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
July 18, 2017
Construction will improve accessibility along Minneapolis, Wayzata sidewalks
The board awarded a $437,933 contact to Concrete Idea, Inc. for construction of 42 pedestrian ramps, also called curb ramps, and revisions to four traffic control systems in Minneapolis and Wayzata. These improvements, which meet guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will make sidewalks more accessible to people with disabilities.
Improvements will be made along the following roadways:
- County Road 40 (Glenwood Avenue), Minneapolis
- County Road 66/81 (West Broadway Avenue), Minneapolis
- County Road 101 (Wayzata Boulevard/Central Avenue North), Wayzata
- County Road 152 (Webber Parkway), Minneapolis
Learn more about this action.
Learn more about how Hennepin County is working to make sidewalks accessible.
County awards funding to expand bicycle and pedestrian network
The board awarded a total of $748,000 for bikeway projects and
$170,225 for sidewalk projects throughout the county. Projects build on
Hennepin County’s efforts to increase safe, comfortable transportation options
for residents.
Bikeway funding awards in District 6:
- City of Deephaven: $20,000 for
a feasibility study of a bikeway along Minnetonka Boulevard and Vine Hill
Road
- City of Hopkins: $100,000 to
close a bikeway gap of the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail
- Three Rivers Park District:
$220,000 for construction of trail crossing improvements at intersections along
the Dakota Rail Regional Trail and feasibility studies of bikeways
Sidewalk funding awards in District 6:
- Cities of Edina and St. Louis
Park: $75,600 for sidewalk construction along France Avenue
Learn more about biking and walking in Hennepin County.
Learn more about this round of bikeway funding awards.
Learn more about this round of sidewalk funding awards.
Grant funding will help continue statewide multilingual phone line
The board accepted nearly $100,000 of grant funding from the Minnesota
Department of Human Services for a multilingual telephone line that connects
immigrants and refugees to government services across the state. Hennepin
County Office of Multicultural Services staff provide phone response services
in 12 languages to people with limited English proficiency in all 87 Minnesota
counties. Each year, approximately 7,000 households use this language referral
line.
Learn more about the Office of Multicultural Services.
Learn more about this round of grant funding.
In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the board
often meets on Thursday mornings to receive board briefings. These are
informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No decisions are
made. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the
Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.
July 13, 2017
Solid waste management plan
Staff
presented an overview of the development of the Solid Waste Management
Plan. Their recommendations
include: “requiring cities to provide
the opportunity for residents to recycle organics, requiring businesses that
generate large quantities of food waste to implement food waste recycling and
improve the waste infrastructure needed to make organics recycling more
viable.” They expect to submit the plan
to the County Board for approval by the end of this year.
HUD/Fair Housing
Hennepin County must certify that it will affirmatively further fair
housing in order to receive housing funds from the federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development. This
certification involves conducting an analysis “to identify impediments to fair
housing choice with the area,” taking appropriate actions “to overcome the
effects of any impediments” and maintaining records reflecting the
analysis. This briefing provided detail
about what sorts of activities the County must undertake in order to meet these
certification requirements and to continue to receive Community Development
Block Grant, HOME and other federal housing funds.
Discover a renovated Edina Library
Edina Library will reopen on Saturday, August 26, after a
four-month renovation.
A new floor plan is more open and flexible, and large
windows bring in more natural light. Children’s areas from preschool to teens
will include interactive learning elements, quiet study rooms and collaborative
spaces. Acoustical treatments were added to contain sound from busier spaces. Find more information about Edina Library’s
reopening.
August solar eclipse events
Several Hennepin County Libraries are hosting educational and social events related to the August 21st solar eclipse. Programs include STEM classes and maker events for kids and teens, and viewing parties for the entire family.
Find an eclipse event near you.
September 7, 2017
Volunteers sought for Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Board
Applications for two vacancies on the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Board are now being sought. The watershed district board coordinates the management of water and related land resources in the watershed. The cities of Hopkins, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eden Prairie and Minnetonka have land within the district.
Due to the nature of the board, it is helpful for members to
have a background in water conservation, development, law, engineering,
environment or public administration. Board members may not be a public officer
of the county, state or federal government and must be a resident of the
district.
Members serve three-year terms.
Interviews will be held on September 12.
More information and an application can be found here.
November 6, 2017
Applications now open for Hennepin Youth Sports Program grants
The application period is open for the 2018 facility and fall equipment grants and closes Monday, November 6, 2017. Through the Hennepin County Youth Sports Program, Hennepin County awards over $2 million each year for sports facilities and equipment. A special swimming lesson grant program is also administered with these funds.
The facility and equipment grants are administered through the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission and can be found here.
Ridgedale Library renovation
Hennepin County Library - Ridgedale closed on Sunday, July 9, for a yearlong renovation. All other services offered at the building - the service center, human services and district court - will remain open as usual during the renovation.
Visit here to make an appointment at a service center.
In addition, Ridgedale patrons can continue to pick up library holds in the second floor space that previously was the used book store. An automated book return near the main entrance also will be available during the renovation.
