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Greetings,
I hope you are enjoying my electronic newsletters, and find them interesting and informative about county activities. In addition to my monthly newsletter, the county sends various newsletters and notifications available by email or text message. To explore the many opportunities to subscribe or to change your preferences, visit the subscription webpage.
Please feel free to send me your comments through my feedback form on issues that concern you or you would like covered. I value your opinions.
Warm regards,
Jan Callison
March 14, 2017
Agreement with metro counties to continue Long-Term Homelessness Initiative
The board approved an agreement that will better position Hennepin County and six other metro counties to receive future grant funding to combat long-term homelessness. The agreement will allow the counties to expand coordination on housing issues, reduce administrative costs and submit regional applications for grant funding.
Renewed Funding will continue to help teen parents and their children
The board accepted $66,667 of grant funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services for a program that helps teen parents attend school, deliver healthy babies, delay subsequent pregnancies, develop responsive parenting skills and achieve self-sufficiency. Funding will allow the program to retain a social worker to connect eligible teen parents with services.
Candidates appointed to citizen advisory boards
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board
- Richard Miller
- Jessica Loftus
Adult Mental Health Local Advisory Council Board
- Rosalin Chrest
- Kristin McGrath
- Marjorie Schaffer
- Rozeria Fuller
- Rachel Dwyer
- Christine Johnson
- Leonard Freeman
- Shelia Wiegman
- Shannon Williams
- Kelly Wysong
Library Board
- Erin Vrieze Daniels
- Margaret Ligon
Added staff will work with local, county and state agencies to combat youth sex trafficking
Hennepin County is adding two employees dedicated to aggressively investigating and prosecuting youth sex traffickers and purchasers. In addition to adding a specialized prosecutor to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, an investigator will be added the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Both positions will work with Hennepin County's No Wrong Door coordinator and other local law enforcement agencies.
For more information read the press release. Information on the County's No Wrong Door program can be found here.
2017 spring Youth Sports grants awarded
The board awarded $250,000 of Youth Sports grants to several
organizations for playground projects and small sports equipment. Since the
Youth Sports program began in 2009, the county has awarded $19.6 million to 122
facility projects, 221 small equipment projects and five playground
projects.
District 6 Equipment Awards:
- Lionsgate Academy, Minnetonka: $8,000
- Eagle Ridge Academy, Minnetonka: $8,000
- Orono Baseball Association: $2,000
District 6 Playground Award:
- L.H. Tanglen Elementary School, Hopkins: $25,000
Committee will advise staff, board on child well-being
The board established the Hennepin County Child Well-being
Advisory Committee to guide work to protect and care for children.
In October, the Hennepin County Child Protection Oversight
Committee laid out six core recommendations to improve the well-being of
children in Hennepin County. The newly created advisory committee will continue
these efforts.
The advisory committee will track the county's progress in
adopting the new child well-being focus. Hennepin County staff and partners are
using multiple approaches to prioritize children’s physical health, emotional
and social health, relational health and development.
Funding will prevent spread of aquatic invasive species
The board awarded 14 aquatic invasive species prevention grants
totaling $320,000. Organizations will use funding for inspections at public
lake accesses, outreach and education, research on zebra mussels, boat cleaning
facilities and more.
District 6 grants include:
- CD3 General Benefit Corporation
($63,000) – to develop and test self-serve boat cleaning stations,
including at North Arm and Spring Park public access points on Lake
Minnetonka
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City of Edina ($12,000) –
to develop teaching aids to use at public events and training
- Minnetonka Yacht Club ($21,000)
– to create an on-site decontamination station and provide education to
students and sailors
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City of Eden Prairie ($28,000)
– to incorporate a boat cleaning station and educational signage at Lake
Riley public access
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Christmas Lake Homeowners
Association ($10,000) – to support watercraft inspections at Christmas
Lake in Excelsior
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Nine Mile Creek Watershed
District ($15,000) – to develop educational activities and conduct
outreach at community events
- City of Mound ($45,000) – to
install a programmable message board at Surfside Park on Lake Minnetonka
that will run aquatic invasive species prevention and safety messages
March 9, 2017
Bridges and Structures
The
goal of this briefing was to update the Board on the county bridge
program. It included a review of how the
county’s 147 bridges are inventoried, federal and state requirements related to
bridge inspections, bridge condition management activities, county investment
activities and expenditure forecasts for bridge and structure maintenance.
March 23, 2017
Transportation Updates
The purpose of this briefing was to update the Board on the county's transportation system. The discussion included the 2016 Asset Management Report and Capital Projects Report, the process by which capital projects are prioritized and funded, a look at our advanced transportation management system (ATMS), and connected and autonomous vehicles.
April 3, 2017
Dozens of organizations will recruit employees at this week's career fair
Job-seekers can connect with actively-recruiting companies at a career fair Monday, April 3, sponsored by Hennepin County Work and Economic Resource Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Event details
- Monday, April 3
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9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Minneapolis Central Library, second floor
- 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Job-seekers are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their resume.
This career fair is part of a series of events to pair employers looking for workers with employees looking for job opportunities. All participating businesses are aiming to fill multiple openings.
This location is served by several bus routes. To find the best one, visit www.metrotransit.orgor call 612-373-3333.
April 7, 2017
Wanted: Creative teens
Hennepin County Library’s Teen Tech Squad is hiring teens
ages 16 to 18, to research, design and lead interactive workshops for and with
youth, and teach STEAM skills through tinkering and making. STEAM includes
science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Applications will be
accepted through April 7. Find more information about teen employment and a
link to apply at www.hclib.org/about/jobs.
