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Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
@MarionGreene
Ray Hoover
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Pam Fahlstrom
Administrative Assistant
612-348-0863
The 3rd District serves
the city of St.
Louis Park, and parts of west and downtown Minneapolis.
 View larger map
Join
us at the Health and Safety Fair, June 7
More
than 25 exhibitors will share a wealth of resources, demonstrations and
activities at this year’s Health and Safety Fair, hosted by Hennepin
County’s Workplace Safety and HealthWorks.
Health and Safety Fair
Tuesday June 7, 11:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Hennepin County Government Center, 300 S. Sixth St., skyway level,
Minneapolis
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
Here's a quick look at the last 6 months. To see more, check my website under "Stay Connected."
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 Greetings!
I'm excited to connect you with my work at the county in a new way this month: via podcast. The recording of the first Greene Room is available on iTunes and Google Play, as well as on my website. I urge you to subscribe, as we have more content in the pipeline. Let me know what you think!
My best,
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 Commissioner Randy Johnson to retire in
January
On May 17, Hennepin County Commissioner Randy Johnson announced that
he will not run for reelection to his District 5 seat. The county’s
longest-serving commissioner will retire when his term ends in January.
His reasons for retiring are personal.
“My wife and I want to spend more time with our family and
grandchildren,” he said, “While we are both still very healthy, we want to do a
lot more travel around the world.”
Johnson was first elected to represent southern Hennepin County
in 1978, after practicing law as assistant general counsel for the Federal
Election Commission and at the Faegre & Benson law firm.
I am grateful to Randy for his dedication and unparalleled service to the people of Hennepin County.
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 Bike to Work Day 2016
On May 20, I joined Hennepin County and communities across the nation in celebrating Bike to Work Day.
I rode to work with a group from southwest Minneapolis, one of many groups organized by the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition. The organization hosted a diverse range of events and activities throughout the week, including group rides, classes, commuter pit stops, free breakfasts, and celebration locations.
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Groundbreaking at Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
 On May 11, I joined the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the Walker Art Center,the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, and many
local arts and parks supporters to celebrate the beginning of the revitalization of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and to mourn the passing of former
Walker Art Center Director Martin Friedman.
Friedman was a giant in the Minneapolis arts community. He spent nearly three
decades at the helm of the Walker Art Center and was integral to the
development of Sculpture Garden, including commissioning the iconic Spoonbridge
and Cherry.
The Sculpture Garden has received more than 9 million visits since it opened in
1988, and major repairs to its failing infrastructure are needed to
ready the Minneapolis landmark for the next generation of park and art
lovers. It will be completely rebuilt, reopening next summer with improved
irrigation and drainage, wider, accessible walkways and a new accessible
bathroom building.
This project is funded in part by the Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund.
 Arbor Day on the Greenway
On Saturday, May 7, I joined experts from Tree Trust and Hennepin County as we teamed up with volunteers from CARAG neighborhood, Ryan Companies, and others to plant 56 trees and 6 shrubs along the Midtown Greenway between Girard and Colfax Avenues.After 16 years of Arbor Day events on the Greenway, nearly 5,000 shrubs and trees have been planted.
A mix of ornamental and shade trees were planted to
diversify the Greenway. This year, many trees were
grown in the Hennepin County Gravel Bed Nursery, which helps create a more
robust, substantial root system that helps the trees take root when planted. The
County will rely on the gravel bed to supply lower cost trees to aid its
reforestation efforts as Emerald Ash Borer-affected trees die.
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Medical examiner
reappointed
The board voted to reappoint Dr. Andrew Baker to another
four-year term. The Medical Examiner is a licensed physician, trained in
the specialty of forensic pathology. Baker leads the Medical Examiner’s office,
which investigates unexpected deaths that take place in Hennepin County. The
Medical Examiner is an independent entity, and does not work for the County
Attorney or any law enforcement agency. The information gathered during
these investigations, including autopsies, can be critical in civil or criminal
court cases and may help to identify trends in health and illness.
Board asks for relief for MNsure Support
In 2015, the State of Minnesota created new requirements for
counties to conduct Periodic Data Match (PDM) for clients on Medical Assistance.
Counties must now re-verify certain eligibility information in between the
initial determination and annual renewal, and must begin reviewing cases in
July 2016.
The State of Minnesota is providing some funding for counties to cover
a portion of the costs, and the federal government is providing funding through
the Medical Assistance program. However, it is not enough to cover the work,
and that leaves an annual $1.7 million unfunded mandate that needs to be covered
by Hennepin County. The Board has formally asked Governor Dayton to provide support.
