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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969

County board actions

Tuesday's votes approved work-study program, sets a hearing for federal programming. 

Hennepin County will be work-study employer for community college students

The board approved a plan to work with Minneapolis Community and Technical College to employ students on a work-study basis at Hennepin County. Students will be made available by MCTC for performance of specific work assignments which will be determined based on the needs of Hennepin County departments. The partnership is a strategy to address current and future workforce needs. Students will receive pay through the work-study program and Hennepin County will be responsible for 25 percent of the students’ salary. 

Learn more about the work-study program.

County commits to funding up to 10 percent of Blue Line Extension

Voting as the Regional Railroad Authority, the board agreed to fund up to a 10 percent share of total capital costs of the Blue Line Extension, an amount not to exceed $149.6 million. The light rail route is planned to head northwest out of downtown, serving North Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. The final environmental impact statement was submitted to the federal government in July; the Blue Line project development phase was completed on time and on budget. The Regional Railroad Authority also voted to fund the next phase, continuing engineering work on the project, with a $10.3 million allocation. The rest of the next phase will be covered by an anticipated $15.51 million from the Counties Transit Improvement Board.

Learn more about the funding commitment.

Learn more about the next phase.

Public hearing: Suburban housing, community development assessment

The board voted to set a public hearing to get comments on its 2015 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. The report is an annual evaluation of the county’s administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership and Emergency Solutions Grant programs in suburban Hennepin County. The hearing is part of a process to assess the county’s five-year Consortium Consolidated Plan. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 13, at 1:30 p.m., before the Public Works, Energy and Environment Committee. 

Written comments will be accepted September 6-20. During this period, a draft copy of the report will be available at www.hennepin.us/CAPER and at Hennepin County regional libraries.

Learn more about the hearing topics.

Public hearing: Regional Railroad Authority 2017 maximum property tax levy

Acting as the Regional Railroad Authority, the County Board set a public hearing to consider the 2017 maximum levy for the authority. The hearing will occur on Tuesday, September 13, at the authority meeting after the 1:30 p.m. board meeting, in the Hennepin County boardroom.

Learn more about the hearing. 

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Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.

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