April 2014 E-newsletter

Serving Deephaven, northern Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.


APRIL 2014


CONTACT INFO

Jan Callison
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886 

Dave Nuckols
Principal Aide
612-348-6885 

Cassi Holmstrom Administrative Assistant & Scheduling
612-348-3168


ABOUT THE 6th DISTRICT

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent part of Chanhassen, Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.

Callison 2013 district map

View map enlargement


NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Find past issues of my monthly newsletter.


MORE COUNTY INFO

County departments, agencies & other entities

Elected & appointed officials

Hennepin County libraries

Hennepin County Medical Center

Hennepin volunteers

Online services

Phone directory

Service Center information

Southwest light rail

Understanding your property tax


Pothole

Rough winter leaving its mark on county roads

The extreme temperatures and copious amounts of snow this winter are leaving county roads filled with potholes. It is no secret to anyone out driving on Minnesota roads that this year is exceptionally worse for potholes.

“We have seen an increase in service calls this year about potholes” said Brian Langseth from the public works department. “Our crews are filling more potholes than they have for the last few years.”

To combat the increase in the quantity and severity of the pothole problem, county crews are working Monday through Saturday to patch as many of the troubled areas as possible, as long as the weather complies.

If you see a problem area on a county road, please report it through the report a pothole form.  


MetroNet2

Metronet Seeks Board Members

The Metronet Board is seeking two citizen representatives and a representative from school libraries and one from public libraries to serve Board terms beginning July 1, 2014.  

Citizen representatives must not be currently employed or seeking employment in a library, but should be interested in libraries of all types (school, academic, special, & public) & live in the seven-county metropolitan area. Citizen Board members receive a $50 per diem reimbursement for each meeting. Retired librarians are eligible.

The Metronet Board meets six times a year. The Board provides fiscal oversight & planning for Metronet operations. More information about Metronet & the Board application can be found on the Metro Libraries website here.

Applications should be received at Metronet by June 1. 

Anyone who has questions should contact Ann Walker Smalley, Metronet Director, at 651.646.0475 or
ann@metronet.lib.mn.us


AARP2

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, an AARP Foundation program, helps low- to moderate-income taxpayers have more discretionary income for everyday essentials, such as food and housing, by assisting with tax services and ensuring they receive applicable tax credits and deductions.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is available free to taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to those 60 and older. Through a cadre of trained volunteers, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has helped low- to moderate-income individuals for more than 40 years in every state and the District of Columbia.

Locations in the 6th District include:

  • South Shore Center
    5735 Country Club Road
    Shorewood, MN 55331
    952-474-7635
    Monday - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    **Appointments preferred
  • MInnetonka Community Center
    14600 Minnetonka Blvd.
    Minnetonka, MN 55345
    952-939-8393
    Monday - 12:30 to 4 p.m.
    Thursday - 12:30 to 4 p.m.
  • Edina Senior Center
    5280 Grandview Square, Suite 101
    Edina, MN 55436
    Monday - 9 a.m. to Noon
    Wednesday - 9 a.m. to Noon
  • Gillespie Center
    2590 Commerce Blvd.
    Mound, MN 55364
    952-472-6501
    Friday - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    ** Appointments preferred
  • Hopkins Activity Center
    33 14th Avenue N.
    Hopkins, MN 55343
    952-939-1333
    Monday - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For important documents to bring with you for your appointment visit the AARP website.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in cooperation with the IRS.


GreenNotes

Environmental cleanup funding available

Funding for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites is available through the Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund (ERF).

Applications are due by May 1, 2014.

ERF grants provide funding for a variety of environmental assessment and cleanup activities at contaminated sites where the added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment. These are sites that present a threat to human health or the environment, provide community benefit from the cleanup and lack funding from other sources. After cleanup, properties that receive ERF grants are put to a variety of productive uses such as public space, housing or economic development.

See Applying for an ERF grant for more information or email John Evans or call 612-348-4046.

