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,
Hennepin County remains open for business during Super Bowl events, although some services may be limited or moved to other locations.
The county continues to work closely with partner agencies to ensure a smooth experience for visitors, residents and employees who come downtown.
Hour and location details
Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis
- All offices will remain open during normal business hours, including the service center.
- District court at this location will hold emergency hearings only during the week of January 29-February 2. Suburban courts will remain in session.
Health Services Building, 525 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis
Note: Emergency Mental Health services will be available around the clock, as usual.
- Human Service Center Central-Northeast Minneapolis will be closed January 29-February 2. Services will be available at five other non-downtown locations. Call 612-596-1300 for assistance by phone.
- Public Health Clinic will remain open for walk-in clients, but clients are urged to visit before January 26 or after February 5. Please consider using transit to go to the clinic.
- WIC Office will be closed January 26-February 5. Walk-in services will be available at Hennepin County Human Service Center–South Minneapolis, Brookdale Regional Center and NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center.
Other buildings
- Child Support services at the Family Justice Center, 110 4th Street South, Minneapolis, will not be available from January 29-February 2. Face-to-face walk-in services will be available at all non-downtown human service center locations.
- Hennepin Health Walk-In Service Center at the Grain Exchange Building, 400 South Fourth Street, Suite 201, Minneapolis, will relocate. From January 22-February 5, visit Brookdale Regional Center at 6125 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center, or and 1800 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis.
- Hennepin County Library locations, including Minneapolis Central, will be open during regular hours.
Parking
- The parking ramp beneath the Government Center will operate 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. January 29-February 2. Several dozen public parking spots are based on availability. Parking will be open during the Open Appointment interview process on January 30, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The ramp will remain closed on weekends.
- Parking ramps at Hennepin County Library--Minneapolis Central and Target Field Station will operate regularly, with $15 event parking beginning at 5 p.m.
At its annual organization meeting, the board unanimously voted to reappoint District 6 Commissioner Jan Callison as chair for 2018. Commissioner Callison has served as chair since 2015.
“I look forward to continuing my role as chair of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and working with my colleagues to face the challenges of 2018,” said Callison. “I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead the board.”
“The county plays a critical role in responding to the needs of both residents and businesses. Continued collaboration with my colleagues, staff and other partners will be essential as we work to provide county services efficiently and cost-effectively, as well as position Hennepin County for the future.”
The board also re-elected Commissioner Linda Higgins, District 2, to serve as vice chair of the board. Commissioner Higgins has been vice chair since 2015.
Committee chairs
The board also established board committees and selected committee chairs:
- Health: Commissioner Marion Greene, District 3
- County Administration: Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, District 4
- Human Services: Commissioner Debbie Goettel, District 5
- Operations and Libraries: Linda Higgins, District 2
- Public Works: Commissioner Mike Opat, District 1
- Public Safety: Commissioner Jeff Johnson, District 7
Regional Railroad Authority leadership
Acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), the board re-elected Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, District 4, as chair and Commissioner Mike Opat, District 1, as vice chair of the HCRRA.
Attend or watch board meetings
The county board usually meets Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center.
Board and committee meetings generally are live-streamed and on demand on the web, broadcast live on Metropolitan Cable Network Channel 6, and re-broadcast on Channel 6 on Fridays at 8 p.m.
Find a complete schedule, meeting minutes and agendas at www.hennepin.us/boardmeetings.
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Jessica L Simon-Koch
Area Manager I Administrative Services
Creekside, St. Louis Park
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Describe your
work.
I am a manager in Health and Human Services
with oversight responsibility for a number of administrative and internal
support functions. This includes payroll and staffing management,
data privacy, compliance and quality assurance, and communications. I
also serve as the management liaison to the union and to our HR and Labor
Relations departments.
What
part of your job do you find most challenging?
I think that in any large organization, clear
communication is always a challenge. We rely on email for so much of what
we communicate when face to face interactions are often the best way get a
message across. We are constantly working to improve our communication so
we can ensure people have the right information and so that we can avoid
misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
What do
you find most enjoyable?
My job is to support the people who provide
services and supports to our residents. I love the customer service and
continuous improvement aspects of my work; when we have success in making
things run better, faster, or more efficiently or when we can make processes
more clear, we help our internal customers provide better services to
residents.
What is
one thing everyone should know about the work you do?
It’s hard for me to think of an organization
with as diverse a portfolio as Hennepin County. From human services to
transportation to public health and the medical examiner (just to name a few),
the county is involved in almost every aspect of our lives as citizens. Over the 20+ years I have worked for Hennepin County I have had the opportunity
to do many different things; in essence, I have had 5 or 6 careers, all with
one organization. The county is a great place to work and is filled with
a diverse array of smart, talented and innovative people, dedicated to public
service.
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, February 8
- 9:30am-10:30am: Opioid Strategy
- 10:30am- 11:30am: Jail Population
Thursday, February 22
- 9:30am-11:30am: Corrections Funding (Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota)
TESTIFY Exhibit (Closing February 6!)
Football Hall of Famer and former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page, along with Diane Sims Page, Executive Director of the Page Education Foundation, will publicly present TESTIFY, a preview of their collection of Americana. The wide-ranging exhibit will feature art and artifacts from pivotal eras in American history while also providing a platform for visitors to share their thoughts, feelings and personal experiences. Hosted at Minneapolis Central Library Cargill Hall.
Don’t
know much about football history?
Now on
view in Special Collections, “Football in Minneapolis Before the Vikings.” See
artifacts from the Minneapolis Marines and the Minneapolis Red Jackets, the
city’s first professional teams dating back to 1920. Special Collections is at
Hennepin County Library—Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis,
fourth floor.
Renewing
a library book is easier
The
Hennepin County Library system has enhanced our notification and renewal
service to make it easier for patrons to manage their accounts. If we have your
email address, you’ll get a notice that says which items renewed, which didn’t,
and new due dates. To add or update your email address, log in to your account
on hclib.org.
Historic
Home Styles
Saturday,
February 3, 10 a.m. to noon
Washburn
Library, 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
Learn
about 19th- and early 20th-century home styles: Who originated the styles? Why
did architects want to create new styles? What are key characteristics to
correctly identify home styles?
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
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