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Greetings! We hope our newsletter serves as a resource for
staying connected to Hennepin County activities and staying updated on county
news and services.
As always, please reach out with questions, comments, or to
learn more about how to get involved.
My best,
The board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, October 17 at 6 p.m. to receive public comment on a petition to restore the name of Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Minnesota to "Bde Maka Ska," and a separate petition seeking to change the name to "Lake Maka Ska."
- Tuesday, October 17, 6 p.m.
- Hennepin County Government Center Board Room (A-2400)
- 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis
- Written comments can be submitted to board.clerk@hennepin.us
Read more about this request.
Vote Early in Person
All eligible voters in Hennepin County can vote absentee—either in-person or by mail. In-person absentee voting became available on September 22 and will be an available option through November 6 at city halls and school district offices across Hennepin County and at the Early Vote Center in downtown Minneapolis at 217 S. Third Street. Each city location can accommodate voters who live in that particular city. Only Minneapolis residents can vote at the Early Vote Center.
Learn more about absentee voting in person.
Vote Early by Mail
Voters must fill out a paper application to receive a ballot. Paper applications are available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer and Amharic.
Voters do not need to be registered to vote to apply to vote absentee. To make the process easier, voters may want to register or ensure you are registered before applying for an absentee ballot.
Learn more about absentee voting by mail.
Hennepin County Administrator David Hough on Tuesday proposed to the Board of Commissioners a 2018 budget of $2.4 billion. The operating portion of this budget totals $1.9 billion dollars, and the capital portion totals $433.3 million dollars. The proposal reflects an increase of $306.5 million or 14.6 percent over the adjusted 2017 budget, largely consisting of newly assumed responsibilities in transit and transportation funding.
The net property tax levy proposed is $796.9 million, an increase of 4.95 percent compared to last year. How the levy impacts individual property taxes varies by individual address. Property tax covers 33 percent of the overall county budget. The remainder of the budget is funded through state and federal sources, fees and services, and other revenues .
Read more on the 2018 budget, and dates for public hearings here.
September 7
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 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 voted to approve a purchase agreement for the Thrivent Financial building adjacent to the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
Hennepin County plans to purchase the 18-story, 525,000-square-foot building for $55 million. The county also plans to acquire 332 parking stalls and skyway connections through a $11.5 agreement with Interstate Parking Company. The future parking lot will be built east of the Thrivent Building.
These actions will allow the county to address long-term space needs, consolidate operations and expand connections to other county buildings. Thrivent Financial's decision to sell the building aligns with its goal of developing a new corporate center across 5th Avenue from its current location.
Hennepin County expects to close on the building purchase during the first quarter of 2018. The county will then lease the building back to Thrivent for two to three years while the company builds its new corporate center. After this time, Hennepin County staff will begin moving into the building.
Read more about these agreements.
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Anthony Kresser
Lynnhurst, Southwest Minneapolis
Probation Officer, Hennepin County Corrections
Read below to see how Anthony makes Hennepin County tick.
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Describe your work.
I work at the Adult Misdemeanor Division 4 Suburban Court. I conduct Pre-Sentence Investigations on Domestic Assaults and Violation of Protection Orders, complete in-custody pre-trial bail evaluations on DWI and Domestic Assault related offenses, and finally handle probation violations for non-compliance with supervised probation conditions. I make recommendations to the court (Judges) concerning what kind of probation intervention is needed. This can include, but not limited to, drug and alcohol treatment programs, anger/domestic violence programming, psychological evaluations with recommendations, and finally the need for possible incarceration.
What part of your job do you find most challenging?
The most challenging part of my job is working with highly resistant clients who come through the probation office that do not want to change, nor to make hard decisions such as to remain clean and sober from alcohol and drugs or learn better ways to express their feelings that would positively impact them and the lives of their loved ones.
What do you find most enjoyable?
The most rewarding parts of being a probation officer for 34 years is to be directly involved with defendants who have made the individual decision through personal growth and pain to learn new behaviors and attitudes that prevent them from re-offending.
The other most rewarding parts of my job is that I have had the privilege to work with so many wonderful and hard-working probation officers and our incredible support staff whom I share a common bond with.
What is one thing everyone should know about the work you do?
Probation Officers are constantly balancing two factors which are always first prioritizing public safety and then making individualized probation recommendations on how to help defendants get the services they need and then holding them accountable with supervised probation. We call it Restorative Justice in the criminal justice system and data returns show early success.
Probation Officers really care about people and their ability to change. But the caring and hard work can be draining: constantly holding defendants accountable and being a tool for change is a demanding and serious role to play in someone's life. But the responsibility is also so rewarding when clients change for the better with lasting result and do not return to the court system.
You're invited. In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the County Board often meets for updates on Thursday mornings. These are informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No decisions are made, and topics are subject to change. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public. Call my office to confirm briefing time and location.
Thursday, October 5:
- 9:30am -11:30am: Transportation
Thursday, October 19:
Engaging young learners
- Hennepin County Library has spaces for children and families
to play and learn together.
Learn
more about Play and Learn areas at our libraries.
Yes, you can write a novel
- November is National Novel Writing Month, also known as
NaNoWriMo. If you think you have a novel in you, our writing classes in October
can get you ready to start writing.
See the
catalogue of classes related to NaNoWriMo.
See a listing of
all of our writing classes.
Learn more about your family history
- Saturday, October 28, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Minneapolis Central
Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
- The Family History Fair will connect the curious with expert
genealogists who will talk about how to use state, local and library resources;
to identify clues to family history; find out how to use and evaluate DNA for
family connections, and more.
Register
and learn more about the Family History Fair.
Minnesota Star Watch Party with Mike Lynch
- Wednesday, October 25, 6 to 8 p.m., Hennepin County
Library—Walker, 2880 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis
- Join Mike Lynch, meteorologist at WCCO Radio, astronomy
writer and book author, as he leads a Minnesota Star Watch Party. Start indoors
with an orientation on constellations and the great stories behind them; then,
weather permitting, move outdoors to view the universe, guided by Lynch and his
giant 20-inch reflector telescopes.
Learn
more about the Star Watch Party.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Nancy
Asan
Administrative Assistant
612-348-0863
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