Greetings,

I hope you are enjoying my electronic newsletters, and find them interesting and informative about county activities. Please feel free to send me your comments through my feedback form on issues that concern you or you would like covered. I value your opinions.

Warm regards,

Jan Callison


Board Meetings

March 11, 2014

Comprehensive review of children and youth services across county departments

The board voted for a comprehensive review of current services to children and youth across county departments. This will allow the county to prioritize programs and services for young people that produce positive outcomes, reduce inefficiencies, and ensure children and youth receive the best possible services. The review will begin this month under the leadership of county administration and an oversight group, with direction and support from Judge Lucy Wieland (retired). It will be completed by December 2014. Consulting services will be provided pro-bono by the Casey Family Programs, a nationally recognized foundation based in Seattle. Last year, more than $122.3 million and 700 employees were budgeted for children’s services at the county.

County continues agreement for legal assistance for low-income tenants

The board renewed an agreement with the Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance to provide services for low-income tenants required to appear in Housing Court in the Fourth Judicial District. Approximately 1,050 clients are anticipated to use services in 2014. The county will provide $60,000 in funding to Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance, the same funding level as 2013. The county also has an agreement with the Volunteer Lawyers Network, a group of private law firm attorneys who volunteer to assist low-income clients. Volunteer Lawyers Network anticipates providing services to approximately 1,000 tenants and landlords in 2014. The Volunteer Lawyers Network and Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance work together to provide these services.

Gail

Board recognizes Commissioner Gail Dorfman for 14 years of service to Hennepin County

The county board recognized Commissioner Gail Dorfman for her exemplary service on the county board. Dorfman was elected to the board in 1999 and served the residents of Southwest Minneapolis and St. Louis Park. The board commended her for leading with intelligence, compassion determination, creativity and integrity. She worked to tackle large social policy issues that have resulted in decreased homelessness, increased affordable housing units, increased mental health programs and health care access, development of the Midtown Greenway, increased bike and walkability, increased public transit, healthier families, and increased county resources for at-risk youth.

Citizen Advisory Board Appointments

County Extension Committee  

  • Leonel Dorvil

Library Board

  • Jane Shanard in the At-Large category

Adult Mental Health Local Advisory Council

  • Kathie Prieve and Kamaludin Hassan as Advocacy Organization Representatives;
  • Rosalin Chrest and Norman Teigen (Alternate) as At-Large representatives; 
  • Rozenia Fuller, Nicholas Pladson and Kent Amdahl (Alternate) as Consumer Advocates;
  • Leonard Freeman as Family Member representative; and
  • Sarah Krohn and Ngozi Mbibi as Mental Health Provider representatives.

Workforce Investment Board

  • Tamra Sieve as Adult Basic Education representative;
  • Meyrick Vaz as Business representative;
  • Nancy James as Community Based Organization representative; and
  • Pete Parris as Organized Labor Organization representative.

Sign up for alerts about citizen advisory board openings here.

Agendas and minutes of action taken by the Hennepin County Board are posted under Hennepin County meetings and agendas. For greater detail on the above agenda items and additional board actions, visit county board actions.

March 25, 2014

Board approves plan to fight sexual exploitation of youth in the county

The county board approved a plan to end the sexual exploitation of youth in Hennepin County. The Hennepin County No Wrong Door plan was developed over the past year by a cross-departmental county workgroup, with the goal of creating a seamless county-wide response to identify youth being trafficked, find them a safe place to stay, and connect them to appropriate victim-centered and trauma-informed services. The Hennepin County Plan aligns with the state’s No Wrong Door plan.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that 100,000 children are sexually exploited in the United States each year. A recent study found that each month in Minnesota at least 213 girls are sold for sex over the internet and through escort services an average of five times per day. The FBI has identified Minneapolis as one of 13 cities with a large concentration of juvenile sex trafficking enterprises. For more information read the news release

Library and 3M develop e-book collection

The board approved an agreement between Hennepin County Libraries and 3M to provide e-book services to patrons from March 25, 2014, through March 24, 2017. The contract is not to exceed $1.5 million. It will take the library about three to four months to have titles available to the general public. 

