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Jan Callison
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Dave Nuckols
Principal Aide
612-348-6885
Cassi Holmstrom Administrative Assistant & Scheduling
612-348-3168
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.
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Understanding your property tax
In 2007, the board adopted the Cool County Initiative calling for a reduction of county activities that generate greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions by 15 percent by 2015, 30 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050 from a baseline of 2005.
A sampling of achievements in 2012 include:
- Expedited recommissioning of county buildings, including HCMC;
- Replaced more than 700 incandescent light bulbs with LED lamps and continue to replace inefficient light fixtures with new, more efficient technology;
- The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) provided 198,000 megawatt hours of electricity and steam for the downtown energy system and Target Field offsetting approximately 485,000 tons of CO2e from burning fossil fuel, and methane from landfills.
The report also includes 2013 actions and future goals. The report is available here.
Give feedback on first Hennepin County Pedestrian Plan
Hennepin County is breaking new ground with a county-wide pedestrian plan to improve pedestrian safety, increase walking for transportation and improve the health of county residents. Although the county has existing bicycle, roadway and transit system plans, it will be the first county in Minnesota with a comprehensive pedestrian plan on a county road system.
To reach these goals, the county will expand the sidewalk and trail network, improve pedestrian connections to transit, build infrastructure to make it easier for pedestrians to cross county roads, and develop a strategy to improve pedestrian access to schools.
County staff have worked with stakeholders and community members to draft the plan. The county has posted the draft pedestrian plan online and is asking for public feedback May 31 through July 15. Staff will evaluate the feedback and make adjustments as needed before presenting the plan to the County Board for approval this summer. The pedestrian plan will then become part of the county’s overall transportation plan.
View the plan and provide feedback at www.hennepin.us/pedestrianplan
Metronet Seeking Three Citizen Board Members
Metronet is a multi-county multi-type library system that serves the seven-county metro area.
The Board is seeking three citizens representatives for a term beginning July 1, 2013.
Metronet is governed by a nine person board of five citizen represetatives and one representative from each of four library types: school, public, academic and special.
Members serve a two year term and the board meets six times a year. The Board provides fiscal oversight and planning for Metronet operations. More information and an application form is available here.
Applications should be received by June 15.
Sign up for Green Notes E-Newsletter
Hennepin Green Notes is a monthly e-newsletter highlighting ways to protect and preserve our environment, ways to recycle, environmental program offerings, providing links to funding resources, and news and events happening in Hennepin County.
You can sign up to receive Green Notes by e-mailing "subscribe" to greennotes@co.hennepin.mn.us.
Cartons Are In
Now you can recycle your empty milk cartons, juice boxes, soup, broth and wine cartons. Cartons are made mainly from paper, and that paper can be recycled into new products.
Go ahead and put them out for curbside pickup along with your other recyclables!
Visit the Rethink Recycling website for additional recycling tips.
Same-Sex Marriage License Applications Available June 6
May 30, 2013 — Hennepin County service centers will begin accepting marriage license applications from same-sex couples on June 6, pursuant to state law and Hennepin County Board resolution.
For those same-sex couples interested in getting married on Aug. 1, the county recommends completing an application by July 27, because of the mandatory five-day waiting period between the time people apply for a marriage license and the date the license is valid. Marriage licenses are valid for six months from the issuing date, e.g. Aug. 1 to Jan. 31, 2014.
More information is available in this news release.
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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
May 7, 2013
County Will Coordinate Services throughout Minnesota for Those Living with HIV/AIDS
The board approved an agreement with the MN Department of Human Services for Hennepin County to coordinate the purchase of services on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS.
As part of the agreement, the county will subcontract with ten clinics and community based organizations across the state for HIV/AIDS related services.
Traffic Signal Upgrades Along Hiawatha Avenue
An agreement with the City of Minneapolis to improve the traffic signal system adjacent to Hiawatha Avenue was approved.
Improvements include:
- Upgrade the traffic signal system control equipment;
- Change the operation of the traffic signal systems' phasing and cycle times;
- Improve the traffic signal vehicle detection system;
- Refine the information sent from the LRT control system to the roadway traffic signal system including LRT pre-emption timings.
Excess County Right-of-Way Vacated in Orono
Right-of-way adjacent to 2060 6th Avenue N. in Orono was vacated by Hennepin County and purchased by Trinity Lutheran Church.
With the acquisition of this excess land (approximately 10,000 sq. ft.) Trinity Lutheran Church proposes to update their landscaping and signage.
