News from Hennepin County

Commissioner_Marion_Greene

December

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IN THIS ISSUE


CONTACT US

Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883

Ray Hoover
Principal Aide
612-348-7125

Pam Fahlstrom
Administrative Assistant
612-348-0863


OFFICE HOURS

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.


ABOUT THE DISTRICT

The 3rd District serves the city of St. Louis Park, and parts of west and downtown Minneapolis.

3rd District map

View larger map


GET INVOLVED

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.

Interested citizens should fill out an application before December 31, 2015. For more information, click here.

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.


IN THE NEWS

Click here to learn about a pilot program to clean up abandoned homes in Hennepin County.


COUNTY RESOURCES

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


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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,

sig

News

adoption

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.

bike status

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.

ambulatory care

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.

Read more about the proposal here.

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 lakes trail

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.   


Hennepin County Profile

Christina

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.


Board meeting highlights

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.

umbrella

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. 

Learn more about disaster recovery plans.


Board briefings

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.

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