 National Foster Care Month
During the month of May, Hennepin County thanked the nearly
500 foster parents the county licenses, and worked to build awareness of the
acute need for additional foster families.
Foster families provide a short-term, loving haven for children
who cannot safely live at home because of abuse or neglect. The ultimate goal
is to preserve children’s well-being, but the hope is to support children and
their parents as they work toward reunification. During that process, foster
families play a vital role in showing children and birth parents a healthier
way to live together.
A loving adult and a safe home are an enormous gift to a
young person who likely had a difficult start in life, and I want to thank foster parents for all they do to make our
community a better place.
I want to stress the need for more arms to be
opened to children. You can find information about becoming a foster parent here. There will also be an
information session on Monday, June 13, 5:30 to 7:30
p.m., at Hennepin County Library – Ridgedale, 12601 Ridgedale Drive,
Minnetonka.
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 To share more about the work of Hennepin County, we have been profiling a county employee who lives in District 3. This month we will profile a resident of District 3 who attended Hennepin County's Citizens Academy to learn more about the different aspects of county work.
Richard Harrison
Richard Harrison is a resident of St. Louis Park. To hear more about his experience with the Citizens Academy, click here.
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Transit-oriented development projects approved
On May 10, the board for Hennepin County’s Housing and Redevelopment
Authority approved funding for six transit-oriented development
(TOD) projects. These projects include a mix of infrastructure, housing,
retail, services, workplaces and public plazas, all located within walking
distance of transit.
One of the six TOD projects funded was for PLACE, located next to the future Wooddale Station on the METRO Green Line extension in St. Louis Park. PLACE includes approximately 300 housing units, 200 (66%) of which are
affordable; 100 hotel rooms; 27,000 square feet of commercial space; and
adjacent roadway improvements. Program funds will be used for acquisition,
demolition, and infrastructure and other site improvements to support
construction.
 Mental Health Awareness Month
On May 10, the board took the Make It OK pledge in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The board acknowledged the importance of mental well-being for people of all ages, races, social classes and walks of life. The Make It OK pledge is a promise to learn more about mental health, to talk about mental illness to stop the stigma and to encourage others to take the pledge online. You can find more information about the pledge at makeitok.org.
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Strategic plan will guide natural resources work
 The board voted to adopt the Hennepin County Natural Resources
Strategic Plan, which is valid through 2020. The plan will guide the county and
its partners in responding to natural resource issues and developing policies and
programs that improve, protect and preserve our natural resources. The primary
need for the plan is to provide clear direction to guide natural resources work
in the county and support applications for natural resources funding. The
county has delivered conservation services for more than a decade and is
currently the only county in Minnesota with the duties and authorities of a
soil and water conservation district.
Renovation makes space for crisis mental and
chemical health programs
The Hennepin County Board approved a plan to expand mental and
chemical health programming at its facility at 1800 Chicago Avenue. The renovation will create space for an expanded withdrawal management program and new
mental health crisis stabilization program.
The withdrawal management program will expand the current 50-bed space to 65 beds and create two levels of care. The programs will offer
both clinically managed and medically monitored withdrawal care. Average stays
for more than one-third of clients are expected to decrease from two days to
one. The total remodeled space will include 5,900 square feet for withdrawal management.
The mental health crisis program will offer a 16-bed residential
stabilization unit. This program will provide an alternative to expensive
hospital placements and will redirect low-level offenders who need mental
health care away from jail. The remodeled space will measure 8,300 square feet
on the facility’s second floor.
Learn more about this project.
State grant will fund adult mental health
services
The board accepted a grant from the Minnesota Department
of Human Services to provide services under the Hennepin County Adult Mental
Health Initiative. The 2016 Adult Mental Health Grant includes funding in five service areas:
- Drop-in case management and related services to help people
live on their own in the community
- Support services to people who
are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness
- An array of case management, crisis, residential, and non-residential
services
- Assistance to residents of Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center and the
Minnesota Security Hospital with the transition to a community setting
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A supportive housing coordinator; a needs assessment for culturally responsive services for the African population; and the Lao Access to Mental Health Services program of the Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota.
Learn more about the grant and the initiatives it will
fund.
You're invited! 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.
June 9
Communications: Messaging / Branding
June 23
Sexually Exploited Youth and Hennepin's No Wrong Door initiative
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