January 2015 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.


January 2015


CONTACT INFO

Jan Callison
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886 

Allyson Lueneburg
Principal Aide
612-348-6885


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


Braemer Field Grand Opening

Braemer Field

Edina Mayor James Hovland, City Manager Scott Neal, Edina Parks and Rec Dir. Ann Kattreh, I, and other officials were on hand to mark the occassion.

The City of Edina celebrated the grand opening of Braemer Field and Outdoor Ice Rink Friday, December 5. 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. A $250,000.00 Youth Sports capital grant helped make this multi-purpose playing fields expansion in Edina a reality.

The Braemer Field complex now includes a 400-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, 250-foot-high inflatable sports dome, which means access to brand new artificial-turf fields all year long.


Discount health program creates benefits for Hennepin County residents

The board renewed an agreement for a prescription discount program for county residents through 2016. The no-cost Coast2Coast Rx card could provide savings of up to 75 percent on tens of thousands of prescriptions with additional savings available on health care services including diabetes supplies, lab and imaging diagnostics, and vision, dental and hearing care. The program also offers discounts on pet prescriptions and some veterinary care. Each time the card is used to fill a prescription, $1.25 will be generated for public programs. Residents can pick up a card from more than 69,000 participating pharmacies nationwide or print one from the Coast2Coast website.


Hennepin County assistant administrator to help build new state administration

Hennepin County is sharing its expertise on aligning and integrating complex medical and social services with the state of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services.

Jennifer DeCubellis, the county’s assistant administrator for health, has accepted a one-year appointment as assistant commissioner to lead a yet-to-be-named new state administration that will include mental and chemical health services and services for people with disabilities. She will begin her new responsibilities with the state on January 1, 2015.

To read the entire news release click here.


Hennepin County Sheriff's Office New Emergency Communications Facility Opens

The 911-ECF is one of the largest consolidated dispatch centers in the Upper Midwest, handling approximately 600,000 telephone calls annually in 37 communities. The facility benefits emergency communications throughout Minnesota -- because it offers shared technology services and provides backbone technology for public safety answering points in many communities.

PUBLIC, non-emergency telephone number:
952-258-5321

This number is important to cities that receive dispatch services from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. The new public, non-emergency telephone number, 952-258-5321, will replace all of the numbers listed below. Please eliminate listings of the Golden Valley public, non-emergency numbers which included the following:
General:      763-525-6216
East Main:   763-525-6215
South Main: 763-525-6210
North Main:  763-525-6220 


Metropolitan Council Appointments

The Minnesota Secretary of State is accepting applications through January 9, 2015 from individuals interested in serving on the Metropolitan Council or the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission.  Applications will be accepted for all Council seats. Four seats (Districts E, F, G, H) on the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission are open to applicants.

Read the official news release for additional information.

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page

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

December 2, 2014

County supports C Line bus rapid transit on Penn Avenue

The board voted to support Metro Transit in advancing design and engineering of the C Line bus rapid transit route along Penn Avenue (County Road 2). The route is currently projected to be in service late 2016. A $32 million investment will be made along the 8.4 mile route extending from Target Field Station in downtown Minneapolis to the Brooklyn Center Transit Station. The C Line travels along 7th Street, Olson Memorial Boulevard (Highway 55), Penn Avenue (County Road 2) and Osseo Road/Brooklyn Boulevard (County Road 152). The project includes building transit stations, much like light rail station platforms, with heated and lighted shelters, security cameras, real-time transit information and pay-at-the-platform technology. The county will continue to collaborate with Metro Transit on the planning, engagement and implementation of this project through the Hennepin County Penn Avenue Community Works program. Find more information on the project webpage.

County receives additional $585,000 for workforce development

This year, the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development recommended to the Minnesota Job Skill Partnership Board that additional allocations be made to workforce service areas experiencing lingering impacts of reduced Workforce Investment Act funding. Hennepin County, operating as Workforce Service Area 9, requested and received an additional $585,000 in funding that will be used for a web-based resource connecting job seekers and workforce professionals and other related workforce development programs in the Hennepin-Carver Workforce Service Area. These programs support workforce development through increased employment, retention and earnings for job seekers in the area.

December 16, 2014

The board approved 2015 budget and property tax levy

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved its 2015 property tax levy of $695.6 million -- a 2.1 percent increase over 2014. The proposed budget presented in September called for a property tax levy of just under $700 million. Since then, commissioners trimmed over $4 million during the budget review process to reduce the property tax levy increase to $695.6 million or 2.10 percent. The approved 2015 budget for Hennepin County is $1,809,790,375. Read more in the news release about the budget.

Youth Sports grants awarded

The board approved $1,849,665 in Youth Sports grants for 2015. The Hennepin Youth Sports Program awards capital grants to build, repair, renovate or expand youth sports facilities in Hennepin County. Fourteen projects will receive facilities grants for 2015.  In District 6:

  • The City of Eden Prairie received $40,000 for an accessible playground at True Friends Camp.
  • Eden Prairie ISD 272 received $60,000 for additional lights at Turf Field A.