Other library locations welcome Ridgedale patrons.
Visit the library website for more information about the project, or watch this CCX Media story.
Hennepin
County Library’s eBook offerings liberate your luggage from summer reading.
Access more than 311,000 text and audiobook titles for all ages on your phone
or tablet. Here are a few ways to do it:
-
Look for the eBook icon in catalog listings and downloading the book to read using the Kindle app.
-
Use your library card to log into the cloudLibrary website, or get the app for your mobile device.
-
Explore local writers and publishers through EBooks Minnesota, on the library website.
Early last week,
crews
started work in preparation for upcoming repaving and restriping of Minnetonka
Boulevard (County Road 5) from Larchwood Drive to Highway 494.
Hennepin
County crews began widening the road in key areas to accommodate for extra turn
lanes. This work will also involve culvert and curb replacements.
In
addition, other entities are working in the area to complete various projects
before the new pavement goes down.
As
a result of these projects, there will be lane restrictions along sections of
Minnetonka Boulevard. Road users should expect changes in the traffic
configurations and flaggers directing traffic. It may take longer to travel
through the area. For your safety and the safety of our crews, we ask that
you obey all posted speed limits and slow down where crews are working.
Repaving work to begin in late August
Once the road
widening is complete, we anticipate beginning paving operations on the
week of August 22, weather permitting.
Residents have experienced long wait times due to unexpected issues with Minnesota's new licensing system. If you need to visit a service center soon, we ask for your patience as staff work through the new system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWODd8UFKTs
Across the state, there is an increased need for foster parents. Consider fostering in Hennepin County.
You can find information on fostering, including upcoming information sessions, at http://www.hennepin.us/fostercare.
Check out a recent article in the St. Cloud Times that addresses foster care needs in Minnesota: http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/2017/07/20/help-wanted-drug-use-policy-changes-up-need-foster-parents/477368001/
County Road 112 in Long Lake and Orono
Traffic lanes changed
Lanes reconfigured at Brown Road intersection
Wayzata Boulevard is now reduced to a single lane with no turn lanes at the Brown Road intersection. Turns will be allowed, but drivers will have to stay in the single lane.
To accommodate for the changes, traffic signal timing systems were adjusted.
This new lane configuration is expected to be in place for several weeks. Please allow extra time to travel through the area.
Current and recent activities
Driveway, curb and gutter work completed
Over the past few weeks, crews made progress pouring in new
driveways, curbs and gutters along the northern half of Wayzata
Boulevard from Brimhall Avenue to Willow Drive.
Crews finished pouring driveways and curbs along
this section of road late last week.
Retaining wall installation continues
Installation of new retaining walls began in
front of the Long Lake Town Center. The new retaining walls are a part of
the overall aesthetic improvements being made throughout the Wayzata
Boulevard reconstruction.
Retaining walls also have a practical use. They serve as a
critical structure that provides functional support for keeping two
different elevations of soil in place and prevents erosion.
Upcoming construction activities
For the next few weeks, crews will be completing
numerous roadway and utility activities.
The following is a brief overview:
Willow Drive to Brown Road
- Grading and
paving the roadway
- Grading the
roadway at the Brown Road intersection
Brown Road to Martha Lane
- Forming and
pouring new curbs and gutters
- Construction
of new retaining walls
Martha Lane to Wolf Pointe Trail
- Grading at
temporary sheeting area
- Continuing
watermain and private utility work
Private utility work
In addition to the county’s reconstruction efforts, private
utility companies are also active in the area. They are splicing, relocating
and placing new service lines along Wayzata Boulevard in Long Lake
and Orono.
As a result, intermittent service interruptions can occur. When
interruptions or outages happen, we recommend those impacted to contact
their service provider directly. This will allow the private utility
companies to locate and resolve the issue. Below is contact information
for the private utility companies working in the area.
Contact information:
- CenturyLink:
1-877-837-5738
- Xcel Energy:
1-800-895-4999
- Mediacom:
1-855-633-4226
- CenterPoint
Energy: project hotline - 612-321-5369 / restoration department -
612-321-5042
More project information
612-543-4275
County Road 146
Over the past few months, crews have made significant progress on the Brown Road (CR 146) bridge project.
Bridge abutments nearing completion
One of the major activities that is nearing completion is forming
and pouring new bridge abutments. Abutments are supporting
structures located at each end of the bridge span. They provide support
for the entire bridge.
Erosion protection work
With reconstruction moving at a good pace in this area, crews are
expected to begin riprap sloping. Riprap is a man-made form that is
comprised of large rocks or concrete objects. It is intended to
protect bridge abutments and shorelines from erosion.
This work is expected to last approximately a week, weather permitting.
Structural work follows
Once sloping work is completed, crews will begin structural work of the
bridge. Structural work will include placing bridge beams and bearings in order
to provide a resting surface for the bridge deck. Structural
work is expected to continue into August, followed by deck work.
The bridge is expected to reopen later in the fall.
For more information about this work, visit www.hennepin.us/brownroadbridge.
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.
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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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