September 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.


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

View map enlargement

Callison 2013 district map

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


Youth Sports Grants

Youth Sports Program Grant Applications Open

The Hennepin Youth Sports Program is currently accepting applications for the 2015 round of facility and equipment grants.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20.  

The Hennepin Youth Sports Program awards facility grants to municipalities, park districts or school districts to create, expand or improve athletic or recreational facilities to enhance opportunities for youth participation in the county.

Up to $2 million is available annually. Since 2009, more than $13 million in Youth Sports grants have been distributed to 80 capital projects (facilities) and 122 equipment and small asset projects.

The Twins ballpark sales tax, approved in 2006, funds the Hennepin Youth Sports Program and additional hours at 15 Hennepin County Library locations. Up to $4 million annually is dedicated between the programs. 

Photocaptions in italics


Hazardous waste

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event in Shorewood

Hennepin County organizes collection events throughout the year to give residents more convenient local disposal options for their household hazardous wastes. For more information about other collection events and waste accepted at the facility, visit this county webpage.

When: October 2, 3, 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Where: Shorewood Public Works - 24200 Smithtown Road, Shorewood. Map it


Business recycling

Grants available for business and non-profit recycling and organic recycling programs

Grants of up to $50,000 are available to help businesses, non-profit organizations and institutions start or improve programs to reduce waste and divert recyclables and organics (food and non-recyclable paper) from the trash. Most businesses and non-profits in the county—from large office buildings to churches, restaurants and apartment buildings—are eligible to apply. These grants can be used to help businesses get recycling programs in place before the new Minnesota state law requiring businesses to recycle goes into effect.

Funding can help with the purchase of recycling containers, equipment and hauling services and minor improvements to loading docks and waste enclosures.

After two grant rounds, $442,350 has been awarded.

Proposals are due by October 15. This is the final funding round for 2014. Learn more and apply.

For more information, contact Paul Kroening at 612-348-6358 or paul.kroening@hennepin.us


Hennepin Health

Hennepin Health Newsletter

Hennepin County has several initiatives for health care reform and integration. The county provides health and human services to more than 200,000 residents via its cooperative network which includes Hennepin County Medical Center, NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, Metropolitan Health Plan, and the Human Services and Public Health Department. Changes in health care are improving health outcomes, improving customer and staff satisfaction and reducing health care costs. We are making major strides. See some of the examples in the latest Hennepin Health newsletter. You can also subscribe to get updates about Hennepin Health - County Health Care Reform.

Greetings,

I hope you are enjoying my electronic newsletters, and find them interesting and informative about county activities. In addition to my monthly newsletter, the county sends various newsletters and notifications available by email or text message. To explore the many opportunities to subscribe or to change your preferences, visit the subscription webpage.

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

August 12, 2014

Hennepin Tech

Hennepin Technical College to provide food safety training at Adult Corrections Facility

The board approved the Hennepin Technical College to provide training for kitchen workers at the Adult Correctional Facility (ACF). Residents at the ACF are encouraged to participate in both educational and employment activities during their incarceration. One of the employment opportunities is working in the kitchen to prepare meals for the ACF, Juvenile Detention Center and the County Home School. The kitchen prepares approximately 48,000 meals per month. To ensure safety of workers and the food they are serving, workers are required to be trained by Hennepin Technical College. This provides work skills that can be used during and after incarceration. Workers are paid a stipend for their work and up to 50 percent of the money earned is used to pay fines, child support, restitution and fees related to their incarceration.   

AED

County will purchase additional automated external defibrillators

The board approved the purchase of additional automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for county facilities. There are currently 71 AEDs at 46 county facilities and the county will invest $60,000 to acquire an additional 31 AEDs and to replace outdated devices.  

August 19, 2014 (Special meeting)

 

SW LRT

Design for SW LRT project within the City of Minneapolis  approved 

The Hennepin County Board completed its municipal approval process for preliminary design plans for the Southwest light rail transit project, in voting to approve the portion of those plans serving the city of Minneapolis. The board previously approved portions of the line serving the cities of Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins and St. Louis Park on July 8; for more information, see the July 8 news release.

Minneapolis gave municipal approval for these plans on August 29.

“This vote is the culmination of years of hard work by civic, business and community leaders,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Jan Callison. “At its heart is a vision of Hennepin County—and the Twin Cities—as an economically competitive region where transportation and job choices are widely available.  Thank you to all who have worked so hard to make this happen.

The board, acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), confirmed its commitment to pay 10 percent of the capital costs for construction of the Southwest light rail transit project.

The HCRRA also committed that the freight corridor would remain in public ownership so that no additional railroads would be added to the corridor, and that the county will work with the City of Minneapolis to ensure the Kenilworth Corridor bicycle trail is preserved.