April 9, 2017
Edina Library to close for renovations
The Edina Library, located at 5280 Grandview Square, will close for renovation at 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 9.
When the library reopens in late August, patrons will find lighter, more comfortable spaces with improved acoustics, an enclosed reading room and collaborative spaces, as well as a larger children's area with interactive learning elements.
While the Edina Library is closed,
patrons are encouraged to visit other Hennepin County libraries:
- Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. S., Edina
- Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
- Hopkins Library, 22 11th Ave. N., Hopkins
The budget for the renovation project is $1.1 million.
Edina Library has been providing services to Edina residents in its current
location since 2002, when it opened in a shared facility with the Edina Senior
Center.
For more information about the
project, visit the Edina Library building project page: www.hclib.org/edina.
April 18, 2017
Comment on plan to use housing and community development funds
Hennepin County is hosting a public hearing to gather comments
on its annual action plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development:
- Tuesday, April 18, at 1:30
- Hennepin County Government
Center Board Room (A-2400)
- 300 South Sixth Street,
Minneapolis
This action plan will guide the use of approximately $4 million
in federal funding for housing and community development activities in suburban
Hennepin County.
A draft of the plan will be available March 31 on the county’s
website and at Hennepin County Ridgedale, Southdale and Brookdale libraries.
You may submit written comments from March 31 to May 1 to Margo
Geffen, manager, Housing Development and Finance, Hennepin County Community
Works Department, 701 4th Avenue South, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55415.
Bargain hunters and book lovers take note: there are various opportunities throughout the month of April to purchase adult and children's fiction and nonfiction books in hardcover and paperback, CDs, videos, magazines and DVDs Items available are dependent on location. All items are withdrawn from the Hennepin County Library system or donated by the public. Funds raised will benefit the library. Some locations request cash or check only so please come prepared.
To explore all of the used book sales, visit the library webpage.
Citizen advisory board openings
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners appoints citizens and local officials to serve on the county's citizen advisory boards. Currently there are vacancies on two boards:
Last Monday marked the beginning of Hennepin County's transportation construction season. During 2017, Hennepin County's Transportation Department will deliver on several projects designed to get residents around the county safely and efficiently within a balanced, environmentally sound county transportation system.
A major project in District 6 is reconstruction of Wayzata Boulevard (County Road 112) in Long Lake and Orono. It is a multi-year effort that will provide - among other improvements - better driving surfaces, new facilities for pedestrians and enhanced aesthetics. It will also include the restoration of the shoreline on Long Lake, additional roadway lighting and updates to trails and boulevards. Major work is scheduled to begin in April.
For more in-depth information visit the project webpage.
Another notable project in District 6 is bridge replacement work on the Brown Road (County Road 146) Bridge in Orono. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer. More information can be found on the project webpage.
Starting around May, transportation operations and maintenance crews will begin several smaller-scale road projects including repaving, restriping and pavement sealing projects.
For information on all of the county road and bridge projects coming up, please visit here.
After spring cleaning, residents can visit Hennepin County's new Choose to Reuse website for easy ways to keep usable stuff out of the trash and find quality items without buying new.
Residents who find torn or stained clothing in their closets can now dispose of these items at Hennepin County’s Bloomington or Brooklyn Park drop-off facilities.
New features of Choose to Reuse website
Residents can visit the website to:
- Browse through more than 600 places to sell, donate, buy, repair, rent and share items
- Locate reuse resources near their zip code
- Learn more about reuse topics, such as cloth diapering and the drawbacks of fast fashion
- Find local events, like area Fix-It Clinics, neighborhood garage sales, classes and more
Find out more in the Green Disposal Guide.
Tammy Larsen, a Hennepin County Master Recycler/Composter,
has been a waste reduction champion for Wayzata Villa Homeowners Association,
of which she is a member. In November of 2016 Larsen started her work with the
association by coordinating organics recycling service. At present there are
30-40 households participating.
In January of 2017 she worked with the County
to get on-site donation boxes to collect items for a local reuse retailer. She
holds quarterly recycling education sessions where she provides free
compostable bags and countertop organics recycling bins funded by a business
recycling grant she secured. Welcome packets are given to residents
which include information on waste reduction and recycling opportunities
through Wayzata Villa Homeowners Association. These packets include recycling
tote bags provided through Hennepin County’s Multifamily Recycling Program.
Her work has led to a decreased overall waste budget for the association by
reducing trash pick-up from twice a week to once a week.
Success stories like
this often rely on champions like Larsen. If you are interested in duplicating
any of the changes where you live: check out the resources below.
Hennepin County provides resources for homebuyers to better inform the process
Spring home buying season is
here. Hennepin County has resources for house hunters to enhance, inform and
supplement the home buying process.
This information is more
accurate, comprehensive and reliable than home buying aggregate websites, and
features unique historical information and records not found anywhere else.
Find out homebuilder, construction date and history of
owners. View historic maps, atlases, photos and news clippings about the
house or neighborhood.
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Online homestead application
File online for homestead status to lower taxes and qualify for property tax
refunds, after purchasing the home.
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Hennepin County bike map
See what bike trails and lanes exist near potential homes for safe commuting
and recreational biking.
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Hennepin County parks map
Find nearby parks that offer preferred amenities. Links provided to Three
Rivers System and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
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The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland. |
Jan Callison
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Allyson Sellwood
Policy Aide
612-348-6885
Christine Hoyles
Administrative Assistant
612-348-3168
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