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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn
Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
County board actions
The board approved initial designs for Eden Prairie Library renovations and funding agreements to help small businesses grow, recognized correctional officers, awarded funding for affordable housing and transit oriented development projects and set the date for a public hearing on the solid waste management fee.
The board approved funding agreements to continue two programs that will support as many as 300 small businesses and entrepreneurs through 2020.
The county will provide $135,000 in matching funds for suburban communities to sponsor Open to Business. Under an agreement with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, this program provides technical assistance and support for small businesses.
In addition, Hennepin, Ramsey and Scott counties will all contribute to a $265,000 contract with the Edward R. Lowe Foundation to provide Economic Gardening services, which help businesses grow past the start-up stage.
Since 2012, Open to Business has assisted 1,900 entrepreneurs in suburban Hennepin County and created or retained 932 jobs as a result of financing.
In Hennepin County, 84 businesses have participated in the Economic Gardening program from 2011 to 2017, and these businesses have retained 1,700 jobs and created more than 650 new jobs.
Read
more about these agreements.
Read
more about the county's economic development programs.
The board approved the initial design for renovations to the Eden Prairie Library, which will close in early winter 2018 for improvements that will take approximately nine months to complete. Features of the renovated space will include additional designated quiet and active areas, new energy efficient lighting and outdoor spaces accessible from within the library. On Tuesday, the board also approved a contract to begin architectural and engineering work for the $12.1 million project.
Learn more about this action.
Learn more about the renovation project.
The board
for Hennepin County’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority approved $2.2 million
in funding for seven transit-oriented
development (TOD) projects. Projects include a mix of infrastructure, housing, retail, and services — all
located within walking distance of transit. These projects will
create 1,045 housing units, more than 52,000 square feet of commercial space and 97
jobs.
Learn
more about the awards and see a
list of projects
Meeting as the the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the board approved $3.28
million in AHIF funding agreements. With support from AHIF, 13 new construction
and rehabilitation projects will create 671 affordable housing units. Some of those projects include alignment with Human Services programs. Since 2000, the
fund has committed approximately $63.2 million and leveraged more than $1.5
billion in additional investments to assist in the creation and maintenance of more than 7,700 affordable units in
Hennepin County.
Learn more about the grants and
see a list of projects
During the May 1 Public Safety Committee, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek introduced a class of 23 detention deputies that has begun training and will graduate in June. These positions provide a pathway to further employment with the Sheriff's Office and increase diversity among staff. The Sheriff's Office has more than doubled its proportion of minority employees since 2007, from approximately 7 percent to 16 percent.
The board declared May 6 -12 Correctional
Officers Week in Hennepin County. This observance acknowledges the staff,
teachers and medical personnel who work together to make the Hennepin County
Adult Corrections Facility, Hennepin County Home School and the Juvenile
Detention Center safe and secure facilities.
Read more about this declaration.
Hennepin County will host a public hearing on Tuesday, June 5, to gather public comment on proposed revisions to Hennepin County's solid waste management fee. The fee was established in 1994 to fund environmental programs. A key change to the ordinance is aimed at supporting reuse retailers by reducing the fees they pay to dispose of non-reusable household goods that are donated to them. Some administrative changes are also being proposed.
- Tuesday, June 5, 1:30 p.m.
- Board room (A-2400), Hennepin County Government Center
- 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis
Read more about the public hearing.
Current and archival board meetings, agendas and minutes are available online. View at www.hennepin.us/boardmeetings.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at www.hennepin.us/stories.
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