District 3 in 2015

 

 

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Happy New Year to you! I hope your 2015 is off to a good start. Thank you for the honor of serving you on the Hennepin County Board. As the new year gets underway, I wanted to make sure you are aware of what is coming up in 2015.

Communications

I am committed to expanding community engagement with the county. In addition to my monthly e-newsletter, this year I plan to hold office hours across the district. You can sign up for e-newsletters and find a schedule of office hours at www.hennepin.us/greene. I am also on Twitter (MarionGreene) and Facebook (MarionForHennepin). Please continue to write, email, call, Facebook message, or tweet as you see fit - I love hearing from you.

Overview of 2014

2014 was an exciting year. I was elected as a County Commissioner in a May special election, and reelected in November for a full four-year term. My first accomplishment was to hire a fantastic staff team that is familiar with District 3, county government, and constituent service.

The year concluded with the passage of the 2015 budget, which kept property taxes in line with inflation and well below the max levy level. Here are other highlights of 2014:

  • My amendment to the 2015 budget to pay for childcare for families transitioning out of homelessness was supported unanimously by my colleagues.
  • I now chair the county’s Health and Human Services Committee, which oversees more than 36% of the county’s 2015 budget.
  • The District 3 office publishes a monthly e-newsletter, outlining highlights of that month’s work, and focusing on one member of county staff each month who is also a resident of the district.
  • The Board awarded Youth Sports grants to the Minneapolis Park Board for completion of a new playground and interpretive history site at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and to St. Louis Park and Minneapolis public schools for facilities improvements.  
  • The Board approved the design for Southwest Light Rail, the next step toward a multimodal transit system that will promote healthy living, attract new businesses and residents, and secure the region’s economic strength.
  • I have taken a leadership role as co-chair of Hennepin County’s Active Living partnership. The partnership provides critical support for complete streets, active transportation, placemaking, and in 2014 focused on healthy food access.
  • The Board created the Housing and Redevelopment Authority opportunity fund, an exciting pilot program that will guide development, provide lease opportunities for small businesses, and protect people in danger of being of being priced out of their homes.

These bullet points hardly do the last seven months justice, but I hope they convey the breadth of the work the county does, and the work I have been up to. To find out more about what happened in 2014, take a look back at the archived newsletters on my website www.hennepin.us/greene.

What’s ahead in 2015?

In 2015, I look forward to expanding on the commitments I made to constituents to build community engagement, increase interdisciplinary thinking, focus on early childhood development, strengthen health care, and grow opportunities for those with fewer.

  • At my urging, the Board held public hearings in early January regarding the County's regulation of electronic cigarettes, and included “e-cigs” in the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act for Hennepin County in an action on February 10th.
  • In February the county will host its first open data event, or “Geo:Code.” This is a great opportunity for the county to better use data. Let me know if you’d like to participate.
  • Monthly in-district office hours are an opportunity to meet in your neighborhood.
  • Commissioner Callison and I have joined Ramsey County colleagues to explore a possible joint residential treatment center for youth.
  • The Board is finalizing the Hennepin County bike plan and pedestrian accessibility plan.
  • The Board is conducting a comprehensive review of children and youth services, including child protection, education and foster placement. I continue to play a leadership role in the development of these strategies and practice improvements. 
  • I look forward to working with staff to establish a human services hub in South Minneapolis.

Please continue to be in touch with your views, priorities, ideas, hopes, and aspirations for our region. It is a privilege to serve you.

My best,

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Marion Greene
Hennepin County Commissioner

 
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