearings at the Juvenile Justice Center, 19 families opened their hearts and
homes to 30 children who have been in the child protection system. I was on hand to make remarks at the event.
National Adoption Day was created to bring awareness to the many children who are still waiting for an adoptive family. In Minnesota there are currently over 500 children in out of home placement waiting for adoptive families, and over 80 right here in Hennepin County.
At Hennepin County we believe every child should have a family and a home where they can be safe, loved and nurtured, a family to help them grow and thrive. Click here for more information.
|
Hennepin is first county in Minnesota to achieve ‘Bicycle
Friendly Community’
Hennepin County is the first Minnesota county to receive Bicycle Friendly
Community silver status from the League of American Bicyclists. Regional trails
in Hennepin County had more than 8.1 million trail visits in 2014 and more than
8 million visits in 2013. The bicycle network is 651 miles of on-and off-street bikeways in Hennepin County, and includes buffered bike lanes,
cycle tracks and trails connecting the entire county..
Nationwide, no standalone county has received recognition
above the silver level. The League of American Bicyclists status level is valid
for four years.
Hennepin County will continue to improve bicycling conditions
by making the system safer and more comfortable for all ages and abilities,
while continuing to expand the bikeway network. Contact our office for copies of the 2015 Hennepin County bike map. Click here for the map and riding tips.
|
Board approves funding for HCMC ambulatory care center
On November 3, the County Board approved a plan for construction of an HCMC ambulatory outpatient specialty center. The board
approved the proposed total construction budget, and a Hennepin County capital
investment. The county also will issue general obligation bonds, with debt
service on the bonds to be paid by Hennepin Healthcare System over the next 25
years. 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. The groundbreaking happened on November 12.
|
Fifth regional human service office opens
Hennepin County has opened its fifth regional human service
center, located in downtown Minneapolis. The newest location, meant to serve
residents who live and work in central and northeast Minneapolis, is in
remodeled offices on the fifth and sixth floors of the Health Services
Building, at 525 Portland Avenue. That building is home to several other Human
Services and Public Health Department programs.
The new site is only one part of a larger plan to
decentralize Hennepin County's human services access from a concentration of
offices in downtown Minneapolis, to six sites spread across the county and
closer to where residents live, work and attend school. With services in their
neighborhoods, Hennepin County residents in need of economic benefits can
integrate needed visits with their financial workers and other county staff into
their daily routines. The Century Plaza building, at 12th Street and 3rd
Avenue, formerly the county's main human services office, will close in 2017,
once all of the regional offices are established.
Cedar Lake Crossing
In early November, you may have seen crews replacing the
Kenilworth railroad tracks across Cedar Lake Parkway. At the same time, the
city of Minneapolis installed a new sewer pipe under the Kenilworth railroad
tracks and Kenilworth Trail. All work was successfully completed ahead of
schedule by November 6. Thank you to all residents, trail users and road users
for your understanding during the detours required to complete this effort.
|
To share more about the work of Hennepin County, we
profile a county employee who lives in District 3. Each month spotlights a
person from varying departments and occupations.
Christina Eichorn
Christina is a resident of the Loring Park neighborhood, and
is a Human Services Representative on the MnSure Team with Eligibility Work Services.
Click
here to find out how Christina makes Hennepin County tick.
|
State grants will expand opportunities to improve health
On November 3, The County Board accepted a five-year 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 past 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
- 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 in Hennepin County here.
Grant will fund soil and water conservation projects
On November 17, the board approved agreements with the
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to provide non-competitive,
formula-based grants to the county to deliver soil and water conservation
services:
- A block grant will be used to support local government water
planning, enforce the Wetland Conservation Act, inspect septic systems and
administer volunteer water monitoring programs.
- A program and operation grant will be used to provide
technical assistance and cost-sharing funds to landowners to implement
conservation practices.
- An organizational capacity grant to increase conservation
services provided throughout the county,
- A grant to carry out duties to implement the state’s new law
that requires vegetation buffers along rivers, streams, and ditches.
Click here to learn more.
State cost-sharing will enable repair of soil damage from
2014 rains
On November 17,the board accepted Disaster Recovery Assistance
Program funds to repair damages from excessive rainfall in June 2014. The
Minnesota Legislature authorized the Disaster Recovery Assistance Program
(DRAP) and appropriated cost-share funding during the 2015 first special
session. The board also approved cost-share policy that prioritizes use of
current and future program funds.
|
In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the County Board often meets for updates on Thursday mornings. These are informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No decisions are made, and the topics are subject to change. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.
- There are no board briefings scheduled for December, as we are focused on completing the budget for 2016.
Back to top
|