Sixteen small equipment and/or other small capital projects also received $124,955 in funding.

  • Intermediate School District 287 received $10,000 for the Hennepin County Home School fitness equipment.
  • Minnetonka Public Schools received $10,000 for playground structures.
  • Minnetonka Public Schools received $978 for 4 sets of volleyball standards.

Since the program began in 2009, the county has awarded $13.2 million to 80 facility projects and 113 small equipment projects.

County Road 101 in Minnetonka reconstruction to move forward

The county and city of Minnetonka have agreed to reconstruct County Road 101 between Townline Road (County Road 62) and Hutchins Drive and the intersection of County Road 101 and Excelsior Boulevard (County Road 3). The project includes improvements to address deteriorating pavement, utility and drainage concerns and flooding. The project will also provide improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. Improvements will also be made to the sanitary sewer, overhead power lines will be buried, and conduit will be put in place for future installation of fiber optic cable. The total cost of the project is $25,737,000 and will be funded with state aid and state turnback funds as well as money from the city and Metropolitan Council for additional improvements.

County to do shoreline restoration on Lake Minnetonka

The Lake Minnetonka shoreline adjacent to Shoreline Drive (County Road 15) in the City of Orono and adjacent to County Road 44 in the City of Minnetrista was significantly damaged due to heavy rains and resulting high water levels earlier this year, and repair is needed to prevent further damage. Approximately 150 feet of embankment alongside Shoreline Drive and 500 feet of embankment alongside County Road 44 require stabilization to prevent additional embankment from collapsing into the lake. The county will contract with THN Enterprises, Inc for repair and stabilization work to secure the slope from further collapse and to reduce exposure to erosion that could lead to additional damage to the hillside, drainage culverts and county roadways. This project is funded through emergency funds from the Federal Highway Administration.


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 board room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.

December 4, 2014

Community planning for mentally ill and dangerous

This was the continuation of an earlier briefing on the same topic.  The focus was a review of the Olmstead Decision and the Jensen Settlement (both relating to the treatment and care of individuals with developmental and other disabilities in Minnesota), discharge information about patients/Hennepin County clients considered to be mentally ill and dangerous at St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, and description of  housing options.  Staff also outlined next steps that they are considering as they work through these issues.


County calendar

Hennepin County sponsors free monthly Fix-It Clinics this winter

The clinics offer county residents free guided assistance in disassembling, diagnosing and fixing a range of household items: small appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.

Thanks to a skilled volunteer staff, monthly Fix-It Clinics not only offer valuable lessons in troubleshooting and basic repair, but build community connections as well. Better still, people walk away with good-as-new goods, reducing the number of repairable objects that are thrown out with the trash.

Upcoming Fix-It Clinics:

Saturday, January 10, 2015
Noon to 4 p.m.
Eden Prairie Library
565 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie

Saturday, February 14, 2015
Noon to 4 p.m.
Longfellow Park
3435 36th Ave. S., Minneapolis

For more information about Fix-It Clinics or to volunteer, call 612-348-3777 or visit www.hennepin.us/fixitclinic

January 13, 2015

Public hearing on electronic cigarettes

The county will hold a public hearing regarding proposed changes to the county’s smoke-free ordinance, which currently prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants in Hennepin County. The proposed changes ban the use of electronic delivery devices (e-cigarettes) in all facilities in which Minnesota's Clean Indoor Act prohibits smoking. The hearing will take place during the county board committee meetings on January 13, 2015, at 1:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter, at the Hennepin County Government Center in the board room.

January 16, 2015

Hennepin County extends comment period for pedestrian accessibility plan

Hennepin County is seeking input on its draft plan to support accessibility for pedestrians on its road network. The document, called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan, presents current practices and policies that relate to accessibility, and identifies an inventory of existing county road network facilities supporting accessibility at intersections. 

The plan can be viewed online at www.hennepin.us/adaplan and printed copies are available at all 41 Hennepin County libraries, the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, and at the county’s public works facility in Medina. Comments can be submitted in writing via email to adaplan@hennepin.us or by mail to Jason Pieper, 1600 Prairie Drive, Medina, MN 55340.

After the comment period ends on January 16, a revised plan will be presented to the county board of commissioners for consideration early in 2015. 

Public hearing on the land sale at Lake Street East and Hiawatha Avenue

The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA) will hold a public hearing regarding the sale to L&H Station Development of residential land within a redevelopment project at Lake Street East and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis. The redevelopment project contains residential land that is proposed to be sold to third parties. The county is planning to build the South Minneapolis Regional Human Services Center at the location. The hearing will take place during the first meeting of the HCHRA in February. The date will be confirmed at the organizational board meeting in January.

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board of Managers appointments

Hennepin County will be posting two expiring terms for the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board of Managers during the first week of January, 2015.  The application process will stay open until approximately the 3rd week of February.  Visit hennepin.us for more information and to receive updated information during the application process.

Information on the Board of Managers can be found here.