Agendas and actions taken by the Hennepin County Board, including a record of how individual commissioners voted, are posted under Hennepin County Meetings and Agendas. For greater detail, visit County Board Actions
May 21, 2013
Affordable Housing Grants Approved
The board approved $2.9 million in 2013 Affordable Housing Incentive Fund (AHIF) grants for 10 projects. The 10 projects will assist 1,018 households/individuals and will leverage approximately $144 million in private and public resources.
The projects include the rehabilitation of senior rental housing, new construction of senior rental housing, rehabilitation of rental housing, new construction of rental housing and acquisition or rehabilitation of four vacant or foreclosed single family homes.
Strained Homeless Family Shelters Require Increased Funding
Expenditures for family sheltering are expected to be $4.2 million more than budgeted. More than $3 million in federal and state funds are available. The board approved an additional $1.1 million in funding to close the gap. Increases in the number of shelter requests and the length of stay are two contributing factors.
The board also approved an agreement with St. Stephens' Human Services to provide additional Rapid Exit Program services for the remainder of 2013.
Passage of Freedom to Marry Legislation Extends Benefits Coverage and Requires Review of County Policies, Procedures
The board directed the county administrator to review and modify policies and procedures to extend benefit coverage to same-sex spouses of county employees effective August 1, 2013.
The county administrator is also directed to review, evaluate and modify as necessary other policies and procedures to ensure Hennepin County is in compliance with the Freedom to Marry law.
Agendas and actions taken by the Hennepin County Board, including a record of how individual commissioners voted, are posted under Hennepin County Meetings and Agendas. For greater detail, visit County Board Action .
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.
May 9, 2013
Two briefings were held:
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Internet content—The new county website is due to be launched in November. At this briefing, staff shared information about the new design with the county board.
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Pedestrian plan—The draft of Hennepin County’s first pedestrian plan was presented. Goals of the plan are: improve pedestrian safety, increase walking for transportation and improve health through walking. Information was provided about the current status of county road facilities and pedestrian safety, and recommendations to meet these goals were reviewed.
May 23, 2013
The board was briefed on:
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North Loop District Energy—The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (“HERC”) generates electricity and steam by burning garbage, and sells that electricity and steam to various entities. Staff is exploring creating a district energy system to permit expanded sales. Next steps are to complete the technical and financial analysis, conduct outreach to neighbors and potential customers in the North Loop area, develop a business plan (if appropriate) and report back to the board.
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MNsure Implementation—MNsure is the state’s Health Insurance Exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act. Although many of the details surrounding its implementation are unclear, county staff is working now to anticipate the additional demands that MNsure will place upon the county system. In particular, the county expects a 22% increase in cases as a result of changes in eligibility for health care. Additional work will be generated by the need to convert current health care cases to MNsure. The county will require substantial numbers of new employees to handle these cases and is re-thinking its case handling system in order to deal with this caseload appropriately. While federal funds may cover much of these costs, they are unlikely to cover all of them. Property tax will be necessary for any shortfall.
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Begins Treatment to Control Mosquito Larvae
Helicopter treatments to control mosquito larvae began May 21, 2013 and will continue until completed (weather permitting) .
Helicopters apply a dry granule or pellet containing a natural soil bacterium or a mosquito growth regulator to wetlands to prevent larval mosquitoes from becoming biting adults. These are biorational control materials which specifically target mosquito larvae and pose no risk to human or animal health.
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District offers free e-mail alerts to residents of the seven-county metro area. Sign up here to be notified of when and where mosquito control treatments will be occurring.
Learn more about the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD).
'Bookawocky' Programs Begin June 11
'Bookawocky' is back by popular demand for the third summer in a row. Activities are scheduled at 40 libraries and online at www.hclib.org/summerreading .
Kids and teens can enjoy live performances, join a book club, listen to stories, learn to take digital photos, try acting techniques, make crafts, watch movies and enjoy many more activities that support literacy skills and success in school.
Programs include:
- dozens of books clubs, and more than a dozen types of book clubs — grouped by age, some for guys only, girls only, teens, daughter/mother, son/father, and online.
- Guthrie Theater acting workshops
- music and video production workshops
- “The Hobbit” (make a Hobbit house)
- music by Snapdragon Seeds Music
- Minneapolis Institute of Arts workshops
- “Camp Bookawocky” games, stories and projects
- folksinger Paul Spring
- magic shows
- and more
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