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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
Votes moved forward projects at Cedar Riverside and Hopkins, and approved law enforcement staffing for Inauguration Day events.
 Cedar Riverside Opportunity Project moves forward
The board approved a request to transfer $250,000 in
contingency funds into the Cedar Riverside Opportunity Project to allow for
construction of a one-stop shop for education, training, skills development,
workforce resources and a pipeline to employment with identified public and
private sector employers. It will be an opportunity center for all,
with special outreach to the East African community.
Work by three anchor partners at the center will focus on
employment, skill building and access to education and credentialing. The
partners include Emerge Community Development,
Minneapolis Community Technical College (MCTC) and Hennepin County (Human Services and Public Health
Department, Library Department and Workforce Development).
The county’s share of the project is in addition to $700,000
contributed by the city of Minneapolis, the Otto Bremer Trust, the McKnight
Foundation, the Minneapolis Foundation, the Pohlad Foundation, Frana
Construction, the Pat and Tom Grossman Fund of the MN Community Foundation and
the Mortentson Foundation.
Read more about the Cedar Riverside Opportunity Project.
The board approved an agreement
with the City of Hopkins for the reconstruction of Blake Road (County Road 20)
between Excelsior Boulevard (County Road 3) and Minnesota Highway 7. The
project meets a city vision to stimulate redevelopment and interest in the area
of the future Southwest Light Rail station at Blake Road, and maximize pedestrian accommodations. The agreement
makes as much as $14.45 million of state and county funds available for the reconstruction and
transfers ownership of Blake Road to the city after three years.
Learn more about the Blake Road project.
The board voted to enter an agreement with the federal
government and the Washington, D.C., police department to send Hennepin County
Sheriff’s deputies to provide security during inauguration events in
Washington, D.C., in January. The Sheriff's Office has provided deputies for
the past three presidential inaugurations. The District of Columbia and the
U.S. government will reimburse the county for associated personnel costs.
The deputies will be federally deputized by the U.S.
Marshals Service to keep the peace, enforce federal and local laws and protect
visiting foreign officials and official guests. Deputies will work with
uniformed officers from the Washington, D.C., police to aid in crowd control along
the parade route, at inaugural balls and at other critical sites around the city.
Read more about Hennepin County Sheriff's role at the presidential inauguration.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at www.hennepin.us/stories.
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