Improvements to Shady Oak Road in Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie

The board approved the reconstruction of Shady Oak Road (County Road 61) in Hopkins and Minnetonka from Excelsior Boulevard (County Road 3) to north of Highway 7. In addition to reconstruction of the road, the project includes grading, paving, storm sewer, curb and gutter, retaining wall, trail construction and traffic signal replacement. The total cost of the project is $26.29 million and costs are shared by the county, cities and Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The board also approved an agreement with the City of Eden Prairie for the reconstruction of Shady Oak Road (County Road 61) from south of Highway 212 to north of Rowland Road. The county cost for the project is not to exceed $5 million. 

Hennepin County Bar Association to provide legal counsel

The board approved an agreement with the Hennepin County Bar Association to provide legal counsel for indigent respondents in Hennepin County Mental Health Court. The agreement is for services provided from April 1, 2014, through March 31, 2016. The contract is not to exceed $2.38 million. 

Agendas and minutes of action taken by the Hennepin County Board are posted under Hennepin County meetings and agendas. For greater detail on the above agenda items and additional board actions, visit county board actions.


Board Briefings

In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the Board often meets on Thursday mornings to receive "Board Briefings."  These are informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues.  No decisions are made.  Board Briefings occur in the Boardroom on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.

March 13, 2014

  • Clean Water Land and Legacy Funds and Future Natural Resources Management Efforts — Staff updated the Board on Clean Water Land and Legacy disbursements and ways in which county staff might help more funds be distributed within Hennepin County as well as improve natural resource management. They reported that, although Hennepin County generates 29% of the sales tax revenue for the Clean Water Land and Legacy program, organizations within the County receive only 12.6% of funds. They suggested ways to help partner organizations better qualify for these funds and ways to improve natural resource management in Hennepin County, including:  expanding technical support for partners, improving environmental education and outreach support, expanding internal support, convening partners to facilitate better natural resource management and restoration, and creating active and flexible partnerships for grant applications.

March 20, 2014

  • Food Assistance Strategies in Hennepin County — University of Minnesota staff presented the results of their study, “Exploring Alternative Food Assistance Strategies in Hennepin County.”  Hennepin County requested this study to help it understand how it might improve the impact of the assistance that it provides to food shelves. Among the recommendations were:  “consider a two-tiered funding system including the creation of mini-grants intended to encourage enhanced services; address common barriers in Hennepin County through alternative distribution strategies; and adjust contract language to fulfill aims of policy changes.”  The study identified the following barriers for people using food shelves:  lack of awareness of food shelf programs; accessibility challenges including transportation, zip code restrictions, food shelf hours; inadequate or inappropriate food (for religious or dietary reasons); stigma associated with needing help; and personal challenges such as lack of cooking or food storage facilities.

County Calendar

Public Hearing

Hennepin County Consortium Draft 2014 Action Plan 

The board will begin accepting written public comment on the Hennepin County Consortium Draft 2014 Action Plan. Hard copies of the plan will be available at suburban Hennepin County Libraries at Brookdale, Ridgedale, and Southdale by April 11. The plan will be available April 14 on the county's website www.hennepin.us .

The consortium includes all 41 cities in suburban Hennepin County and the plan will guide the use of approximately $4.2 million for housing and community development activities.  

Comments will be accepted for 30 days beginning April 11, 2014 and ending May 12, 2014. 

Written comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. to Margo Geffen, Manager, Housing Development and Finance at 701 4th Ave. S., Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55415.  Comments received by the May 12 deadline will be included with the county's response to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Public Hearing

A public hearing on the Hennepin County Consortium Draft 2014 Action Plan will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 29 during the Public Works, Energy and Environmental Committee.