News from Hennepin County

Commissioner_Marion_Greene

January 2016

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


IN THIS ISSUE


CONTACT US

Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883

Ray Hoover
Principal Aide
612-348-7125

Pam Fahlstrom
Administrative Assistant
612-348-0863


ABOUT THE DISTRICT

The 3rd District serves the city of St. Louis Park, and parts of west and downtown Minneapolis.

3rd District map

View larger map


GET INVOLVED

Don't have plans for New Year's? Click here to see what's happening in the area courtesy of Meet Minneapolis.


COUNTY RESOURCES

County departments, agencies & other entities

Hennepin County libraries

Hennepin County Medical Center

Hennepin volunteers

Online services

Phone directory

Service Center information

Southwest Light Rail

Understanding your property tax

City of Minneapolis

City of St. Louis Park


E-NEWS ARCHIVE

2014
July
August
September
October
November
December

2015
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November 
December

Wishing you a joyous and safe holiday season,

December focused on completing the 2016 budget and planning for the year ahead. I led three amendments to the 2016 budget, all at the intersection of social services and the judicial system, and all focused on increasing stability for children and families:

  • For case management services in the Homeless Outreach for Minneapolitans Establishing Stability (HOMES) Court, to improve housing stability and reduce recidivism, street homelessness, and incarceration time
  • For a pilot with Legal Aid and the Volunteer Lawyers Network to provide legal services for meritorious eviction cases to improve housing stability
  • For the Children's Law Center to provide full legal representation to Hennepin County’s state wards: children whose parents’ rights have been terminated due to abandonment, abuse or neglect

It has been an amazing year. Please look for my "Year in Review" Letter in January. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

My best,

signature

News

2016 county budget approved

The County Board voted Tuesday to approve the county’s 2016 budget of $1.9 billion. The budget reflects the significant level of service demands across the county. 

Learn more about the 2016 county budget and property tax levy.

2016 railroad authority budget approved

The county approved a $63 million budget for the Regional Railroad Authority. 

Learn more about the Regional Railroad Authority's 2016 budget.

Labor agreement sets minimum Hennepin County employee wage at $15 an hour

The board approved six labor agreements with AFSCME Council 5 and various locals. Among other elements, the agreements ensure that members of the county’s largest union are paid a minimum of $15 an hour.The three-year agreements cover approximately 4,000 employees from the clerical, social services, probation/parole, legal, adult corrections and professional units. 

Learn about the labor agreements with AFSCME.

sports

Youth Sports grants continue to fund playgrounds, facilities

The County Board awarded 39 Youth Sports Grants for projects, including an exercise facility at Washburn High School, and a recreation center and ice rink in St. Louis Park. The board approved 12 other large facilities projects, and 25 small equipment grants. 

Search the list of 2016 Youth Sports Grant projects

Volunteer at Hennepin County

Make a difference on issues, programs and policies. All interested residents are welcome to apply for membership on an advisory board. Current board vacancies are listed below; click on the links for duties, meeting schedules and other information for each board. Note that legitimate expenses related to serving on an advisory board (which may include child care, travel and parking) are reimbursable.

Applications are due December 31 and the board will interview qualified applicants in January 2016. 

For more information, contact Yolanda Clark, Board Clerk’s office, 612-348-3257 or visit www.hennepin.us/advisoryboards

Join the Met Council's first ever Equity Advisory Committee

The Equity Advisory Committee will advise the Council in advancing equity in the region, and specifically how the Council implements the equity commitments in Thrive MSP 2040, the region’s long-range development plan. Members of this committee will influence Council decisions related to regional policies on transportation and transit, local planning, housing, environmental issues and more.

Applications will be accepted through at least Jan. 4, 2016. To apply, visit the Equity Advisory Committee page or contact the Council’s appointments coordinator at 651-602-1630.

Plans move forward for joint youth residential treatment facility with Ramsey County

The County Board agreed to proceed with plans for a joint Hennepin-Ramsey County residential youth treatment center. Two existing residential treatment centers, at the Hennepin County Home School and Ramsey County’s Boys Totem Town, are in need of significant ongoing preservation and maintenance efforts. For the past 18 months, the counties have worked toward creating a joint facility replacement. Together with Commissioner Jan Callison, I sit on the joint task force.

Learn more about the joint treatment facility.

Hennepin County hosts first utility summit

Hennepin County Public Works hosted a utility summit on Wednesday, December 2, with representatives from cities in Hennepin County and private utility companies participating.

