Greetings,
I hope you are enjoying my electronic newsletters, and find them interesting and informative about county activities. In addition to my monthly newsletter, the county sends various newsletters and notifications available by email or text message. To explore the many opportunities to subscribe or to change your preferences, visit the subscription webpage.
Please feel free to send me your comments through my feedback form on issues that concern you or you would like covered. I value your opinions.
Warm regards,
Jan Callison
May 08, 2018
County renews funding to help local small businesses grow
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.
Eden Prairie Library renovations move forward
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.
Affordable Housing Incentive Fund (AHIF) awards approved
Meeting as 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
May 22, 2018
Grant will expand withdrawal management services
The board accepted a $200,000 grant from UCare to expand
medical-supervised withdrawal management services at 1800 Chicago Avenue,
Minneapolis. The aim of the project is to reduce demand on high-cost crisis
care. The county expects to see benefits in serving clients through withdrawal
management at the facility, rather than in the emergency department, including
reduced costs and improved outcomes.
Learn
more about the grant and the program.
TV channel delivers government announcements to diverse audiences
The board voted to accept a federal grant of as much as $100,000
to continue development of TPT NOW, a public health and safety broadcast
channel designed to help government officials and partners to promote community
resiliency, including health, safety, emergency situational awareness and
public alerts. The channel will provide programming in English, Spanish, Hmong
and Somali. This project was funded by the Department of Homeland Security and
is administered by Hennepin County Emergency Management on behalf of emergency
management departments metro-wide.
Learn more about TPT NOW.
Grant will bolster program to strengthen families
The board accepted a grant of $529,868 from the Minnesota
Department of Human Services to increase staffing in the Family Group Decision
Making program. Under the program, trusted friends and family members gather to
support families and children, to help them resolve issues of safety,
permanency and well-being. Specially trained Hennepin County social workers
facilitate the meetings for families with open children’s services cases,
children in long-term foster care working toward self-sufficiency or emancipation,
families with open family assessment cases, and families that are seeking
family support and preservation services.
Learn more about the grant and about Family Group
Decision Making program.
In addition to our regularly scheduled board meetings, the board
often meets on Thursday mornings to receive board briefings. These are
informal opportunities to discuss emerging issues. No decisions are
made. Board briefings occur in the board room on the 24th floor of the
Hennepin County Government Center and are open to the public.
May 03, 2018
Pathways to Employment Return on Investment
Staff presented an overview of workforce development efforts in Hennepin County and other employers, as well as current and future pathways and initiatives. The Pathways Return On Investment (ROI) study which followed 66 participants for 12 months after their hire showed many successes, including increased earning capabilities, a decrease in public assistance costs, and a high retention rate. Hennepin County will continue to work with the Workforce Leadership Council and the public sector to expand private sector involvement, strengthen partnerships, continue developing programs.
May 17, 2018
Southwest Light Rail Transit
This briefing reviewed the status of the Southwest Light
Rail Transit project in anticipation of the special board meeting that was
held on May 31. Staff summarized changes
to the project budget including the impact of delays due to freight rail negotiations,
additional environmental review and the rebidding of the civil package. They highlighted steps that have been taken
to reduce cost increases such as changes to civil contract specifications,
modifications to the Operations and Maintenance Facility and staff reductions.
They described the Executive Change Control Board and the proposal to use it to
control the project contingency in order to manage future cost escalation. Finally, they identified outstanding legal,
construction and financial issues such as Surface Transportation Board
authorization, FTA approvals and federal funding participation.
The purpose of the special board meeting was to consider
the proposed budget increase of Southwest Light Rail Transit by $204M to
$2.003B.
June 5, 2018
Public hearing - solid waste management fee
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.
When: Tuesday, June 5, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Board room (A-2400), Hennepin
County Government Center
- 300 South Sixth Street,
Minneapolis
Read more about the public hearing.
June 5, 2018
Master Gardener: sustainable lawn care
When: Tuesday,
June 5, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: Excelsior
Library, 337 Water Street, Excelsior
Create a
healthy lawn using fewer inputs such as water, fertilizer, and time, while
still having a positive impact on the environment.
Register and learn more about this
Master Gardener event.
June 6, 2018
Health and Safety Fair
When: Wednesday,
June 6, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Hennepin
County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis
County
experts and more than 25 exhibitors will share resources on health and safety
topics along with demonstrations and activities. Attendees can learn tips for
staying safe at work and at home. Special topics for 2018 include the opioid
epidemic, hoarding, and emergency preparedness. Hennepin County holds a Health
and Safety Fair each year in conjunction with National Safety Month.
Exposing the complexity of child welfare work
Hennepin
County has undertaken an unprecedented child welfare reform – in the context of
similar state and national efforts. We’re working to reduce the number of
families requiring a Child Protection response, increase the quality of
families’ experiences with child protection, and reduce racial
disproportionality in child protection, especially among Native American and
African American families.
Watch
the FOX9 segment about how Hennepin County is “flipping the system.”
Farmer's Market at Government Center
Get in a
healthy habit with fresh produce and bedding plants from the Farmer’s Market,
each week this summer and into the fall.
When: Tuesdays through October, 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
Where: Hennepin County Government Center, South Plaza, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis
Up-to-date operations and maintenance projects
Looking for the most current information about major operations and maintenance activities --- visit www.hennepin.us/roadmaintenance.
County led project
Wayzata Boulevard (County Road 112) reconstruction project in Long Lake and Orono
o Work will wrap up on phase 1 this year
o Work begins on phase 2 (between Wolf Pointe Trail and Highway 12)
o More information about the project can be found at www.hennepin.us/countyroad112
Coordinated projects
Blake Road (County Road 20) reconstruction project in Hopkins
o This is a city-led project in Hopkins
o More information about the project can be found at www.hopkinsmn.com/180/Blake-Road-Corridor-Study and www.blakerdhopkins.com/
Have unused or expired medicine in your house? Use one of the many medicine disposal boxes located throughout Hennepin County Government to dispose of medications safely. Proper medicine disposal protects human and environmental health. Learn more here: http://www.hennepin.us/…/recycling-hazard…/medicine-disposal
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
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Jan Callison Commissioner 6th District 612-348-7886
Allyson Sellwood Policy Aide 612-348-6885
Christine Hoyles Administrative Assistant 612-348-3168
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