Agreement with Ramsey County to explore possible joint residential treatment center for youth

The board approved an agreement with Ramsey County to explore the possibility of a joint residential treatment center for youth. The two counties face similar issues and challenges in addressing the needs of at-risk youth. This agreement allows for juvenile services leadership from both counties to explore the feasibility of a shared, single-site, juvenile correctional residential treatment center that would serve both counties.

Currently, the Hennepin County Home School (HCHS) and Ramsey County’s Boys Totem Town facilities are aging and need maintenance or complete renovations. The costly building options facing both counties, for similar programs, compel a look at a single more cost-effective program.  

Bushaway Road

Board approves construction of County Road 101 (Bushaway Road)

The board awarded a bid to Shafer Contracting Company for the reconstruction of County Road 101, also known as Bushaway Road, in the cities of Minnetonka, Wayzata and Woodland. The project will make improvements to intersections, reconstruct the bridge over the BNSF railroad, reconstruct the road, and add bicycle and pedestrian trails throughout the corridor. The project is slated to begin construction this September, with most work completed by the end of 2015 and some restoration work to occur in 2016. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Hennepin County will cover approximately 67 percent of the approximately $41 million construction project, with the cities and Metropolitan Council covering about 33 percent. 

August 26, 2014 

Additional support for inspections, mental health services and healthcare for the homeless

The board authorized the Human Service and Public Health Department to increase 2014 staff by 15.5 full time employees (FTEs), three for environmental health, nine for 24-hour mental health crisis programs and 3.5 for healthcare for the homeless.

The three FTEs for environmental health will help with the increased need for inspections. In 2013, the county absorbed inspection of several hundred licensed facilities and activities that include food, lodging and public swimming pools from local municipalities. Economic growth in 2014 has increased the number of licensed facilities that need to be inspected.

There is increased demand for crisis response services for mental health. Four of the FTEs for this request would replace temporary staff workers who provide 24-7 phone and mobile mental health service to persons of all ages. This will reduce equipment and administrative costs by two-thirds and increase stability of the service.

The additional employees for healthcare for the homeless will help meet the demand for services at 11 different shelters and drop-in centers. Any homeless adult or child is eligible. The expenses for the additional employees will be funded through the current $1.3 million federal grant and the current $300,000 property tax budget.

Green Partners

Green Partners Environmental Education grants awarded

The board awarded 14 Green Partners Environmental Education grants to support organization in implementing educational projects that engage and empower Hennepin County residents to take actions that protect and improve the environment. Grants agreements will run from September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2015.

Organizations in the 6th District receiving grants: 

  • Eden Prairie ISD 272, Eden Prairie - $8,000: Eden Prairie early childhood programs will provide more than 700 families with environmental education using Hennepin County resources in early childhood family education, school readiness, Spanish, and preschool classrooms.
  • Minnetonka ISD 276, Minnetonka - $4,000: Minnetonka Early Childhood Family Education and Preschool will engage 400 families and staff in environmental education by creating an outdoor learning center, developing associated curriculum, composting with worms and utilizing environmental education toolkits and water conservation lessons in the classroom.

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 the county news release webpage.


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.

August 7, 2014

eGov Initiative—Staff provided an overview of the eGov initiative as well as updated the Board on the initiative’s current status and upcoming board requests.  Staff believes Hennepin is moving from an “integrated government” model (items are submitted and transactions are completed on line, for example) to a “transformed government” model (integration, common platforms and collaboration among others).  Additional eGov focus areas include common website platform, free and open public GIS data, interactive maps, collaboration with other jurisdictions, social media and more online services.


County Calendar

Excelsior Library

Excelsior Library's Grand Opening


Please join the grand opening celebration sponsored by Friends of the Excelsior Library and extend the invitation to others who may want to attend.

When: Saturday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m.
Remarks and ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m.
Music at 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Where: 337 Water St., Excelsior

Directions: From I-494, exit west onto Hwy. 7, turn right onto Oak Street/County Road 19, turn right onto Water Street, go 1.5 blocks to the library.

Parking: Excelsior Elementary School parking lot directly behind the library; from Oak Street/County Road 19, turn right onto Water Street, go 1 block and turn right on George Street, follow George Street to the back of the lot; park and walk along the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail to the library. Parking is also available on surrounding streets and in nearby municipal lots.

Public Hearing

The County Board will take public comment on Hennepin County's program year 2013 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The report is prepared to meet statutory planning and application for the receipt and use of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

When: September 9, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. during the Public Works, Energy and Environment Committee. 

Where: Hennepin County Government Center 24th floor Board Room - 300 S. 6th St., Mpls, MN.