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Welcome to the District 5 May newsletter! Scroll down to read more about
- Legislative and county updates
- Debbie around the district... what the Commissioner has been up to lately
- Road construction and staying ahead of traffic
- Memorial Day information
- Events in Bloomington, Eden Prairie, and Richfield
- May is Bike Month! Everything you need to start pedaling
CTIB and Southwest Light Rail
Last month, there was a proposal to dissolve the County
Transit Improvement Board in order to provide more local control on transit
investment.
Although CTIB will remain in place in the meantime, we are confident that the project will move forward. As of today, the federal budget compromise includes provisions to fully-fund the project. Construction could begin this summer on the
14.5 mile line, bringing an estimated 34,000 weekday riders
to and from downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie. We are continuing to monitor all developments regarding the Southwest Light Rail.
Minnesota House and Senate Budgets
Budgets from both houses of the Minnesota state legislature have made significant cuts to local funding for health and human services as well as critical transit infrastructure. We applaud our legislative leaders for including provisions for road construction and repair. However, we feel that the State's unfunded human services mandates and cuts to bus and light rail funding are hurting suburban families and businesses. Our office will continue to work with legislators to address these issues.
Pathway to Policing
Commissioner Goettel met with Bloomington Chief of Police Jeff Potts last month and discussed "Pathway to Policing," a program that helps our law enforcement agencies hire locally and 'second career' applicants complete their licensure requirements. When a police force can hire talented individuals who live in the community and know the people they serve, our families and businesses benefit. We are advocating for a fully-funded program to ensure that our police departments grow and change with our communities.
Since our last newsletter in March, here are a few of the highlights from Commissioner Goettel's work...
 Toured the South Education Center (SECA), part of Intermediate District 287. Commissioner Goettel is advocating for increased funding at the state legislature to support the teachers, social workers, and staff educating our most at-risk youth.
 Joined Dr. Andrew Baker for a tour of the Medical Examiner's facility. They have an incredible collection of death records dating back to the late 19th century.
- Attended a 2-day Undoing Racism conference
- Met with Bloomington's Parks and Recreation director Randy Quale
 Joined fellow Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAPHC) board members for the annual meeting.
(Pictured: Karin Keitel, Commissioner Jan Callison, Commissioner Goettel
 Met with Bloomington's Public Works director Karl Keel and staff to learn about the city's key projects and discuss ways for the county to partner with the city (pictured: Karl Keel, Shelly Hanson, Commissioner Goettel, Kirk Roberts)
 Pictured: Commissioner Marion Greene (District 3) and Commissioner Goettel at the National Child Abuse Prevention Month press conference.
In 2015, 6,332 cases of child abuse were reported in Hennepin County.
 Commissioner Goettel hosted an open house. She provided updates on her work at the County and tours of the board room and the District 5 public office.
 Commissioner Goettel at the SMART press conference. Read about how Hennepin County is teaming up with local law enforcement to create one sexual assault response team across all agencies.
66th Street in Richfield and Bloomington's Normandale Boulevard are in the midst of major construction projects. Skip the traffic jams and sign up for updates on the projects impacting your commute.
You can also visit the Hennepin County website for updates on road maintenance projects and all other road construction.
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We encourage everyone to take a few moments this Memorial Day to honor the men and women who gave their lives for our country. There are services at the following times and locations:
Eden Prairie
Purgatory Creek Park at 11 a.m.
13001 Technology Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Bloomington
Memorial Day Parade at 9 a.m.
The parade route begins at Ziegler CAT (901 W 94th St) and continues down Lyndale to the Bloomington Cemetery (10340 Lyndale Ave S).
Richfield
Honoring All Veterans Memorial at 2 p.m.
6400 Portland Ave, Richfield, MN 55423
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In Our Own Voice:
Living With Mental Illness
May 9, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Augsburg Park Library, 7100 Nicollet Avenue, Richfield
In honor of Mental Health Month, two
speakers will share first-hand accounts of what it is like to live with mental
illness. They will humanize this misunderstood topic by demonstrating that it's
possible - and common - to live well with mental illness. Time for Q&A.
Learn more
about In Our Own Voice: Living With Mental Illness
Teen Tech Workshop
May 11, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Eden Prairie Library, 565 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie
Grades 6-12. Get creative and make music, videos, animation
and other projects using both high- and low-tech tools, everything from LEGO®
Robotics, Raspberry Pi, iPads and 3D printers to sewing machines.
Learn
more about this and other computer and technology events.
Introduction to
Nature Photography
May 6, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Oxboro Library, 8801 Portland Ave S, Bloomington
Photographing nature is a popular activity for outdoors
enthusiasts, but anyone can do it! In this introductory program, learn the
basics of taking photographs. Learn the 10 elements of photography and tips for
getting great nature shots.
Learn
more about this and other science and nature events.
Used Book Sale
May 3, 6, and 7, 2017 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Penn Lake Library, 8800 Penn Ave S, Bloomington
Bargain hunters and book lovers take note: the Friends of
the Penn Lake Library will hold a sale of hundreds of adult and children's
fiction and nonfiction books in hardcover and paperback.
- Wednesday, May 3, 4:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Penn
Lake Friends, Bloomington teachers, and HCL Friends members only. Join at the
door!
- Saturday, May 6, 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Sunday, May 7, noon - 2:00 p.m. Bag Sale
Learn
more about the Used Book Sale.
May is Bike Month!
Join Hennepin County and communities across the nation in
celebrating Bike Month this May. Every year, riders of all abilities and
experience levels come together to celebrate the many benefits of bicycling.
Visit www.hennepin.us/ride
for a list of ways you can participate in bike month this year, including free
bike classes, group rides, special events and more.
County resources to help you ride
With more than 226 miles of off-street bikeways and 425
miles of on-street bikeways connecting 45 cities and 1.2 million residents,
Hennepin County is your place to ride.
- Explore our online
interactive map to discover great places to ride near you, whatever your
experience level.
- Check out the County’s 2040 Bicycle
Transportation Plan to learn more about our vision for connecting people to
places by keeping biking simple, safe and fun for everyone.
- Pick up a free County Bike Map at any one of our
county library locations.
- Get involved in making the county’s vision for
bicycling a reality by attending a meeting of the Bicycle
Advisory Committee.
- Look for safety tips, seasonal tricks and other
useful information for every type of rider at www.hennepin.us/ride
Contact
Commissioner Debbie Goettel & Staff
Hennepin County District 5
Bloomington | Eden Prairie | Richfield
612-348-7885
debbie.goettel@hennepin.us
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