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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
Votes Tuesday approved the design component for the Metro Blue Line Extension, awarded grants to clean up contaminated sites and to continue work prevent the spread of HIV.
 Blue Line Extension design component approved
The board voted to approve the physical design component of
the preliminary plans for the Bottineau Light Rail Transit Project, also known
as the METRO Blue Line Extension. A Metropolitan Council/Hennepin County/Hennepin
County Regional Railroad Authority joint public hearing was held on January 19,
2016 for the physical design component of the preliminary design plans for the
Bottineau Light Rail Transit Line.
Read
the Bottineau Light Rail Transit Project resolution.
Read
about plans for the Metro Blue Line corridor.
The board awarded eight Environmental Response Fund grants
totaling $1.2 million to fund asbestos and lead paint abatement and contaminated
soil assessment and cleanup at contaminated sites where the added environmental
costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment. Environmental Response Fund
grants support a variety of projects that promote economic development by
increasing the tax base, creating permanent jobs, enhancing greenspace and
developing affordable housing.
The following projects were awarded:
- City of Golden Valley:
$152,000 for contaminated soil cleanup at the DeCola Ponds Project, to construct new stormwater management structures in a flood-prone area.
- City of Lakes Community
Land Trust: $115,000 for asbestos and lead paint abatement associated with
the renovation of four houses that will be owner-occupied, affordable
housing.
- City of Mound Housing
and Redevelopment Authority: $390,982 for asbestos and lead paint
abatement associated with the renovation of affordable rental housing
units at Indian Knoll Manor.
- City of St. Louis Park:
$50,000 for contaminated soil cleanup associated with the expansion of an
outdoor recreation center.
- Hennepin County Resident
and Real Estate Services: $250,000 to demolish hazardous and contaminated
buildings on the tax-forfeited former Universal Plating facility site in
Minneapolis.
- Minnesota Brownfields,
countywide: $200,000 to continue the Brownfields Gap Financing Program,
which provides small environmental assessment grants to municipalities and
nonprofit organizations.
- Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board: $50,000 for disposal of contaminated soil that will be
excavated during construction of a walking and biking trail on the
east bank of the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis.
- Perspectives, Inc.:
$61,000 for contaminated soil cleanup associated with development of a new
parking lot that will facilitate the expansion of Perspective’s adjacent
family center.
Read
more about the Environmental Response Fund process and grantees.
The board agreed to an amendment to an agreement with the
Minnesota Department of Health, that increases a grant for HIV health education
and risk reduction services by $226,928. The total grant to the Hennepin County
Public Health Clinic now is $1.1 million over five years. In Minnesota,
approximately 7,200 people have been diagnosed with HIV; about 4,000 of them
live in Hennepin County. The Hennepin County Public Health Clinic is the
largest STD/HIV testing and counseling site in Minnesota, diagnosing more
STDs/HIV than any other single site in the state.
Read
more about the Public Health Clinic’s work to stop the spread of HIV.
The board approved the 2016 federal legislative platform
asking the Minnesota members of Congress to support the county’s
transportation, health and human services, HCMC, criminal justice and housing
and community development requests.
Read the summary of Hennepin County's federal legislative platform.
Sale of 3216 Garfield Avenue South, Minneapolis
The Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board set a hearing to gather public comment on the proposed sale of 3216 Garfield Avenue South, at the next meeting of the HRRA, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 18, at 1:30 p.m., in room A-2400 of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis. The proposal for the property is a sale to Karim Behi, president of Cultural Homes, Inc. Cultural Homes provides housing to people with mental illness in a culturally appropriate setting. This transaction would allow Cultural Homes, Inc., an adult foster care provider, to continue to house Hennepin County clients. The property will be preserved as affordable housing with services; and the property will be returned to the tax rolls.
Learn
more about the proposed sale of 3216 Garfield Avenue South, Minneapolis.
Issuance of capital improvement debt
The Budget and Capital Investment Committee set a hearing to
gather public comment on the proposed issuance of up to $200 million in
aggregate principal amount of general obligation bonds of the county for the
purpose of financing new capital improvements. The hearing will be held during
the committee’s meeting on Tuesday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m., in room A-2400 of the
Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street,
Minneapolis.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
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