FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
Program will house Native Americans experiencing homelessness
The board accepted funding to help Native Americans with substance abuse disorders
exit homelessness. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will provide
nearly $300,000 of grant funding each year for room, board and recovery
services for people experiencing severe substance abuse disorders. Hennepin
County will contract with the American Indian Community Development Corporation
to provide these services, which will focus on improving health
equity of Native Americans.
Read
more about this action.
Read more about American Indian Community
Development Corporation.
The board accepted a
$338,588 grant from the Minnesota Department of Health to reduce infant
mortality among people of color. In Hennepin County, racial and ethnic
disparities mirror those seen nationally, with the highest rates of infant
mortality among babies born to US-born African American mothers. Grant funding
will allow NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center to expand a program to
connect parents with resources including health care, nutrition support,
parenting education and help accessing benefits.
Read
more about the grant funding.
The board approved
an agreement that will help people being released from Minnesota correctional
facilities access basic safety-net programs upon their release. As part of this
program, people will receive guidance on applying for benefits, such as food and
cash assistance, to aid in their transition back to the community. Hennepin
County staff, on an intergovernmental transfer, will assist the Minnesota Department of Human Services in implementing this
federally-funded program.
Learn more about
this action.
The board approved a $587,600
contract with HIRED to administer six Career Pathways training programs.
Funding will provide pathways to employment with Hennepin County and other
regional partners in the hospitality, public sector, construction and public
safety sectors. This program is part of Hennepin County's broader plan to build
a stronger workforce and address persistent economic disparities. Since 2014,
these programs have provided training, work experience and professional support
to guide job-seekers onto career pathways, directly aligning workers' skills
with employers' needs.
Learn more about this action.
Learn more about Hennepin County
workforce initiatives.
The board approved funding that slates the
Fremont Avenue Bridge over the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis for
reconstruction in 2019. Built more than a century ago, the bridge is in a state
of extreme deterioration and is currently closed to motor vehicle traffic.
Federal funding will cover up to $2.4 million of the $4.6 million project
budget. The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and City of Minneapolis
will cover the remaining costs.
Read more about the project.
The board accepted a $347,600 grant for
terrorism prevention training and engagement. This June, the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security awarded this funding to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
The grant will expand Sheriff's Office community engagement efforts and
fund public safety education initiatives and workshops for residents designed
to prevent radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism.
Read more about this action.
Read more about the grant
program.
The board accepted a $90,000 Office of National Drug Control Policy grant to reduce drug trafficking and
production in Hennepin County. In addition to lessening the drug supply
throughout the county, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office will coordinate its
efforts with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Grant funding
also supports drug prevention initiatives, including #NOverdose, a campaign
that educates the community about dangers and trends related to the opioid
epidemic.
Learn more about this action.
Learn more about #NOverdose.
The board scheduled public hearings for adoption of the 2018 budget and levy, and set a schedule for the Budget and Capital Investment Committee to consider the proposed 2018 budget.
The meetings will proceed as follows:
County administrator presents proposed 2018 budget to board
Tuesday, September 12, 1:30 p.m.
Board vote on 2018 maximum tax levy and budget
Tuesday, September 26, 1:30 p.m.
Operations/Library
Monday, September 28, 1 - 4 p.m.
Health
Thursday, October 5, 1 - 4 p.m.
Human Services
Tuesday, October 24, 9 a.m. - noon
Public Works
Tuesday, October 31, 1 - 4 p.m.
Capital Budgeting Task Force and fees
Thursday, November 2, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Truth-in-Taxation public meeting
Tuesday, November 28, 6 p.m. Participants can park for free after 5 p.m. in the Government Center ramp. Enter on 3rd Avenue.
Commissioner amendments
Thursday, November 30, 9 - 11:30 a.m.
Commissioner amendments
Wednesday, December 6, 1 - 4 p.m.
County Board vote on 2017 budget and levy
Tuesday, December 12, 1:30 p.m.
Read the related board action.
During a public hearing, the board will hear public testimony regarding a petition to change the name of Lake Calhoun to Bde Maka Ska.
- Tuesday, October 17, 6 p.m.
- Hennepin County Government Center Board Room, A-24
- 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis
- Participants
can park for free after 5 p.m. in the Government Center ramp. Enter on 3rd
Avenue.
In lieu of public testimony, the board also invites people to submit written comments to board.clerk@hennepin.us before the end of the public hearing.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board in June approved a resolution supporting renaming the lake. The petition also needs the approval of county, state and federal officials.
Current and archival board meetings, agendas and minutes are available online. View at www.hennepin.us/boardmeetings.
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