September newsletter: Hennepin Commissioner Debbie Goettel

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

debbie goettel

Hennepin Happening

Welcome to the District 5 September newsletter! Scroll down to read more about

Message of support for Dar Al-Farooq

The attack on Dar Al-Farooq mosque in Bloomington on August 5th was a cruel reminder that our hope for a peaceful and inclusive world still needs a lot of work here at home. I'm both shocked and frustrated that such hatred and violence is here in our own community. This was not just an attack on Dar Al-Farooq and the people worshiping there that morning. It was an attack on all of us.

We are a community of many faiths, races, and backgrounds, but we stand together in our common desire to feel safe, supported, loved, and welcome. When those basic values are threatened, I feel personally responsible to stand up and protect them. And I wasn't alone with that feeling. 

I met with leaders from Dar Al-Farooq the week following the bombing, and I will continue to support them as we move forward together. To our Muslim neighbors and friends, you can always look to me as a resource and advocate for you here at the county. I will not let the acts of the cowardly and bigoted define who we are as a community.

Appointee spotlight: Lisa Rudolph

es

I depend on trusted appointees for their time, talent, and good judgement to better serve Hennepin County's residents. I cannot thank them enough for their service, and occasionally we will publish these highlights to recognize the phenomenal work they do.

This week we're featuring Lisa Rudolph, who serves on the Designer Selection Committee.

  1. What are your greatest passions in life? My greatest passions are learning and new experiences.  I love to read, travel to see new places and things, and am always up for trying something new.  Two of my favorite things to do are curling and sailing, both of which I’ve just picked up in the past few years.
  2. What is your service/professional background? I have a broad professional background, encompassing institutional finance, airport operations, marketing, and photography.  I’m currently a photographer specializing in large format fine art.  From a service standpoint, I’ve been very involved in my community.  I’ve been a member of several school district advisory committees, city commissions, school PTO, and youth sports groups.
  3. Describe the responsibilities of the position you were appointed to. What kind of impact does it have on Hennepin County? I was appointed to the Designer Selection Committee, the group that assists in the selection of architectural and engineering consultants for major facility construction and remodeling projects.  This committee has a direct impact on the look and feel of the county, as well as the ways residents interact with and access county services.
  4. Tell us about your life in District 5. What drew you here? What kept you here? My job at the Minneapolis St. Paul airport originally drew me to District 5.  I’m now 19 years into my 2 year plan.  Despite the cold winters, I’ve grown to love life here.  The summers are phenomenal and I take every opportunity to enjoy them to the fullest.
  5. What’s your favorite event / thing to do in District 5? I love the close proximity to water that I enjoy living in Richfield.  I can hop on a bike trail a block away and pedal through a 30 mile route through the chain of lakes.  I also enjoy having my sailboat on Lake Nokomis.

Debbie around the district

Since our last newsletter in August, here are a few of the highlights from Commissioner Goettel's work...

hggh

Debbie had a busy Night to Unite in Eden Prairie, hopping from neighborhood to neighborhood visiting neighborhood parties with Council Member Ron Case. To learn more or to host a neighborhood party yourself next year, visit the Eden Prairie city website.

  • Met with county staff to discuss the HCMC Master Campus Plan
  • Attended a Super Bowl LII briefing with law enforcement officials and county staff
w
Photo credit: Miguel Otarola - Star Tribune

Joined Commissioner Marion Greene at a forum hosted by the faith-based coalition group ISAIAH. Attendees discussed the criminal justice system and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Read the Star Tribune's article about the forum.

  • Attended a child wellbeing forum with local leaders and child protection specialists
  • Traveled to St. Paul for a Metropolitan Mosquito Control District meeting
c

Toured the Hennepin County Addiction Medicine Clinic at HCMC with Dr. Charlie Reznikoff. We discussed ways the county can be more effective at reversing the rapidly accelerating trends we've seen with opioid use.

Hennepin History Museum

d

Eat Street at 20: exhibition opening reception

6-8pm on Thursday, September 7th | 2303 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis

Please join us for an evening celebrating the opening of "Eat Street 20: in their own words."  This exhibition turns the spotlight on the evolution of one of Hennepin County's favorite streets. Read more about the event here.

District 5 Library Renovation Forums

d

There are two major renovations approaching for District five libraries: one at Oxboro Library (Bloomington) and another at Eden Prairie Library. Hennepin County Library invites neighbors and patrons to attend community engagement meetings to hear current plans and make their voices heard.

Oxboro Library Renovation Forum

6:00 - 7:30pm on Tuesday, September 19
8801 Portland Ave S, Bloomington

Eden Prairie Library Renovation Forum

7:00 - 8:30pm on Wednesday, September 13
565 Eden Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie

Road construction

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.

Constituent services

Housing crises, energy assistance, child protection, emergency situations; we are here to advocate for you when it comes to navigating local and county services, and we want to help. Please call our office at 612-348-7885 with any questions or for assistance.

Contact

Commissioner Debbie Goettel
Hennepin County District 5
Bloomington | Eden Prairie | Richfield
612-348-7885 | debbie.goettel@hennepin.us

Casey Krolczyk
Principle Aide
612-596-7078 | casey.krolczyk@hennepin.us

Michael Ohama
Policy Director
612-348-7885 | michael.ohama@hennepin.us

hennepin.us

Follow Hennepin County

facebooktwitterinstagramyoutubelinked in
Hennepin County