The goals of the summit were to engage in discussions and develop ideas for improving coordination and collaboration on utility issues associated with road and bridges programming, construction and operations. The summit was a brainstorming session for mid- to high-level representatives from local and regional government entities and private utility companies.  

aids

World AIDS Day marked at HCMC

Tuesday, December 1 was World AIDS Day, and to mark the occasion, Hennepin County Medical Center's Positive Care Center hosted a World AIDS Day event in the hospital's Red Skyway.

Staff provided education and resources, and distributed red ribbons to show support for those living with HIV/AIDS.

The Positive Care Center at HCMC is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team committed to providing quality, comprehensive health and psychological services to those living with HIV. HCMC's LGBT & Allies Employee Resource Group co-sponsored the event.

Back to Top


Hennepin County profile

angela

To share more about the work of Hennepin County, we profile a county employee who lives in District 3. Each month spotlights a person from varying departments and occupations.

Angela Conley

Angela is a resident of the Kingfield neighborhood, and is the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Operations Coordinator in the HSPHD Eligibility Work Services department.

Click here to find out how Angela makes Hennepin County tick.

Back to Top


Board meeting highlights

recycle

Solid Waste Enterprise Fund grants expand recycling opportunities in public spaces

On December 1, the board awarded eight grants to improve recycling in public spaces. Grants were awarded to the cities of Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, New Hope, St. Bonifacius, and Tonka Bay and the University of Minnesota. The projects will add recycling receptacles to parks and high-traffic pedestrian routes and expand organics collections programs. 

The public space recycling program, established in 2014, provides a financial incentive to municipalities and public entities to explore new opportunities to reduce, reuse, recycle or compost waste. The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund is funded by fees that waste haulers pay to dispose of garbage generated by residents and businesses in the county, and is available annually for these grants.

sw

Negotiations authorized for Southwest Light Rail trail crossings

On December 1, the board authorized negotiations with the Metropolitan Council to fund three trail grade-separated crossings adjacent to the Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line Extension) route, in Hopkins and St. Louis Park. Construction of the three trail grade-separated crossings will be incorporated and move forward as part of the METRO Green Line Extension project. 

Learn more about the proposed trail crossing projects

3 riv

Three Rivers Park District 2016 budget approved

On December 1, the board reviewed and approved the Three Rivers Park District superintendent’s proposed $35.9 million operating budget for 2016. The proposed budget reflects an increase of 3.45 percent from 2015. The total budgeted property tax levy including debt service is about $41.5 million, an increase of 0.66 percent over last year. 

Sentencing to Service Homes program contracts approved

On December 1, the board approved two contracts for the Sentencing to Service (STS) Homes program effective January 1 to December 31, 2016. This construction and carpenter training program will receive funds from Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC) and the Three Rivers Park District, for STS Homes work crews to assist with home rehabilitation, new home construction and other construction related projects for both organizations. 

STS Homes has partnered with GMHC since 2007 and with Three Rivers Park District since 2004. Program participants are men and women, primarily Hennepin County residents, who are incarcerated in Minnesota Correctional Facilities such as Lino Lakes and Stillwater, or who are on probation in Hennepin County and participating in the Summit Academy OIC Rehabilitation Technician Program. They are expected to be ready for pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, or union-scale jobs once they complete the program. 

Learn more about the STS Homes program.

Grant offers program oversight for people in long-term homelessness

On December 15, the board agreed to accept a two-year grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to oversee supportive housing programs for people who have experienced long-term homelessness, and families who are at risk of long-term homelessness. Hennepin County has been designated as lead and fiscal agency for a multi-county collaboration. As part of the ongoing plan to end long-term homelessness, the county will work with St. Paul-based Hearth Connection to provide supports across county boundaries, training to service providers, client monitoring and tracking, data collection and reporting and connections for clients to permanent supportive housing.

Learn about the supportive housing proposal.

Study to assess contracted food support programs

On December 15, the board agreed to support a study of current contracted food support programs, to look for opportunities for increased efficiency, effectiveness and maximum accessibility. Currently, the county works with six providers of emergency food support, while 80 programs provide food support in the county. The Human Services Department will report back to the board with recommendations by July 1, 2016.

Learn more about the food support study.

Back to Top


Board briefings

In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the County Board often meets for updates on Thursday mornings. These are informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No decisions are made, and the topics are subject to change. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.

January 14

  • Vendor Compliance: workforce contracting goals
  • Detox / Crisis Stabilization

January 28

  • Bonding: support the efforts of others
  • 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Back to top